Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard has been one of the more polarizing figures in the NBA. When healthy, Leonard is widely regarded as one of the best players in the league. Unfortunately, his recurring injuries have resulted in extended periods of unavailability, raising concerns about his reliability as a superstar.
At the current juncture, the Clippers find themselves in a tough position. Although they are coming off a convincing 115-92 win against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night, the Clippers are still 6-16 on the season, placing 13th in the Western Conference standings.
With the franchise being urged to trade its superstars and start fresh, L.A. may be forced to eventually engage in trade talks involving Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
On this note, we explore a potential trade idea that would enable the Clippers to kickstart their rebuild by trading Kawhi Leonard to the Miami Heat. Here’s the potential trade proposal:
Proposed Trade Details
Miami Heat Receive: Kawhi Leonard
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Andrew Wiggins, Terry Rozier, 2028 first-round pick, 2026 second-round pick (BKN), 2027 second-round pick swap
The Clippers Gain Assets For A Rebuild
Trading Kawhi Leonard would effectively signal the start of a rebuild for the Los Angeles Clippers. Given their depleted draft reserves, a deal with the Miami Heat that would bring in expiring contracts and three draft picks may be quite beneficial.
For the Clippers, acquiring Andrew Wiggins and Terry Rozier may not hold much merit in terms of turning things around this season.
This particularly holds in the case of Rozier, who is on an expiring contract worth $26.6 million. Considering that he was arrested after the FBI conducted a probe into betting and gambling in the league, it is unlikely that the veteran guard will make an appearance this season.
In this regard, the Clippers would only benefit from the cap flexibility they would gain next summer after his contract expires.
Meanwhile, acquiring Wiggins may still have some merit for the rotation. The 30-year-old forward has been a solid rotation piece for the fourth-seeded Miami Heat this season.
While remaining a reliable presence on offense, averaging 17.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game on 47.7% shooting from the field and 36.7% from three-point range, he has also been a key defensive presence, posting 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.
Although Wiggins may not be as effective as Leonard, he has been relatively more available. When additionally considering his championship experience, he could become a valuable addition to the Clippers’ rotation moving forward.
Miami Becomes A Title Contender
For the Heat, acquiring Kawhi Leonard may not seem to be the ideal course of action, since they have been quite successful without a third star. However, as they head deeper into the regular season, Miami may benefit from the luxury of having a superstar like Leonard at their disposal.
The Heat have been an impressive team this season. While they were projected as dark horses in the East, the young team led by Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo has been dominant, posting a 14-8 record to start the new campaign.
With hard-nosed defense and hustle plays becoming their identity, the Heat could benefit from adding a superstar like Leonard. Given that he could be a massive upgrade on Andrew Wiggins when healthy, Miami may even see merit in taking a risk to acquire him.
For the 2025-26 season, Kawhi Leonard has looked reliable. With averages of 25.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, he remains an elite two-way presence. Considering that the Heat are already a competitive unit, acquiring Leonard would effectively transform them into a title contender this season.
Although the forward has been shrouded in controversy since the offseason, he has looked unfazed by the noise. Given that it would inevitably impact his trade value, however, Miami could potentially look at acquiring him at a lower price.
Should The Clippers Trade Kawhi Leonard?
At this point in the season, the Clippers’ organization may face some tough decisions. While players like James Harden and Ivica Zubac have been reliable, the same cannot be said for every player on the roster.
On this note, trading Kawhi Leonard may seem like a drastic decision for the Clippers. But considering the various factors involved, from his inconsistent availability to his reduced impact on winning, L.A. may benefit more by trading him now while he still has value.
Given their current position, Los Angeles could either opt to embrace a rebuild or make some trades to bring in the right talent to help them turn things around. However, given the Clippers’ recent decision to part with Chris Paul, it is more likely that they will observe how the team performs before making any further moves.
