DHJ Quick Take: Ballmer’s Stance On Leonard
- Owner Resistance: Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is reportedly hesitant to trade Kawhi Leonard this offseason despite mounting pressure and widespread industry belief that the franchise needs a full rebuild.
- Insider Consensus vs. Fandom: NBA insiders widely believe the Clippers should move Leonard—who is entering the final year of his contract at $50.3 million—after trading away James Harden and Ivica Zubac in February signaled the end of their championship window.
- History of Protection: Ballmer’s deep fandom of Leonard has seen him repeatedly defend the star through recent off-court controversies, which included step-intervention to veto a near-completed trade with the Golden State Warriors at the February deadline.
Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer may not want to trade Kawhi Leonard this offseason, according to Hunter Patterson and Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Leonard has one year left on his contract. He will make $50.3 million next season.
“What’s more, as one rival executive from another team that has an interest in Leonard shared with The Athletic, there is skepticism that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is truly willing to trade Leonard,” Patterson and Amick wrote.
Most NBA insiders and reporters believe the Clippers should trade Leonard this offseason since they are no longer a championship contender after trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers in February. However, Ballmer is known to be a huge Leonard fan. He has defended his star time and time again amid the Aspiration scandal.
The Golden State Warriors came close to acquiring Leonard in February, but Ballmer stopped the deal from happening.
Leonard averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game this season for the Clippers while shooting 50.5% from the field, 38.7% from beyond the arc and 89.2% from the free-throw line. The future Hall of Famer played in 65 games, the most games he’s appeared in since the 2023-24 season, but Los Angeles missed the playoffs.
A top-75 player of all time, Leonard has played for the San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors and Clippers. He holds career averages of 20.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.
Leonard is a two-time champion, two-time Finals MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and seven-time All-Star. He doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract and turns 35 at the end of June. The California native joined the Clippers in 2019. LAC has never reached the NBA Finals in franchise history.
The Clippers have the fifth overall pick in this year’s draft. They acquired Darius Garland in the Harden trade and Isaiah Jackson and Bennedict Mathurin in the Zubac trade.
It will be interesting to see if Leonard gets traded this offseason. He will be linked to the Warriors and Miami Heat in trade rumors this summer.
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