NBA Rumors: Reports indicate Kawhi Leonard has no interest in leaving LA Clippers during 2021 free agency 

Kawhi Leonard's future with the LA Clippers amid his ACL injury rehab continues to be a trending topic concerning NBA rumors.

Leonard and the Clippers looked lethal during their 2021 NBA Playoffs campaign, but the two-way forward ended up with a serious knee injury midway through the LA Clippers' second-round series against the Utah Jazz. Kawhi averaged 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game on 57.3% field goal shooting and could have helped them make the NBA Finals if he was healthy.

Reports suggested Kawhi Leonard had a partial ACL tear and recently underwent surgery. The 2xDPOY is expected to miss a large portion of the next season. The LA Clippers are yet to give a timeline for his return, though.

In the meantime, NBA rumors have suggested that Kawhi Leonard could still leave the LA Clippers if he opts out of his $36 million player option this offseason. However, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said there is no indication of Kawhi Leonard leaving the LA Clippers in 2021 NBA free agency. Here's what he mentioned during the recording of Woj & Lowe Free Agency Special :

"I've got no indication that Kawhi Leonard is interested in doing anything besides re-signing with the Clippers and rehabbing that injury."

So far, teams like the Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks and Miami Heat have been rumored to be interested in acquiring Kawhi Leonard in free agency. He will be an unrestricted free agent if he opts out of his current contract.

According to @TheSteinLine, it is 'no longer a safe assumption' Kawhi Leonard is staying with the ClippersThe Mavericks, Knicks and Heat are expected to show interest in Kawhi Leonard (h/t @TopBallCoverage ) pic.twitter.com/VhKU0m4rmG

— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) July 23, 2021

NBA Rumors: Why re-signing Kawhi Leonard is a sensible proposition for the LA Clippers despite his injury

Kawhi Leonard (left) with Paul George (right) during a warm-up session.

Kawhi Leonard is one of the top players in the NBA when healthy. He can win games single-handedly and lead a team to a championship run. The market is short on players of his caliber at the moment, and it is likely to be that way in the foreseeable future.

The LA Clippers cannot find an adequate replacement for him and continue to build on the championship-contending team they have at their disposal.

Even if Leonard does miss out on most of the 2021-22 season, the Clippers can be expected to do well. That's because they have a proven performer in Paul George as a co-leader and a head coach like Ty Lue, along with key role players like Marcus Morris and Ivica Zubac.

The LA Clippers did a remarkable job of making it to the Conference Finals this year despite losing Kawhi Leonard to injury with the series tied 2-2. It was enough to prove to the rest of the teams in the NBA that they are a team to watch out for in the coming seasons.

Should the LA Clippers make the playoffs next season, with Kawhi Leonard returning to full fitness by then, they will have a realistic chance of making a deep run.

The LA Clippers acquired Kawhi Leonard and Paul George intending to win their first NBA championship, and it is tough to see them giving up on this lethal tandem after just two seasons.

I just realized Kawhi Leonard has never gotten a chance to play a playoff game in front of a full Staples Center crowd yet. Injuries and COVID. Just sucks.

— Farbod Esnaashari (@Farbod_E) July 25, 2021

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