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Feb 4, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) moves the ball against Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Kawhi Leonard's Reason for Choosing Clippers Over Lakers Resurfaces

Originally posted on Los Angeles Clippers on SI
By Jared Knobloch | Last updated Sep 10, 2025 12:15 AM ET

The 2025 NBA offseason has not been kind to LA Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard. The 34-year-old forward has seen his name in the news in what feels like almost every day after being accused of a very controversial contract with the sponsor Aspiration.

While Leonard's name has been in the news over his Aspiration deal, his bold demands from the 2019 free agency have started resurfacing as well. At that moment in time, Leonard had the option of either staying with the Toronto Raptors, joining the Los Angeles Lakers, or joining the LA Clippers - where he ultimately joined the Clippers.

However, new reports have surfaced to explain how wild Leonard's demands were and also why he joined the Clippers over the Lakers.

What The Reports Say

According to Bruce Arthur of The Star, during the 2019 offseason, Leonard was searching for a deal with the Raptors that involved no-show endorsements. Ultimately, the Toronto Raptors were seemingly unable to offer that, and Leonard took his talents to LA.

However, how come Leonard chose the LA Clippers over the Los Angeles Lakers?

In that same article, Arthur claimed that Leonard did not want to play with LeBron James.

Kawhi Leonard didn’t sign with the Lakers in 2019 because he didn’t want to play with LeBron James, per @bruce_arthur

“The Raptors believed there was a real chance he would return instead of going to the Clippers despite the lure of Leonard’s home state of California. Leonard… pic.twitter.com/XX3zOPYCvx
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 9, 2025

"The Raptors believed there was a real chance he would return instead of going to the Clippers despite the lure of Leonard’s home state of California," Arthur said. Leonard didn’t want to play with LeBron James, so the Lakers were a third wheel in the sweepstakes. Jimmy Butler, a preferred partner, was headed to Miami. And Leonard recognized that Toronto was the best basketball situation, all told."

While Leonard seemed to agree that Toronto was easily the best choice available -- him, Pascal Siakam (who at the time was becoming a rising All-Star), Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol, and more, all on the same roster. One could argue that the Lakers could be the strongest team, but Leonard did not want to play behind LeBron James.

Ultimately, the Clippers appealed to Leonard because it was well-known that he wanted to be in his home of Los Angeles.

What This News Means

The investigation is still not over for Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers, and Aspiration. While it could have been a possibility that he and James teamed up in the purple and gold, it is not a surprise that he chose a different route. The surprise is really the circumstances behind the route, which are only coming to light now. Kawhi wanted to be a leader.

If Kawhi Leonard wants to be the bus driver for the LA Clippers, then he has to be a better leader, point-blank. It starts with taking accountability for the team's current controversy and taking a stance to lead the team into success with their very stacked roster.

Now isn't the time for distractions; it's the time for Leonard and the Clippers to take advantage of what could be a promising season.