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NBA Free Agency 2018: 5 offseason targets for the Los Angeles Clippers

By Jerry Christodoulatos

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 11: DeAndre Jordan #6 and Austin Rivers #25 of the LA Clippers during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 11, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 11: DeAndre Jordan #6 and Austin Rivers #25 of the LA Clippers during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 11, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images) /

1. Kawhi Leonard

Acquiring Kawhi Leonard would be a dream scenario for the Clippers.  Recent reports by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN suggest that Kawhi has his sights set on a move to Los Angeles. Although the Lakers are his preferred destination, the Clippers don’t seem to be out of the running entirely. Beyond the wishes of Leonard himself however, teams pursuing Leonard will have to meet the demands of San Antonio. The Spurs organization has traditionally made decisions on the basis of pragmatism. If the franchise does end up dealing Kawhi (though a trade seems highly likely, it’s not a certainty at this point), it will hold out for the best possible offer that it can get.

While the Clippers have a respectable collection of assets, teams like the Celtics, Lakers and Sixers could trump any potential Clippers offer for Leonard. Ultimately, they would need some luck for this kind of move to go down. A potential swap involving Tobias Harris and the 12th and 13th picks in the 2018 Draft was floated around as a potential offer from Los Angeles. But now that the draft has passed and the Clippers used their picks on Gilgeous-Alexander and Robinson that deal could be less enticing for the Spurs. If San Antonio has little interest in either of those players, a workable trade will be extremely difficult to construct.

Next: 20 best free agents available

Of course, Kawhi has some leverage in this situation as well. If Leonard categorically refuses to re-sign with any potential suitors not located in Los Angeles, San Antonio might only receive lowball offers for him. In that scenario, the Clippers have a much more realistic chance of obtaining him.

As matters currently stand, the Clippers seem like a dark horse in the Kawhi sweepstakes. Even so, they should pursue trade negotiations to the bitter end. Players of Leonard’s stature rarely hit the trade market. If they could land him they could still have $60 million plus in cap room to work with next summer. Leonard’s bird rights and that kind of capital would be the crude foundations of a potential superteam. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet though. These Leonard negotiations could last all summer or drag well into next season. At the very least though, the little brother franchise of Los Angeles is in a more promising position than it was a year ago. And that’s something for the perpetually jinxed Clippers.

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