Predicting when every member of Clippers' starting 5 might leave
By Will Eudy
Kawhi Leonard
The Clippers' most indispensable player, Kawhi Leonard is the hope for this franchise's future. Steve Ballmer knew that when he acquired the superstar's services back in 2019, and he knows now that a fully healthy playoff run for Kawhi could mean the team holding the Larry O'Brien trophy at season's end. The problem is, injuries continue to hinder that situation from becoming reality. Leonard has been a Clipper for five seasons now, and he has only finished a year fully healthy once.
Five years ago, Kawhi was the hottest commodity on the market in the NBA. Any and everyone wanted him in their team's jersey because of what he did for the Raptors in the 2019 playoffs. Opting to play in his home of Southern California, Leonard made the Clippers the winners of the offseason five years ago. But they are still yet to reap the rewards to the highest extend with him as their best player.
That did not stop the Clippers from continuing to put their trust in Kawhi by inking him to a new, three-year extension that will keep him rostered until the end of the 2026-27 season. Based on his clearly strong desire to stay close to his family in California, it seems reasonable to assume Leonard will stay with the Clippers whether he wins a championship or not. He does not appear to be leaving anytime soon, if ever.