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Kawhi Leonard is proving yet again that he is a dominant playoff performer in the LA Clippers' series with the Dallas Mavericks. Despite his 41 points on Tuesday night, though, the Clippers fell again in game 2 and now face an uphill battle as they travel to play twice on the Mavs' home-court.
As a result of their two defeats, there are warning bells ringing for Clippers fans regarding their star's future with the franchise. Leonard has proven himself to be one of the NBA's elite two-way players - he is a 5-time All-Star, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and two-time Finals MVP. So it is only right that they have concerns over his contentment to stay with a franchise that could potentially bow out of the playoffs earlier than expected.
In this article, we will answer a couple of the key questions surrounding Leonard's future.
Is Kawhi Leonard becoming a free agent this off-season?
One of the key questions concerning Kawhi Leonard's future with the LA Clippers is his status in the offseason. The small forward joined the franchise less than two years ago after winning the NBA Championship with the Toronto Raptors. However, he could be on the move again in the summer if he declines his player option.
Leonard is currently nearing the end of the second year on a three-year deal he signed when he joined the Clippers. With his player option though - which is worth $36m next season - he has the opportunity to assess his choices for the next campaign should they crash out of the playoffs.
Should he decide to decline, Kawhi Leonard would become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason and would be a highly-prized commodity on the market. Earlier in the season, it was widely reported that he would stay with the LA franchise, though Sam Amick and John Hollinger of The Athletic wrote in April that it wasn't necessarily a done deal.
“While this league has certainly taught us to expect the unexpected, the truth is that Leonard is still widely, well, expected to re-sign with the Clippers. As it stands, that’s the word from Clippers sources and rival executives alike. Now, does that mean there’s no way he gets a wandering eye if the Clippers implode (again) in the playoffs? Of course not.”
Could he join the Golden State Warriors?
If the LA Clippers do make a first-round exit, we can assume the recruitment for Kawhi Leonard will go into hyperdrive. One such team that could emerge into the picture is the Golden State Warriors. Klay Thompson is back healthy next year and Steph Curry continues to show he is the league's best shooter. Together, the three would rival the Brooklyn Nets' assortment of stars.
Given their salary cap situation, signing Kawhi Leonard would be impossible for the golden State Warriors. Instead, what they could choose to do is create a sign-and-trade situation where they would most likely part ways with the likes of Andrew Wiggins and/or rookie center James Wiseman.
If they were to pull such a move off, the Warriors would have two former NBA Defensive Players of the Year and two of the league's greatest-ever shooters. It's a long-shot, but stranger things have happened.
