The Los Angeles Clippers might come up with a package for star Kawhi Leonard if the San Antonio Spurs place him on the trading block. According to Sam Amick of USA Today, the Clippers will monitor Leonard’s situation in the offseason and could make an offer if the Spurs express willingness to trade him. Earlier, former NBA point guard Nate Robinson said Leonard wants out of the Spurs and is eyeing a team from his hometown of California as the next stop in his career.
The Clippers could be an interesting destination for Leonard, who grew up in Moreno Valley outside of California.
The Clippers have two 2018 first-round picks to offer to the Spurs and players like Tobias Harris or Danilo Gallinari to match Leonard’s salary of $20 million next season. The Clippers might also add young talents such as Sindarius Thornwell and Sam Dekker and veteran playmaker Avery Bradley.
Leonard distant from Spurs front office
Leonard played just nine games this season due to a nagging quad injury, averaging just 16.2 points and 4.7 rebounds. It remains unsure if Leonard suits up in the Spurs’ first-round series against the Golden State Warriors. The relationship between Leonard and the Spurs reportedly turned sour after the team decided to sideline him indefinitely due to his quad issue.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski and Michael C. Wright of ESPN, Leonard and his camp have been “distant” and “disconnected” from the Spurs front office during his rehabilitation as he tries to recover from the quad injury that has hounded him since the preseason. It was also reported that some Spurs teammates tried to convince Leonard to return and help the team’s playoff push, but he declined, saying he’s not confident enough to play with his quad problem not fully healed.
Spurs drop Game 1 to Warriors
Leonard’s absence was evident as the Spurs lost to the Warriors, 113-92, in Game 1 of their first-round series on Saturday. Klay Thompson scored 27 points, Kevin Durant added 24 points, JaVale McGee had 15 markers, Draymond Green contributed 12, and Shaun Livingston scored 11 points off the bench for the defending champions.
LaMarcus Aldridge was the only starter in double figures for the Spurs with 14 points in 24 minutes of action. Rudy Gay led the Spurs with 15 points off the bench, and Bryn Forbes matched Aldridge’s output. After the game, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich expressed disappointment over his players’ performance, saying they looked like “deers in headlights.”
