The LA Clippers could drop many signals that could lead fans to expect a trade regarding Kawhi Leonard. Some could be as simple as keeping the fifth overall pick, and drafting a franchise-building block, or showing interest in young wings available on the market for the right price, like Tyler Herro. But the biggest is simply declining the team options of Brook Lopez, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Nicolas Batum, as doing so hints that the front office is trying to clean the house of the older veterans.
And, to be quite frank, these guys aren’t expected to be a part of the team any longer due to age and production. In fact, each one was out of the rotation at some point this past season.
That said, there will certainly be a domino effect, so if/when news is broken that Bogdanovic, Lopez, and Batum will enter unrestricted free agency this summer, go ahead and anticipate some team trading for Leonard very soon.
It doesn’t make sense for the Clippers to keep Kawhi without all of their veterans
Kawhi Leonard, along with Bogdan Bogdanovic, Brook Lopez, and Nicolas Batum, go hand-in-hand. They’ve built a strong connection over time and have seriously helped the LA Clippers win many games, despite coming up short at the worst possible times.
And, most importantly, each one belongs in the same age group: mid-late 30’s. That certainly holds value, as being in a similar stage of your career allows you to connect with your teammates to a greater extent in the locker room.
With all of this in mind, there doesn’t seem to be a world where Leonard is retained for the last year of his contract, or worse, extended for the seasons ahead, while Bogdanovic, Lopez, and Batum are left to pursue the next chapter of their careers.
Why keep one when none fit in the team’s desired timeline? It’s pretty obvious the team is far more focused on Darius Garland and the player about to join the organization through LA’s fifth pick.
As a result, the Clippers should have already started searching for teams interested in taking their superstar away from them.
He has a ton of value right now and is viewed as the backup to Giannis Antetokounmpo, which means a massive return could be in store for the Clippers. But to do that, the front office needs to do its part.
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