The Oklahoma City Thunder just watched their repeat championship hopes fall apart in the Western Conference Finals, and one wild trade idea would have them responding by making a massive swing for Kawhi Leonard.
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes recently suggested a hypothetical deal that would send Leonard from the Los Angeles Clippers to Oklahoma City in exchange for Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Joe.
Oklahoma City Thunder receive: Kawhi Leonard
Los Angeles Clippers receive: Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Joe
On paper, it is a fascinating idea. In reality, it would be an enormous gamble for Oklahoma City.
The Thunder finished with the best record in the NBA at 64-18 and entered the playoffs as the favorites to repeat as champions. For most of the season, they looked like the league’s most complete team, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and one of the deepest young rosters in basketball.
Then came the San Antonio Spurs. Oklahoma City lost a brutal seven-game Western Conference Finals series to Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. Injuries to Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell hurt badly, but Holmgren also came under heavy criticism after a disappointing series.
That has led to plenty of noise around his future. There have been rumors, debates, and reaction pieces about whether the Thunder should even consider moving Holmgren. Draymond Green has already pushed back against the criticism, calling it premature. Other reports have suggested Oklahoma City has no real intention of trading him.
Still, Hughes’ idea is built around the possibility that OKC becomes impatient and tries to add a proven championship star.
The Thunder Would Be Fools To Make This Trade
If Oklahoma City is even thinking about this trade, the argument starts with Kawhi Leonard’s resume. Leonard is a two-time Finals MVP, a two-time champion, and still one of the best two-way wings in the NBA when healthy. Last season, he averaged 27.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while shooting 50.5% from the field and 38.7% from three-point range.
Those are elite numbers. Leonard is not just a veteran name living off his past. He can still score at a superstar level, create his own shot, punish switches, and guard high-level forwards when needed.
Putting him next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams would make Oklahoma City’s offense terrifying. Defenses would no longer be able to load up on Shai. Leonard would demand real attention on the wing, and his mid-range game would give the Thunder another late-clock option they badly needed against San Antonio.
There is also a financial angle. Leonard is entering the final year of his three-year, $149.5 million contract. He will make $50.3 million next season before becoming a free agent. If Oklahoma City wanted to avoid Holmgren’s massive long-term salary, Leonard’s expiring deal would create flexibility.
Holmgren’s five-year, $239 million extension starts next season. He will make $41.2 million in 2026-27, $44.5 million in 2027-28, $47.8 million in 2028-29, $51.1 million in 2029-30, and $54.4 million in 2030-31.
That is a major commitment. If the Thunder secretly had doubts about Holmgren as a long-term max player, this deal would turn that money into one year of Leonard. But that is also where the problem begins.
Trading Holmgren now would be extremely risky. Yes, he struggled against the Spurs. Yes, Wembanyama exposed some of his weaknesses. Yes, his offensive aggression disappeared at times when Oklahoma City needed him most.
But this is still a 23-year-old big man who just averaged 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.9 blocks while shooting 55.7% from the field and 36.2% from three-point range. He was named an All-Star, made All-NBA Third Team, earned All-Defensive First Team honors, and finished runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year.
That is not the kind of player a team should move because of one bad playoff series. Especially not for a 35-year-old Leonard with a long injury history and only one year left on his deal.
The Thunder have spent years building one of the most sustainable cores in the league. Trading Holmgren for Leonard would be the opposite of that approach. It would be a win-now move that could backfire badly if Leonard gets hurt or leaves after one season.
Isaiah Joe is not just a throw-in, either. Joe averaged 11.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 45.5% from the field and 42.3% from three-point range. He is one of Oklahoma City’s most reliable floor spacers and is on a manageable four-year, $48 million contract.
Giving up both Holmgren and Joe would be a massive price.
This Would Be The Dream Move For The Clippers
For the Clippers, this would be a dream outcome. Los Angeles finished 42-40, placed ninth in the West, and was eliminated in the Play-In Tournament. The franchise has already started moving toward a new direction after trading James Harden and Ivica Zubac.
Adding Holmgren would give them a real foundation. The Clippers already acquired Darius Garland at the trade deadline, and pairing him with Holmgren would create a younger, more sustainable core. Holmgren would give Los Angeles elite rim protection, shooting, and long-term upside through 2031.
At his best, he can anchor a defense, space the floor, and grow into a legitimate second option offensively. That is exactly the type of player the Clippers should want if they are turning the page from the Kawhi era.
Joe would also help immediately. His shooting would fit next to Garland, and he could become one of the best bench scorers on the roster. Instead of risking Leonard walking for nothing in 2027, the Clippers would land a 23-year-old All-NBA big and a 40% three-point shooter. That is a no-brainer for Los Angeles.
This Would Be A Panic Move By The Thunder
This trade is fun to discuss, but it feels far more appealing for the Clippers than the Thunder. Leonard would make Oklahoma City more dangerous in the short term. A healthy trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Kawhi Leonard could absolutely win a championship.
But the word ‘healthy’ is doing a lot of work there. Holmgren is young, under team control, already elite defensively, and still years away from his prime. One bad series against Wembanyama should not erase everything he has already become.
For the Clippers, this would be the perfect reset. For the Thunder, it would be a panic move. Oklahoma City should explore ways to improve after losing to San Antonio, but trading Chet Holmgren for one year of Kawhi Leonard feels like the kind of move that could haunt them for years.
