Kawhi Leonard is coming into a major summer as his future remains uncertain with the Los Angeles Clippers. The reason is simple. The Clippers now have to decide if they still want to build around an aging star on a huge contract for another season, or if they want to move in a younger direction right now.
Sean Deveney reported that a Western Conference executive expects the Clippers to go “headfirst into a rebuild” after landing the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Deveney also mentioned the Warriors, Heat, and Knicks as teams that could be in the mix if Leonard becomes available.
That does not mean Leonard is already being shopped. It means the situation is open enough for teams to watch it. Marc Stein already reported that the Warriors made a serious late push for Leonard before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, after rival teams learned the Clippers had agreed to move Ivica Zubac. Stein also wrote that the Warriors are expected to keep monitoring Leonard into the offseason.
Leonard is still good enough to create a big market. He averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals while shooting 50.5% from the field and 38.7% from three. He is owed $50.3 million in 2026-27, so any trade would need a major salary back.
That is the balance. Leonard is 35, expensive, and a health risk. He is also still one of the few wings who can carry playoff offense and defend top scorers. If the Clippers decide to rebuild, the Warriors, Heat, and Knicks should all make calls.
1. The Warriors Could Make A Massive Offer To Land Their Wanted Target
Potential Trade Offer For Kawhi Leonard: Jimmy Butler, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, 2026 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick, 2030 first-round pick
The Warriors are the team with the strongest link to Kawhi Leonard because their interest has already been reported. As highlighted above, Marc Stein reported that the Warriors made a “determined trade run” at Leonard before the deadline.
The timing is important. The Warriors made that push when there was a belief Leonard could become available. Once more, it’s reasonable to expect the Warriors to explore the idea again. That puts them in a different place than teams only being named as theoretical fits.
This offer would be expensive, but that is the point. The Warriors do not have an easy salary path unless one major contract goes out. Stephen Curry is not being moved. Draymond Green is still tied to the core and has a $27.7 million player option for 2026-27. Kristaps Porzingis is entering free agency, so using him in a normal trade is not simple. That leaves Jimmy Butler as the easiest salary base. Butler is owed $56.8 million in 2026-27, while Leonard is owed $50.3 million. The money works without forcing the Warriors to add every small contract on the roster.
The Clippers would not do this for Butler alone. He is 37 next season, expensive, and coming off a serious injury after reports that he has a torn ACL and could miss at least the first half of next season. The value would have to be the full asset package. Brandin Podziemski gives the Clippers a young guard on a cheap deal. Moses Moody gives them a 23-year-old wing under contract at $12.5 million in 2026-27, though his torn patellar tendon also lowers his short-term value. The 2026 first-round pick is the key piece because the Warriors own the No. 11 pick. A rebuild around the No. 5 pick, No. 11 pick, Podziemski, Moody, and future first-round picks is at least a real direction.
For the Warriors, this is simple. They would be choosing Leonard over Butler as the final major swing of the Curry era. Leonard averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals while shooting 50.5% from the field and 38.7% from three. That is still elite star production. He gives the Warriors a more natural half-court scorer, a better shooter, and a stronger defensive option against playoff wings.
The fit with Curry is direct. Curry still bends defenses with movement and shooting. Leonard punishes switches, plays through contact, and gives the Warriors a slower, more physical option when the offense gets stuck. The Warriors missed the playoffs at 37-45, so this is not a small adjustment team. They need a real talent jump if they still want to chase one more title with Curry.
The likelihood is not high. The Clippers would need to fully choose a rebuild, and the Warriors would need to accept the risk of building around two aging stars with major injury history. But if Leonard is actually on the table, this is the kind of offer that could get serious: major salary, the No. 11 pick, two young players, and multiple first-round picks.
2. The Heat Could Use Tyler Herro To Entice The Clippers
Potential Trade Offer For Kawhi Leonard: Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic, Kel’el Ware, 2030 first-round pick, 2032 first-round pick
The Heat would not have the strongest link to Kawhi Leonard. The Warriors have that. The Heat case is different. Sean Deveney named them as one of the teams to watch if the Clippers decide to rebuild, and the logic is easy to understand: the Heat still want to compete, but they need a better first option in playoff offense. Leonard would give them that if his body holds up.
