Los Angeles Clippers: Trading for Kawhi Leonard would be a mistake

After weeks of speculation regarding Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers have emerged as the new favorites to land Leonard.

The Los Angeles Lakers have naturally been connected to Kawhi Leonard due to his current status in San Antonio and his desire to play in Los Angeles. However, despite signing LeBron James, the Lakers have fallen behind the Los Angeles Clippers as the team with the best chance to land Leonard.

At least that is how it seems.

After weeks of speculation and trade talks that ultimately fell through, the Lakers seemed poised to wait it out and simply sign Leonard when his contract expired following the upcoming season. If Leonard really wanted to be a Laker there is no doubt this would happen.

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However, recent reports indicate that the Clippers are Leonard’s preferred destination, not the Lakers.

Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd that with LeBron now on the Lakers, Leonard’s new preferred destination is the Los Angeles Clippers. However, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN is standing firm, saying that the Lakers are still Leonard’s preferred destination.

Regardless, either team would have to agree to a deal with the Spurs to even get the opportunity to bring Leonard into the fold. The Lakers seemingly have not been able to match a massive asking price. Now, it may be the Clippers turn up to bat.

However, as intriguing and talented as Kawhi Leonard is, it simply is not worth it for the Los Angeles Clippers to trade for the superstar.

First and foremost, the San Antonio Spurs are going to ask for a hefty trade package focused around young stars, something the Clippers do not have the luxury of giving.

Most of the talent on the roster is on an expiring deal next season. Thus, the Clippers would likely have to send both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jerome Robinson, which is something the team would not want to do.

Los Angeles would have to package those two, an established talent like Tobias Harris and an upwards of two or three draft picks for the Spurs to agree to send Leonard. If the Clippers can somehow low-ball the Spurs then sure, make the deal.

However, as we saw with the massive trade package the team wanted from the Lakers, the chances of that happening seem slim to none.

Not only are the Clippers jeopardizing their future without young assets, the team would only be setting up for Kawhi Leonard to walk away in the future.

If all of the expiring contracts do indeed sign elsewhere, Leonard is going to be left on an empty Clippers roster that was not breathtaking to begin with. With greener pastures literally in the same arena, Leonard would have no incentive to stay with the Clippers.

Thus, the Clippers would be getting a rental year out of Leonard that would be good enough to take them into the second-round of the NBA Playoffs. After that, there are simply too many variables to confidently think that the team could maintain long-term success.

Next: The Clippers' current plan is not the answer

It is evident that if the Los Angeles Clippers want to bring in Kawhi Leonard then the team should simply wait it out and use newfound cap space next summer. That way, the Clippers have a shot at Leonard without seriously hurting the team’s long-term growth.

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