The Pistons are already past the rebuild stage. They just went 60-22, finished with the No. 1 seed in the East, and pushed into the second round before a bad Game 7 loss to the Cavaliers ended their season. Cade Cunningham made the All-NBA First Team, Jalen Duren made the All-NBA Third Team, and the roster finally looked like an East powerhouse, not only a young, good contender.
That is why the Kawhi Leonard noise makes sense. Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported that the Pistons are expected to inquire about Leonard’s availability, and the Clippers reportedly received multiple trade offers for him before the deadline, including a near-blockbuster deal with the Warriors.
The risk is obvious. Leonard is older, expensive, and his health history is always part of the deal. But if the Pistons believe they are one big wing away from a Finals push, this is the kind of gamble that becomes real. With Duren, Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland, Isaiah Stewart, Caris LeVert, picks, and salary tools, the Pistons have different ways to build an offer without destroying the whole core.
Here are three trade scenarios that could bring Kawhi Leonard to the Pistons this offseason.
Trade Scenario 1: The Pistons Build The Offer Around Ausar Thompson
Detroit Pistons Receive: Kawhi Leonard
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland II, Isaiah Stewart, Caris LeVert, 2029 first-round pick
This is the strongest offer the Pistons should make without overpaying for an expiring star. Kawhi Leonard is owed $50.3 million in 2026-27, and that is the final guaranteed year of his deal. That changes the price. The Clippers can’t treat him like a long-term asset if there is no extension in place. If they feel he could leave in 2027, moving him now for young players and one future first-round pick is a realistic path.
The money works almost exactly. Ausar Thompson is at $11.1 million, Ron Holland II is at $9.1 million, Isaiah Stewart is at $15.0 million, and Caris LeVert is at $14.8 million. That puts the Pistons’ outgoing salary around $50.0 million, close to Kawhi’s $50.3 million number. It is a simple salary structure, not a messy package that depletes the Pistons’ depth.
There is also the off-court part. The Aspiration investigation is still going, with the Clippers and Leonard denying wrongdoing, but the situation still creates noise around the franchise. If the cracks between Kawhi and the team are bigger than what they’ve shown to the public, a trade before he leaves in free agency is the best path.
For the Clippers, Thompson is the main asset. He had 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists on 52.5% from the field this season. The shooting is still the issue, but his defense, athleticism, rebounding, and transition game are real. Holland gives them another young wing after posting 8.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 78 games. He is raw, but he fits a younger direction.
Stewart and LeVert are not just money. Stewart had 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks on 55.0% from the field, and his $15.0 million salary is easy to keep or move later. LeVert had 7.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in a smaller Pistons role, but he is still a veteran guard with ball-handling and bench scoring value.
For the Pistons, this is about playoff offense. Kawhi had 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists on 50.5% from the field in 65 games. That is still elite production. The risk is age, health, and the contract. But if the Pistons think one playoff wing can push them into the Finals tier, this is the most direct offer. They give up a lot, but not everything.
Trade Scenario 2: The Pistons Move Jalen Duren After His Playoffs Disaster
Detroit Pistons Receive: Kawhi Leonard
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Jalen Duren, Caris LeVert
This is the high-end player offer. No extra first-round pick is needed because Jalen Duren is the main return. If the Clippers move Kawhi Leonard before he reaches 2027 free agency, this is the kind of deal that gives them a real long-term piece instead of only salary and draft guesses.
The money can work if Duren signs below his full max range. After making the All-NBA Third Team, Duren became eligible for a much larger extension, as his max range jumped from around $239.0 million to $287.0 million. If the Pistons sign him closer to five years and $220.0 million, his 2026-27 salary would land around $37.9 million with 8.0% raises. Add Caris LeVert at $14.8 million, and the outgoing money gets to around $52.7 million. That is enough salary for a Kawhi trade.
For the Clippers, Duren is the whole sell. He had 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on 65.0% from the field this season. He ranked in the top 8 of the center position in scoring, rebounding, offensive boards, and free-throw pressure. That is a serious young profile. The Clippers would be turning one expensive year of Kawhi into a 22-year-old All-NBA big who can run the floor, finish everything near the rim, and give Darius Garland a vertical target.
The Pistons also have to be honest about Duren’s playoff drop before paying him like a near-max big. His production fell in the playoffs, where he put up 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. If he pushes for a huge extension and a sign-and-trade path, the Pistons should at least think about it. Duren is a strong finisher, rebounder, and rim runner, but a lot of his value comes from creation around him. If his first-year salary gets over $40.0 million, moving him for a proven playoff wing like Kawhi becomes a real argument.
In that sense, this is all about fixing playoff offense for the Pistons. In the postseason, too many possessions became Cade Cunningham alone against a loaded defense. There was not enough second-side scoring, not enough shooting gravity, and not enough pressure from another star wing. Kawhi changes that. He gives them a main scorer who can work from the mid-post, punish switches, hit pull-ups, and play without needing every touch to start at the top.
He also helps the spacing in a different way. Kawhi is not just a spot-up shooter. Defenses stay attached to him because he can score from three levels. That opens driving lanes, slows help defense, and gives the Pistons a real late-clock option when the offense gets stuck. The cost is huge, but this is the best timeline version because the Clippers get the best young player in the deal, and the Pistons keep their draft capital for another move.
Trade Scenario 3: The Pistons Move Veterans And Draft Capital
Detroit Pistons Receive: Kawhi Leonard
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Tobias Harris, Kevin Huerter, Marcus Sasser, Bobi Klintman, 2026 No. 21 pick, 2029 first-round pick
This is the version where the Pistons try to get Kawhi Leonard without moving their best young pieces. The offer is built around veterans, one young guard, one young forward, and two real draft assets. It is not as strong as the Ausar Thompson package, and it is not as aggressive as the Jalen Duren version, but it is the cleanest “keep the main core together” scenario.
The money would depend on the new contracts for Tobias Harris and Kevin Huerter, their two free agents this summer. A working structure could have Harris around $22.0 million in 2026-27 and Huerter around $18.0 million. Marcus Sasser is at $5.2 million, and Bobi Klintman is around $2.3 million. That gets the Pistons close to $47.5 million before any small adjustments, which puts them near Kawhi’s salary range. The exact number can be adjusted through the first-year salaries for Harris and Huerter.
For the Clippers, Harris gives them a veteran forward who can still score, rebound, and play stable minutes after adding 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists on 46.9% from the field this season. Huerter gives them movement shooting and floor spacing after putting up 10.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists on 45.1% from the field.
Sasser is the more interesting, smaller piece. He had 5.2 points and 2.0 assists, and he gives the Clippers a cheap guard who can shoot, pressure the ball, and play behind their main guards. Klintman is still more of a development forward, but his size and low salary make him an easy piece to add.
The real value is the draft capital. The No. 21 pick in 2026 gives the Clippers an immediate first-round asset. The 2029 first-round pick gives them a future piece with more upside. That is important because Kawhi could leave in 2027, and the Clippers may prefer to get picks before losing leverage.
For the Pistons, this is the lowest-pain offer. They keep their best athletes and their main interior piece, while adding a proven playoff wing who fixes a real offensive problem. The downside is simple: the Clippers may ask for more player upside. But if they want veteran money, draft value, and a cleaner reset, this package is realistic.
