LA Clippers fans are feeling renewed optimism after landing the No. 5 pick in the NBA Draft. While this comes as a huge boost for the franchise after failure to make the playoffs, it also raises immediate questions about what Kawhi Leonard’s future with the team looks like.
Former Clippers Forward Believes Kawhi Leonard Should Be Traded
Uncertainty is rising around Leonard’s future with the Clippers as he enters the final year of his $50.3 million contract. Tim MacMahon of ESPN brought up the possibility of the 34-year-old being on the trading block this summer on the “Hoop Collective” on Monday.
Former Clippers player Darius Miles also said that it was time for the Clippers to part ways with Leonard. Miles, who was drafted by the Clippers in 2000, suggested that the franchise could use the two-time NBA champion’s contract as leverage to kick-start a new era.
“I think you just have to clean slate and make some moves. I love Kawhi Leonard, I love him as a Clipper. I don’t want to let him go, but he’s probably the only one that you have some leverage to get out there, get some more picks or players,” Miles said on Yahoo Sports Daily on Monday.
“I think it’s time to probably let Kawhi go, which I hate to say. But I think they need to clean slate it. They’re just going in a new direction, so I think with this pick and Kawhi, they can make enough moves to give them a nice young team that can play,” he added.
“I think it’s time for them to let Kawhi go.” 😳
Former Clippers player Darius Miles believes LA needs to start fresh this offseason after getting the No. 5 pick in the draft.
(via Yahoo Sports Daily) pic.twitter.com/rK5gMyzT1N
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) May 11, 2026
Leonard joined the Clippers in 2019 after winning the NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors. He continues to play at an elite level when healthy and led the Clippers to the Play-In Tournament after a difficult start to the season by averaging 27.9 points per game.
If the Clippers do decide to move on from Leonard, he is expected to generate plenty of interest. The Golden State Warriors and the Miami Heat have emerged as possible destinations for the 6-foot-6 forward, while other contenders could also come into the mix.
The Clippers will feel they have a new lease of life after acquiring the fifth overall pick in the draft from the Indiana Pacers. Now they must decide whether to move on from Leonard or build with him as a new era approaches with the NBA Draft in six weeks’ time.
