The LA Clippers are down in their first round playoff series, which will of course spark armchair GMs to make their early offseason predictions.
Warriors fans are buying into the Kawhi Leonard to Golden State hype.
While early indications seemed as if Leonard wants to stay with the LA Clippers, leaving this offseason is surely a possibility.
Kawhi Leonard has a player option worth $36 million for next season. If the Clippers stay down and lose in this playoff series, the Kawhi to the Warriors possibility could end up being a whole lot more realistic.
Earlier this month, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN made it clear that he believed Kawhi is most likely staying with the Clippers amidst questions of him possibly leaving for Miami. Woj cited what he believes is a good relationship between Leonard and Clippers Head Coach Ty Lue, and that he believes that Leonard likes being in the location of Los Angeles.
What’s tricky about this Golden State talk, however, is that they don’t necessarily have the salary cap managed as well as the Miami Heat do when it comes to picking up Kawhi, should he not pick up the option this summer and test free agency.
The Heat were speculated to be looking into Kawhi because none of the players they traded for at the trade deadline (Victor Oladipo, Trevor Ariza, and Nemanja Bjelica) are signed for next year.
They could very well have the funds to pull this off. The Warriors are in a different situation. Warriors small forward Andrew Wiggins is due $30 million next year.
He’d have to be traded if Golden State wants to make this happen. Additionally, the Warriors would have to start thinking about the future.
How would they be able to pay Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Kawhi Leonard, and 2020 No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman? They’d have to get rid of Wiseman’s contract, or any of the other three current star Warriors listed.
It would be a good move, but it’s difficult to do, especially for a franchise who has won three championships with those three.
That franchise also suffered all 2019-2020. All that suffering would be for nothing if they trade Wiseman. Again, it would still be better to trade Wiseman, Draymond Green, or Klay Thompson to get Kawhi, but it’s just hard at times for organizations to give up on their process.
If the Clippers do indeed lose this series, or even the next series should they move on, there will be these discussions everywhere you turn. The Warriors will be in that discussion, and they will be an interesting player in the potential Kawhi Leonard summer sweepstakes.