The Los Angeles Clippers were among the most inspiring teams heading into the postseason. Starting the year 6-21, they mounted a remarkable comeback en route to making the play-in as the No. 9 seed with a 42-40 record.
However, their season came to a heartbreaking end against the Golden State Warriors, who mounted a furious rally in the fourth quarter to steal the win on the road. After the game, a usually stoic Kawhi Leonard wasn’t focused on his contract situation.
Kawhi Leonard Isn’t Thinking About Clippers Contract
First joining the Clippers in 2019, Leonard signed a three-year, $153 million contract extension in 2024. Next year is the final season of that deal, and extension talks have yet to materialize (likely due to the Aspiration investigation hanging over Leonard and the team).
Coming off arguably his best season with the franchise, where he averaged a career-high 27.9 points per game while suiting up in 65 games, he was the centerpiece of their midseason turnaround.
But in the biggest game of the year, he came up woefully short. Limited to just 21 points on 8-of-17 from the field, he was a disaster from long range, hitting just 1-of-6 attempts from 3-point range.
Suiting up for 60 or more games for just the second time in his Clippers tenure, he was a no-show in the fourth quarter, not scoring a single point until a meaningless dunk with less than 20 seconds left on the clock and the Warriors out of striking distance.
A defensive masterclass by Draymond Green completely neutralized him, highlighted by a clutch steal that allowed Golden State to seal their comeback from down 13 midway through the fourth. Stephen Curry led the way with 35 points, including 27 points in the second half.
However, it was Al Horford, their big free-agent signing in the offseason, who stole the show with 4 3-pointers that effectively erased the Los Angeles lead single-handedly. Arguably their most consistent player all year long, Horford came through in the biggest moment of the season.
After the game, an unusually emotional Leonard took to the postgame press conference. When asked about his future with the organization, he said, “Let me cry about this loss a little bit more. We’re going to have our discussions when that time comes.”
Kawhi on his future with the Clippers:
“Let me cry about this loss a little bit more. We’re going to have our discussions when that time comes” pic.twitter.com/EHt24qSABW
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) April 16, 2026
Whether he stays with the Clippers for what could be his final contract is still unresolved. But with midseason acquisitions Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin, a number of draft picks, and prospects like Jordan Miller and Yanic Konan Niederhauser, the Clippers have an intriguing young core regardless what happens with Leonard.
