The Los Angeles Clippers’ latest playoff failure was a flashing neon sign that this era is over. A 120-101 Game 7 beatdown at the hands of the Denver Nuggets exposed everything wrong with this team: they’re old, they’re slow, and their supposed stars can’t get it done when it counts.
Steve Ballmer flew in hordes of “Clippers Wall” fans to Denver in hopes of shifting the energy. Instead, he witnessed another James Harden no-show (7 points on 2-of-8 shooting) and a team that looked gassed against Denver’s younger, hungrier core.
Now, all eyes turn to Kawhi Leonard, the lone Clipper who still carries real trade value. Leonard wasn’t bad in the series, averaging 25.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game, and putting up 22 points in Game 7 while his co-stars crumbled. But at nearly 34 years old, with a lengthy injury history, this is likely the last offseason where L.A. can flip him for a meaningful haul.
It’s time for Ballmer and the front office to face reality: rather than doubling down on a fading core, they should cash in Kawhi while his value is still high and reset the timeline around fresher legs.
Luckily, we’ll lay out the three best trade packages the Clippers could land for Leonard this summer. If L.A. plays this right, they could turn this painful Game 7 exit into the first step of a smarter, longer-lasting build. Let’s get into the deals.
Clippers Add Two New Starters From Brooklyn
Proposed Trade Details
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Nic Claxton, Cam Johnson, 2025 First-Round Pick (BKN)
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Kawhi Leonard
If the Clippers want to stay competitive while getting younger, this Brooklyn package makes a ton of sense. Nic Claxton can become one of the NBA’s most switchable big men, averaging 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game in 2024-25.
At just 26 years old, Claxton gives L.A. the rim protection and mobility they’ve lacked for years, and he fits the modern game much better than aging veterans like Ivica Zubac. Cam Johnson, meanwhile, is a proven shooter and floor-spacer who hit 39.0% from three this past season, while adding a career-high 18.8 points per game. He’s not an All-Star, but he’s a high-level role player at 6’8″ with size and versatility at forward.
This deal also delivers an immediate first-round pick, giving the Clippers a chance to add young talent in what’s shaping up to be a solid 2025 draft. Brooklyn’s pick won’t be a top-5 selection, but it could land in the mid-to-late teens, valuable real estate for a team that’s hemorrhaged picks in recent years trying to chase titles.
For a franchise that desperately needs to restock the cupboard, getting picks back on the board is a win. From a roster-building standpoint, Claxton and Johnson would both slide directly into the Clippers’ starting five next season. It keeps James Harden and Norman Powell surrounded by younger, more athletic pieces.
Is it a step back from Kawhi’s star power? Sure. But at nearly 34, with declining availability, Leonard isn’t the two-way monster he once was. This trade is about setting up for the next five years, not clinging to the last bits of an aging core.
Getting Younger And More Athletic With Nuggets Forwards
Proposed Trade Details
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji, Peyton Watson, 2031 First-Round Pick (DEN)
Denver Nuggets Receive: Kawhi Leonard
This Denver package is tailor-made for a team that wants to hit the reset button and maintain some competitive firepower. Michael Porter Jr. is the headliner, a 6’10” scoring machine who just averaged 18.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game on a scorching 39.5% from deep in 2024-25.
Yes, MPJ has had back issues in the past, but at 26 years old, he’s still squarely in his prime and brings elite shooting that would instantly modernize the Clippers’ offense. For a team that looked painfully slow and stuck in the mud against Denver, adding a young sniper like Porter is exactly the kind of energy injection needed.
Peyton Watson is the sleeper in this deal. The 6’8″ wing showed real flashes this season, carving out a rotation role with his defense and athleticism. He averaged a modest 8.1 points and 3.4 rebounds, but the advanced metrics love his on-ball defense and versatility.
At 22 years old, Watson fits a rebuilding timeline perfectly. Zeke Nnaji, a 6’9″ big with switchability and decent shooting touch, rounds out the package and gives L.A. another young frontcourt body to develop.
And let’s not forget the 2031 first-round pick, that’s far enough down the line that Denver’s current window could be closing by then, making it a potentially valuable asset. For L.A., this trade is less about competing right now and more about assembling a younger, longer, and more athletic group that could form the foundation of their next contender.
A Risky Swap To Create New Big Three
Proposed Trade Details
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Zion Williamson, Kelly Olynyk, 2025 First-Round Pick (NOP)
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Kawhi Leonard
Now this is the swing-for-the-fences move. Trading Kawhi Leonard for Zion Williamson is a high-risk, high-reward gamble that could either rejuvenate the Clippers or backfire spectacularly. Zion just wrapped up another up-and-down season, averaging 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists while playing 30 games, great production in limited spurts.
At 24 years old, he’s still a generational talent when healthy, and pairing him with James Harden and Norman Powell would instantly give L.A. one of the league’s most explosive trios.
The inclusion of Kelly Olynyk adds a smart, floor-spacing big who can help balance lineups and provide veteran leadership. Olynyk put up 8.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists this season while shooting 41.8% from three, the kind of glue guy every contender needs. Plus, the 2025 first-round pick from New Orleans gives the Clippers another asset to either draft or flip in a future move.
For the Clippers, this deal is about betting on talent and hoping their medical staff can keep Zion on the floor. If it works, they suddenly have a 24-year-old franchise player to build around for the next decade. After yet another playoff flameout, maybe it’s time for L.A. to embrace risk rather than sticking with a core that’s proven it can’t win big.
