Kawhi mum on Clippers future, ‘not stressing’ NBA’s Aspiration probe

LOS ANGELES — LA Clippers All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard wasn’t ready to discuss his future with the team after Wednesday night’s loss to the Golden State Warriors as he enters the final season of his contract.

“Let me cry a little more about this loss,” Leonard said when asked if he could see a future with the Clippers, who moved All-Star guard James Harden and young center Ivica Zubac in February trades that left many wondering whether they were embarking on a rebuild. “We will have our discussions when the time comes.”

Leonard is eligible, the day after the NBA Finals, to extend his contract for two additional seasons. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the most the Clippers can offer is $126.1 million over two seasons.

But the Clippers didn’t fall after those trades, becoming the first team in NBA history to finish the season with 15 games over .500 after having 15 games under .500 earlier in their season. LA went 36-19 to close the regular season – fourth-best in the Western Conference during that span – after opening 6-21.

That start included a messy breakup with franchise legend Chris Paul, who was unceremoniously sent home after a road trip and was later traded to Toronto in what was supposed to be a retirement tour with his former team.

Paul eventually retired after the Raptors released him.

The episode with Paul was the culmination of a season that had gotten off on the wrong foot before it even began, as the team was embroiled in a scandal over a sponsorship deal Leonard signed with a former, now bankrupt team sponsor, Aspiration.

Podcaster Pablo Torre reported before the season that former Aspiration employees said they believed supporting Leonard was a way for the Clippers to get around the salary cap.

The NBA launched an ongoing investigation into Leonard’s deal with Aspiration in September.

When asked Wednesday evening if he knew the status of this investigation and how important a resolution would be to him, Leonard replied:

“I’ve never thought about it too much, other than asking questions. You’ll have to ask the NBA, not me. I’m not the one investigating. … I think we’ll be clear. I’m not pushing that.”

The season-ending loss to the Warriors was notable for another reason. In February, the Warriors were among the teams that called the Clippers to inquire about Leonard’s availability after the Harden trade, according to multiple sources. Although those talks fell through, they are expected to be revisited this offseason, sources said.

If this was Leonard’s last season in Los Angeles, it was great. He averaged the most points per game of his career (27.9) and finished in the top 10 in field goal percentage, 2-point percentage and 3-point percentage. The Clippers were plus-7.8 points per 100 possessions when he was on the court and minus-6.9 when he was off. More importantly, Leonard played in 66 games, his second most since the 2016-17 season.

Wednesday night illustrated just how much the Clippers will need to add to the roster if they choose to build their team around him again this summer, as the Warriors have essentially dedicated their defensive game plan to making it difficult for Leonard to score or affect the game. Leonard finished with 21 points but made just one shot in the final 16 minutes. He also had five turnovers in the second half, his most since 2019.

According to ESPN Insights, Warriors forward Draymond Green defended Leonard for 51 half-court games, the most of any player in a game this season, and held Leonard to nine points on eight shots in those games.

“Draymond Green, Hall of Fame defenseman,” Leonard said. “It was hard to even shoot.”