The Clippers’ 2025-26 season didn’t just start with a stumble-it opened with a full-on storm. The cloud hanging over the team wasn’t just about basketball.
The much-discussed Aspiration-Kawhi Leonard situation dominated headlines during media day, casting a long shadow before the first tip-off. It was clear the Clippers needed a strong start to shift the narrative.
Instead, they nosedived to a 6-21 record.
That kind of start can derail a season fast. But credit where it’s due-Kawhi Leonard and James Harden didn’t fold.
They locked in, found their rhythm, and led the Clippers to 18 wins in their next 24 games. Suddenly, a team that looked dead in the water is now sitting ninth in the Western Conference, with a real shot at climbing into playoff position if this surge continues.
But here’s the thing about the NBA: nothing stays the same for long-especially not around the trade deadline.
In a matter of days, the Clippers reshaped their roster in a big way. Ivica Zubac, a steady presence since Leonard arrived in LA, was dealt to the Indiana Pacers in a multi-player trade that brought back Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, and a haul of future first-round picks. That alone was a significant shake-up.
Then came the stunner: James Harden, who had finally started to click with Leonard, was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland. Just like that, the Clippers’ core-once built around Paul George, Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Norman Powell-has been whittled down to one man: Kawhi Leonard.
For head coach Ty Lue, the emotional toll on Leonard hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“It was tough for him, to lose James and to lose Zu,” Lue said on a recent podcast. “He and James figured it out this year-how to play together, how to play off each other-and Zu’s been here since day one with Kawhi. So yeah, it hit him.”
But what stood out to Lue wasn’t just Leonard’s reaction-it was his resolve.
“The biggest thing, which was great to hear him say, was, ‘When is [Darius] getting back? I’m gonna hold it down till he gets back.’
That’s the mindset you want from your leader. He knows we’re still in this thing.
We’ve got to get healthy, but when we do, we’ve got a chance to win some games.”
Leonard’s already backing up that promise. In a gritty 114-111 win over the Sacramento Kings, he delivered a vintage performance: 31 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. It wasn’t just the numbers-it was the way he controlled the game down the stretch, making the right reads, the right passes, and the big shots when it mattered most.
This version of Kawhi-the one who embraces the leadership mantle and delivers when the team needs him most-is exactly what the Clippers need right now. With Garland still sidelined, Leonard is the steady hand guiding a retooled roster through the chaos of midseason transition.
The Clippers are still finding their identity post-trade, but one thing’s clear: Kawhi Leonard isn’t just holding the fort-he’s keeping the playoff hopes alive. And if this is the version of Leonard we’re going to see moving forward, LA might be more dangerous than people think.