Warriors came close to Kawhi Leonard deal; could revisit this summer

Turns out the Warriors didn’t just poke around on Kawhi Leonard at the trade deadline. They got pretty close.

According to Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard, Golden State and the Clippers had “generally agreed” on the framework of a deal earlier this season before L.A. ultimately backed out. Multiple league sources told Kawakami the Warriors came “reasonably close” to landing the two-time Finals MVP.

And this may not be over.

Those same sources expect Golden State to go star-hunting again this offseason, with Leonard still very much on the radar.

He’s currently set to enter 2026-27 on an expiring $50.3 million contract, assuming it’s not impacted by the NBA’s ongoing investigation into his situation with the Clippers.

Elsewhere, Kawakami writes he expects head coach Steve Kerr to return next season, though he acknowledges that’s more read than report. Team owner Joe Lacob, GM Mike Dunleavy Jr., and star guard Stephen Curry are all said to want Kerr back.

As for the league’s investigation into Leonard and his ties to the now-bankrupt company Aspiration, ESPN’s Baxter Holmes reports the process remains ongoing with no clear timetable for a resolution.