This package starts with Tyler Herro because the Clippers would need a real player back, not only future picks. Herro is owed $33.0 million in 2026-27, and he gives the Clippers a scorer who is still in his prime. He averaged 20.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists this season. He is not a No. 1 option on a title team, but he can be a high-volume guard on a younger roster. For a team that could reset around the No. 5 pick, Herro gives immediate offense without being old.
Nikola Jovic is the second contract and the second young piece. He is owed $16.2 million in 2026-27, which helps the salary match. More important, he gives the Clippers a 6-foot-10 forward who can pass, shoot, and play in a bigger lineup. He is not a finished player, but he fits a rebuild better than another older salary.
Kel’el Ware is the swing piece. He is owed only $4.7 million in 2026-27, so his value is not salary. It is upside. Ware gives the Clippers a young center with size, rim protection, and low-cost control. If the Clippers move Leonard, they should want at least one frontcourt prospect with a real role path. Ware gives them that.
The salary framework is simple enough. Leonard is owed $50.3 million in 2026-27. Herro, Jovic, and Ware combine for about $53.9 million. That puts the offer in a realistic matching range without needing additional pieces that would make the Heat starve for depth after the trade.
For the Heat, this is a direct star bet. Next to Bam Adebayo, Leonard would give the Heat a stronger playoff scoring base and a top wing defender when healthy.
The risk is obvious. Leonard is 35 and always has an injury scare, even if he played 65 games in 2025-26. The Heat would be giving up Herro, two young players, and two first-round picks for a short win-now window. That is a dangerous move.
The Clippers would need to fully choose a rebuild, and the Heat would need to accept Leonard’s health risk for this offer to go through. But if the Clippers want salary, youth, and picks instead of one giant veteran contract, this is one of the best offers on the table.
3. The Knicks Could Offer The Best Win-Now Package
Potential Trade Offer For Kawhi Leonard: Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, 2030 first-round pick swap, 2032 first-round pick swap
The Knicks’ offer would be different from the Warriors’ and Heat offers. It would not be built around a high draft pick or a young scorer with star upside. It would be built around two players the Clippers could use right away while still getting some future pick control.
This is the least likely offer because the Knicks are already close to the Finals. They reached the Eastern Conference Finals, entered the round as favorites, and produced a plus-194 margin through their first 10 playoff games, the best mark for any team at that stage in NBA history. That makes a major shake-up hard to justify. They do not need to panic. They are already winning.
But if Kawhi Leonard becomes available, the Knicks would at least have to talk. Leonard would give them a stronger playoff scorer next to Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. He would also give them another big wing who can defend top matchups. With the Clippers not having draft control until 2030 due to the Paul George and James Harden deals, they’d need to still be competitive in the short-term.
The main salary piece would be Mikal Bridges. He is owed $33.5 million in 2026-27 after signing a four-year, $150.0 million extension. Bridges averaged 14.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.3 steals while shooting 49.0% from the field and 37.1% from three. He is not Leonard, but he is younger, durable, and easier to fit into a rebuild or retool.
Josh Hart would make the salary work and add real value. Hart is owed $20.9 million in 2026-27. He averaged 12.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 66 games. He is not a star, but he gives the Clippers rebounding, passing, toughness, and playoff minutes. Bridges and Hart combine for about $54.4 million in 2026-27 salary, which puts the structure above Leonard’s $50.3 million number.
The pick part is weaker. The Knicks spent a major part of their draft capital to get Bridges, including unprotected first-round picks in 2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031. That limits how strong their Leonard offer can be. A 2030 first-round pick swap and a 2032 first-round pick swap would be more realistic than a pile of clean first-round picks.
For the Clippers, this would make sense as they’d need to stay somewhat competitive while moving off Leonard’s contract. Bridges gives them a starting wing. Hart gives them another playoff rotation player. The swaps give them some long-term upside.
Yet, the Knicks may not want to break a team that is already deep in the playoffs, and the Clippers may prefer a younger package with better picks. But if the Clippers want proven players instead of a full teardown, this is the Knicks offer that makes the most sense.
