Clippers Facing Major Decision As Kawhi Leonard Enters Contract Year

Kawhi Leonard is entering the final season of the three-year, $149.5 million contract extension he signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in January 2024. That means the Clippers need to decide whether to re-sign the two-time NBA champion or trade him this summer and start fresh.

Apr 5, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) warms up before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Leonard has garnered some interest from multiple teams around the NBA, especially the Golden State Warriors. Meanwhile, the Clippers just received the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft from a lottery pick included a trade deal with the Indiana Pacers.

The Clippers now have a chance to rebuild the franchise around a young core. The franchise showed they are in a rebuilding phase when it traded veterans James Harden and Ivica Zubac at the trade deadline in February.

NBA insider Tim McMahon said Los Angeles is expected to still try to negotiate a contract extension with Leonard. But there is a good chance he could be traded if the franchise and Leonard fail to come to an agreement.

“We’ll see what happens with Aspiration. Assuming they are allowed to attempt to negotiate an extension, I believe the intention is to try to negotiate an extension with Kawhi Leonard,” McMahon said on “” on YouTube this week.