The Clippers may not have looked like geniuses in the moment, but walking away from Kawhi Leonard and James Harden has aged better than keeping either one around ever could have.
Leonard brought back two first-round picks, a first-round pick swap and two second-round picks. Harden’s return was headlined by Darius Garland, plus a second-round pick. That kind of haul gives LA something tangible to build on, and it looks a lot better than banking on what those two might have provided if they stayed.
That was the whole gamble when the Clippers chased Leonard in 2019. They wanted a championship, and they knew stars don’t exactly line up for LA.
That move helped set off the trade for Paul George, which built a powerhouse - just not for the Clippers. Harden came later, in 2023, after he asked out of Philadelphia.
The end came in pieces. Five years after Leonard arrived, George wanted more money than the Clippers were willing to pay, so he left for the 76ers.
Less than two years after Harden joined the mix, LA worked with him to find a new destination before the trade deadline. A few months later, the front office agreed to send Leonard to the Raptors.
What did the Clippers get for all that bending? One conference finals appearance.
In two and a half seasons with Harden, they never got past the first round. So yes, it stung to lose both players.
But any doubt about whether moving on was the right call should be gone by now.
The money side only reinforces that point. After the Leonard trade became official and the NBA punished LA for the cap-circumvention scandal, the Raptors gave him a two-year, $115 million extension. Toronto could justify the move because stars of Leonard’s caliber don’t often choose the Raptors, but the appeal of bringing him back to Canada didn’t erase the reality of his age, 35, and his injury history.
This season has already shown the downside. Leonard has played only two games because of swelling in his left knee.
The MRI showed no structural damage, and he’s expected back soon, but he has already missed more than two weeks. Clippers fans know the drill by now: optimism about Kawhi’s health usually ends badly.
Harden’s situation is different, but not exactly reassuring. The Cavaliers gave him a three-year, $97 million deal that includes a $33.7 million player option for 2028-29, when he’ll be 39. He passed on his $42.3 million player option for 2026-27, which may have looked like a team-friendly move, but the long-term picture is not encouraging.
His numbers aren’t helping. Harden is averaging 15.3 points while shooting 36.4% from the field and 35.5% from three.
According to databallr, Cleveland’s offense is +17.6 points better with him off the floor. That’s hard to ignore, especially when his defense isn’t covering for the drop-off - the Cavaliers have been better on that end with him on the bench, too.
None of this makes the Clippers look good right now. A 2-7 start is a mess, and nobody is pretending otherwise. But it would have been worse if they had doubled down on Leonard and Harden instead of cutting bait.
Even with Garland off to a shaky start, LA is in a better spot than it would have been with both stars still on the roster. The pressure to chase a title in a loaded conference is gone, along with the fantasy that the odds were ever truly in their favor.
The Clippers didn’t see everything coming when they dealt Harden to the Cavaliers and agreed to move Leonard to the Raptors. Still, those decisions ended up doing them a favor before the NBA stripped five of their future first-round picks. Especially the Leonard trade, they gave themselves at least some future to hold onto after a self-inflicted disaster.
In Other News...
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For the Clippers, the appeal is obvious in theory: a chance to add a proven two-way wing without having to completely reshape the roster. Bleacher Reports speculation centers on a swap involving Max Strus and Derrick Jones Jr., a move that would give the Knicks more financial flexibility and some roster adjustment room, while leaving Los Angeles to weigh whether the fit is worth the cost and whether this is the kind of swing that can actually move the needle. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Scandal Just Took Another Turn Around Steve Ballmer
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Clippers Just Got Exposed By A Suns Problem That Looks Real
The Clippers ran into a version of Phoenix that can tilt a game fast, and it was the Suns second unit that did most of the damage in a 133-110 win. The bench poured in 81 points, a number that matched the top mark any NBA team has put up this season and landed as the third-highest total in Suns history, turning what might have been a routine rotation night into a showcase of depth and pace.
Five reserve players reached double figures, giving Phoenix a wave of scoring the Clippers never really solved once the game opened up. Jordan Goodwin was at the center of it in his return from injury, and the energy from the bench was a major theme afterward for coach Jordan Ott and the players, who made it clear this was more than a hot shooting night. For the Clippers, it was a reminder that the Suns have another gear when their reserves start rolling. [Read more 🡒]