Kawhi Leonard (Image Credits: Imagn)

Rival Executives Begin Questioning Kawhi Leonard’s Long-Term Future With Clippers

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Kenny Nosay | Last updated Feb 22, 2026 11:42 PM ET

After a slow start this season, the Los Angeles Clippers found another gear in their playstyle and were dead set on booking a spot in the postseason. At one point, they were more than ten games below .500. And then, Kawhi Leonard suddenly played near MVP level, and the wins kept coming.

But then, James Harden was dealt to the Cleveland Cavaliers near the trade deadline. The Clippers got the oft-injured Darius Garland in return. But that was not the final transaction the team made. Long-time Clipper Ivica Zubac was surprisingly shipped to the Indiana Pacers. And that now leaves Kawhi Leonard to steer this franchise to respectable heights.

With the Clippers seemingly cleaning the house, would this be a signal that they are open to trading Leonard in the offseason? Rival executives certainly think so, according to a report from Jake Fischer.

Rival executives have begun wondering if Kawhi Leonard’s time with the Clippers could come to an end via trade this summer, per @JakeLFischer

(h/t @APH00PS & @TheNBABase) pic.twitter.com/tHOnI0mbph
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) February 22, 2026

Kawhi Leonard has been with the Clippers since 2019. He was then paired with Paul George in the hopes of making the team relevant in the Western Conference. However, injury woes hampered the duo’s ability to reach their potential.

Harden came in, but despite playing at an all-star level, his pairing with Kawhi did not really click like the team hoped it would.

Kawhi Leonard Admits Painful Truth About The Clippers

Kawhi Leonard (Image Credits: Imagn)

At this stage of his career, the former two-time Finals MVP winner is solely playing for one thing, and that’s to win another championship. However, he’s often been unhealthy enough to stay on the court during the entirety of his Clippers tenure.

But seeing two of his best teammates being dealt at the trade deadline, Leonard has now tempered his view on whether this squad can realistically win a title or not. He went on to painfully admit that, as currently constructed, the Los Angeles Clippers are not contenders this season.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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