Comments on: 2026 Clippers Exit Interview: Kawhi Leonard

By: mlslaw1

mlslaw1 — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 04:10:35 +0000

Yes, plenty of drama ahead. I rule nothing out for this team and I have a feeling other teams will be sorely tempted to part with their high draft picks for a “too good to be true” offer.

By: Oodypkt

Oodypkt — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 02:29:08 +0000

Kawhi is a true enigma.
I believe Ballmer & LF will try to hold onto him as long as they can because of the steep price they paid to get him.
But this offseason should be the first time he might actually get dealt, if the offer is undeniable.
Apart from the boost of small guard credibility by Brunson, OG also show that powerful/skill forward is still one of the premium tool in the title winning squad. Not the current best comp but you see the point.
Put him on OKC, DEN or DET & CLE and those teams will be serious threat to the Knicks, and the Spurs, to a lesser extent.
Will be better suited to our future if we get the haul this year and start a big rebuild. Assuming DG is still here, we might find a way to be a play-in/fringe playoffs team again with enough talent & youth surrounding him.
That may sound a bit depressed but you have to start the long road somewhere and keep going.
The next week is gonna be huge. As always, let’s see how it goes.

By: Based Freestyle

Based Freestyle — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 01:58:37 +0000

I concur. The longer this drags on, the less serious the punishment’s probably going to be. At this point I feel that the league’s investigation must be having a difficult time finding clear-cut evidence of the Clippers’ guilt that would make other teams’ owners comfortable with bringing down the hammer on us, knowing the same precedent could be used on them if they ever step out of line.

By: chogokin

chogokin — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 23:25:01 +0000

I agree w/ pretty much all of this. I would be shocked if we got severe punishments for Kawhi or the Clippers as a whole (e.g. a long suspension and/or loss of significant draft picks), especially considering how long this has dragged on. I’m guessing (hoping really) that this wraps up w/ maximum fines imposed on Kawhi and Ballmer and the banning of Uncle Dennis (which really is a win for the Clippers too lol).

By: chogokin

chogokin — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 23:18:50 +0000

Clearly this is accurate because this is what I want to believe. Seriously though, even if it’s just posturing for leverage (i.e. the Clips don’t want to give up the #5 pick), this is good to see.

By: Jpo805

Jpo805 — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 22:45:51 +0000

I expect the aspiration decision to come down before the draft. Silver can not let it go on any longer now that next season is upon us in less than 2 weeks.

The reason it is taking so long is because law firms don’t have an incentive in most cases to resolve things quickly when legal fees are based on billable hours. The law firm will drag out this out as long as it can regardless if there is any wrongdoing or not. I imagine Silver & Co have been applying internal pressure on the firm lately to get it wrapped up.

By: John Maclean

John Maclean — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 22:35:46 +0000

https://hardwoodhoudini.com/surprising-western-conference-team-cools-jaylen-brown-blockbuster

By: John Maclean

John Maclean — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 22:10:50 +0000

Our most logical and cleanest path forward is to trade him obviously. But where he would fit well on paper has little to do with logic or reality because there’s likely a handshake commitment that they won’t send him anywhere he doesn’t want to go. Outside of Golden State or the Lakers there are no other destinations possible other than a guaranteed chance of winning with a proven championship roster like Denver, where adding Kawhi would put them over the top. And I’m not even sure he would go for that. Combine that with the man crush Ballmer has on him and I think there’s little chance he gets moved.

As far as Aspiration goes the last thing Silver, the owners or the players association want is some stiff penalty. This has become a PR nightmare for the league because all other NBA fans will freak out if heavy punishment isn’t levied.

If the league feels compelled to drop the hammer, Ballmer will immediately sue and drag every other team and many players into discovery which would undoubtedly uncover even more egregious malfeasance. Then the league would be consumed with scandal which would only reopen all the other conspiracy theories about the draft lottery and suspicious trades that have gone down.

For all these reasons I think you are absolutely correct that it will have to be some slap on the wrist and the league just manages the blow back best they can. Probably the max fine and some intermediaries like the two Dennis’ (Uncle and Wong) getting short term bans. Kawhi’s contract during that timeframe has expired and he’s on a new one so they can’t “cancel” that and get away with it. They might be able to take like one pick away, but that’s very convoluted because of all the swaps and trades. The domino effect would be a nightmare for several teams.

I get a lot of shit wrong but that’s my take on it. They need to wrap this up.

By: mlslaw1

mlslaw1 — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:16:22 +0000

Assuming you’re a gambling man, what do you think is the most likely outcome of Aspiration for the team and for Kawhi. I’m betting wrist slap and a recommendation to rewrite the rules for future such transgressions. And if so, the Pablo Torre’s of the world will howl to the rooftops.

By: chogokin

chogokin — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 20:54:28 +0000

The GS package is at least plausible because they view themselves as contenders, even though the rest of the world can plainly see that isn’t the case…in the same way that (allegedly) the Clippers view themselves as contenders if they trade for Jaylen Brown. It doesn’t make sense to any of us, but as the Doncic trade showed, none of this has to make sense to us as long as it makes sense to the moron-…the highly educated, amazing experts in charge of their respective FOs.

If anything I think the biggest limiting factor on a Kawhi trade is the NBA dragging their feet on a conclusion for the Aspiration scandal – delusions or not, I can’t imagine a team wanting to trade anything significant for him while there’s still a possibility of him getting a significant suspension.