No. 1: Kawhi Leonard
2018-2019 statistics: 26.6 PTS, 7.3 REB, 3.3 AST
It should come as no surprise that Kawhi Leonard tops our list, after he just put together one of the most impressive individual postseason runs in recent history.
That’s not to discount the rest of the Toronto Raptors — disrespecting their depth would be as bad as doing the same about the LA Clippers — but it’s clear they wouldn’t have gotten to the Finals or won the title without Leonard’s efforts.
The 28-year-old poured in 30.5 points per game in the playoffs, shooting 49 percent from the floor and 38 percent from three-point range. He also got to the line several times per game, attempting an average of nine shots from the stripe per game and taking as many as 16 in a single game. Leonard connected on 88.4 percent of such attempts, and missed just six in the NBA Finals.
Of all the players on our list, Leonard also seems to be the best fit with what the Clippers have going on. With a gritty, do-anything-to-win attitude, Leonard’s style of play is exactly what LA has been lacking over the last few seasons. Adding him would likely make them an instant title contender.
Leonard will reportedly consider the Lakers, Clippers and Raptors in free agency, with the latter two seeming to be the more likely landing destinations. With the Lakers, he could join the duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, while the Clippers could provide him the opportunity to choose a player that he desires to team up with. The Raptors could arguably provide the best chance to repeat as NBA champions, but Leonard would have to make a permanent move to Toronto in that case — something that he may not want to do.
No one can say for sure what Leonard is going to do this summer, or any of the other free agents on our list, for that matter. There are several scenarios in which none of them come to play for the LA Clippers, but it seems more likely than not that at least one of them could be on their way to Los Angeles. Regardless of what happens, the franchise’s front office is sure to keep the fans in good hands.