If the LA Clippers received trade calls one month ago on Kawhi Leonard, their decision would have been obvious. He was healthy at the end of last season and to start 2025-26, which felt perfect, as the Clippers wanted Leonard to remain available with the right crowd of James Harden and Bradley Beal. However, four weeks and some change later, Lawrence Frank has a straightforward rationale to barter his contract based on his atrocious plus-minus numbers.
In the Clippers’ 18 games, Leonard has missed ten. Still, the front office would not mind, as regular-season absences with the two-time champion are a trade-off for playoff availability.