James Harden's Clippers Future Gets Major Update Linked to Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and the Los Angeles Clippers took Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets to seven games in the first round of this year's playoffs. The Nuggets won Game 7 at home in blowout fashion, 120-101. 

The Clippers have never been to the NBA Finals. Leonard joined the team in the summer of 2019 with Paul George. The two-time Finals MVP has been unable to stay healthy during his time with Los Angeles, although he did finish this year's postseason healthy. 

Leonard is under contract with the Clippers for two more seasons. He becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027, and it appears the Clippers want to align Harden with Leonard. 

"I just expect James Harden to opt out and get a deal that lines up with Kawhi Leonard," Law Murray of The Athletic said on the Yossi Gozlan Podcast. "And that would make 2027 the big year to really look at something. So I think that’s really their avenue. 

"You’re not paying three stars. You’re not paying a whole lot for the two that you have. Like I think Harden might get a little bit more money by opting out, but you look at the cap rising and you look at where I don’t think James is going to command so much more that it limits the Clippers that much. I really just feel like right now it’s like optimize what you got and revisit this every offseason."