The Clippers didn’t pick up the phone to shop Kawhi Leonard this summer. Teams called them. And so far, the answer has been a polite but firm no.
According to league sources, the Clippers have fielded trade inquiries on Leonard from multiple teams since the draft, but they’ve made it clear their plan is to keep the two-time Finals MVP in L.A. That stance hasn’t changed since February, when the Warriors, Timberwolves, and Pistons all made late runs at him before the trade deadline. Owner Steve Ballmer and president Lawrence Frank shut that down then, and they’re doing the same now.
Most recently, the Raptors and Mavericks reached out. Toronto pitched a package centered on Brandon Ingram. The Clippers have no interest in that. They weren’t interested in Ingram when the Pelicans offered him in 2025, and they aren’t interested now. Sources say the Raptors left young forward Collin Murray-Boyles out of all discussions, and without him — or multiple first-round picks — L.A. isn’t budging.
The Mavericks have a clearer path to putting together something interesting. But their reported offer of P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson, and draft picks hasn’t moved the needle. The Clippers would likely need Dereck Lively II included to take a deal seriously, and that’s complicated. Lively is 22, entering the final year of his rookie deal, and played only seven games last season after multiple foot surgeries.
The only two scenarios where the Clippers actually trade Leonard: he asks out, which hasn’t happened, or Ballmer and Frank get blown away by an offer heavy on young talent and first-round picks. So far, the offers have been described as underwhelming and one-sided.
Leonard turns 35 on Monday and is entering the final year of his contract, set to make $50.3 million. He’s eligible for a two-year, $126 million extension that would keep him in L.A. through 2029. Both sides have expressed mutual interest in getting that done, though they’re reportedly apart on the number. Leonard wants to win, and the Clippers have tried to build around him. They traded James Harden and surprisingly moved Ivica Zubac at the deadline, moves that frustrated Leonard during a 17-4 stretch. But he told the team he’d wait until the offseason to evaluate, and for now, he’s not pushing for a trade.
The Clippers have made the playoffs just once since 2021, losing in the first round three times and missing the postseason twice, including this year after a play-in loss to Golden State. That track record fuels speculation about Leonard’s long-term future. But the franchise has never been one to take a step back under Ballmer, and trading Leonard wouldn’t change that approach — it would just reset the clock.
For now, Leonard remains the face of the franchise. The phone keeps ringing. The Clippers keep listening. But they aren’t calling back.
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