The NBA’s punishment in the Kawhi Leonard investigation has left the Clippers staring at a much tougher road ahead, and the choices in front of them are getting clearer by the day.
Los Angeles was found to have circumvented the salary cap when it signed Leonard to a contract extension in 2021, and the league’s response was brutal: the Clippers forfeited five first-round picks between 2029 and 2033. That kind of hit doesn’t just sting - it strips away a franchise’s margin for error and makes building a contender almost impossible.
So where does that leave Steve Ballmer’s team? With three big decisions that will shape the next era.
First, the Clippers have to sort out Kawhi Leonard. He has not been suspended, but the trade to the Toronto Raptors still has not gone through.
The deal, as agreed, would send Leonard to Toronto for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a pick swap. There’s been talk that the Raptors might want to alter the package, but the hold-up remains unclear.
What is clear is that the sooner Los Angeles moves on, the better. It would be a painful admission that title hopes are off the table for the foreseeable future, but trading Leonard is still the right call.
The scandal hanging over his contract only makes that reality sharper, and the Clippers need to start rebuilding now.
Leonard shouldn’t be the only veteran on the block, either. Darius Garland is another player the Clippers should seriously consider moving after the NBA’s punishment.
He only recently arrived from the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the 20-point-per-game scorer would bring real value back in a trade, possibly two or more first-round picks. That kind of return matters now more than ever.
Los Angeles has to stop thinking about a championship in the near term and start aiming to become a respectable Western Conference playoff team again within three to five years. A young core growing together makes more sense than trying to patch together a roster full of players on different timelines.
And then there’s the one piece of good news: Keaton Wagler. The Clippers already have a blue-chip prospect in the building, and they drafted the former Illinois shooting guard just a few months ago.
Wagler averaged almost 18 points per game in college last season, and he brings the kind of upside that can change the direction of a franchise. He should be given the keys to the offense right away.
That’s a lot to ask from a 19-year-old, but with so few draft picks available in the years ahead, Los Angeles has to hit on every premium chance it gets. If one young star can flip the script, Wagler has at least a slim shot to become that player for the Clippers.
In Other News...
Clippers Future Could Hinge On One Jalen Duren Decision
The Clippers keep looking for ways to add real long-term upside, and Jalen Duren has emerged as one of the more intriguing names to watch. The Detroit center is still in restricted free agency, and the broader picture around him matters in Los Angeles because the Clippers do not have much draft capital or many young pieces to lean on as they try to build beyond the present.
Durens situation could eventually create a rare opening for a team like the Clippers if the market breaks a certain way. His next move with Detroit will go a long way toward determining whether he stays put or becomes a potential target down the road, and for a franchise trying to find a path to sustainable talent, one front-office decision in July can carry a lot of weight by next summer. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Kawhi Trade Is Stuck On One Crucial NBA Fallout Issue
The Clippers long-discussed Kawhi Leonard deal has run into a procedural snag, with the trade delayed while the franchise works through the fallout from the NBAs cap-circumvention investigation. The front-office suspensions have left the team waiting on interim management to handle the final steps, turning what was supposed to be a straightforward transaction into a holding pattern.
Trent Redden is expected to oversee basketball operations while an interim governor replaces Steve Ballmer for the final approval, a wrinkle that has slowed things down but not changed the expectation around the deal itself. Sources say Toronto is still expected to get Leonard and Los Angeles is still expected to receive Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, multiple draft picks and a pick swap, with no renegotiation on the table. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Punishment Could Leave Ballmer In An Even Tougher Spot
The fallout from the leagues ruling on the Clippers is still rippling beyond the punishment itself. The NBA found the club guilty of salary cap circumvention, a finding that has already put Steve Ballmer in a far different position than he was in before the case surfaced. For an owner who has long been one of the leagues most influential and visible figures, the issue now is not just the penalty handed down to the franchise, but how the rest of the ownership group is reacting to it.
Brian Windhorst said some owners were reportedly stunned by what they read in the leagues report, and that Ballmers standing with his peers may not be what it once was. He also pointed to the possibility that the Clippers could look at legal and negotiating options as they work through the consequences, which leaves the team in a tricky spot: trying to manage the league response while also dealing with whatever leverage, or lack of it, remains around Ballmers name. [Read more 🡒]