NBA execs wonder if Kawhi Leonard, Clippers headed for split

NBA executives are starting to ask a question that once felt unthinkable: Is the Kawhi Leonard-Clippers era nearing its end?

According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, there’s growing belief that L.A. and Leonard could be headed for a split as soon as this offseason.

The Clippers effectively waved the white flag at the trade deadline, shipping James Harden to the Cavaliers and Ivica Zubac to the Pacers.

Whatever this roster is now, it’s no longer built to contend in the present. Leonard turns 35 in June and is set to make $50.3 million next season, the final year of his deal.

That alone would make things complicated. The bigger issue is everything hovering around it.

As first reported last fall by Pablo Torre, the NBA has been examining whether Leonard’s business relationship with Aspiration functioned as a backdoor form of compensation tied to his Clippers contract.

The reporting outlined a series of investments, partnerships, and payments involving Aspiration, Leonard, and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer that the league is still reviewing.

If the NBA ultimately determines there was cap circumvention, Leonard’s contract could be voided, making him an unrestricted free agent overnight.

Leonard arrived in 2019 as the final piece of a championship plan. Six-plus years later, the Clippers still haven’t reached the Finals, and availability has remained the story as much as production.

He’s still Kawhi Leonard. But the foundation beneath him feels shakier than ever — financially, competitively, and structurally.