The 2025-26 season has been an absolute disaster for the Los Angeles Clippers so far. The Clippers came into this campaign with moderately high expectations, having gone 50-32 in 2024-25, but they have been a complete mess.
The Clippers are currently 14th in the West with a 7-21 record, and there have been murmurs about them accelerating their free agency timeline from 2027 to 2026. That would require parting ways with their big guns like Kawhi Leonard.
Leonard has struggled to stay healthy in recent years, and the Aspiration scandal now hovers over him as well. That has led to his value on the market being lower than ever before, and Lake Show Life’s Josh Cornelissen has put together a mock trade that sees the Los Angeles Lakers acquire his services.
Proposed Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Kawhi Leonard
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, 2030 first-round pick swap (LAL)
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht, 2032 second-round pick (LAL)
The Lakers Add More Starpower
The Lakers famously lost out on Leonard back in 2019 when he was a free agent, and they finally get him six years later with this move. Of course, he is not the player he once was, but he can still contribute at a high level.
Leonard is averaging 25.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game in 2025-26. You’d imagine he would take on a different role if he ends up on the Lakers, though. They have enough scoring thanks to the likes of Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves. What they need is defense.
Leonard, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, hasn’t been a force on defense in recent years, but some of that is down to him taking on a bigger role on offense. The hope here would be that he can get back to defending at a somewhat high level if he gets to take a backseat on offense.
The Clippers Get A Potentially Valuable Pick Swap And Clear Up Cap Space
The Clippers will be freeing up some cap space for the future with this move. Rui Hachimura ($18.2 million) and Gabe Vincent ($11.5 million) are on expiring deals and will be off their books in 2026. They could flip Hachimura for some draft capital as well, to add to this pick swap they are getting from the Lakers.
The hope with this swap would be that Doncic would decline in his 30s as former Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison is said to have feared. James and Leonard would have retired by then as well, which would make this a valuable asset. You wouldn’t bet on Doncic declining, though, so this could very well prove to be a not-so-great asset, too.
Another notable issue here is that the Clippers are also getting Jarred Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt will be on their books for a while, as he has a player option worth $13.3 million for 2027-28.
The Nets Get A Draft Pick And Sharpshooter
The Brooklyn Nets are just facilitators here, and they are getting Dalton Knecht and a second-round draft pick for taking on Maxi Kleber’s expiring salary ($11 million). Knecht is a solid young player who could perhaps flourish with a change in scenery. We saw him have some big moments for the Lakers as a rookie, but he hasn’t been getting a lot of playing time after his first few months in the league. If Knecht does rediscover his form, the Nets either have a nice little building block or they could flip him for more assets.
Who Says No?
The Clippers would be the ones who say no to this trade. Even with Leonard’s trade value dropping, this doesn’t look like a good deal for them.
Not only are the Clippers not getting a lot of value, but they’re also taking on Vanderbilt’s bad contract. There aren’t going to be too many teams in the NBA that would be willing to take it. The Clippers especially would want no part of it, as one of the goals here is to free up cap space.
Also, keep in mind, these are ultimately two rival teams. The Clippers aren’t going to do business with the Lakers unless they think it’s very beneficial for them to do so. That certainly isn’t the case here.
