Realistic Kawhi Leonard trade packages the Raptors, Spurs and others could offer

The Los Angeles Clippers welcomed home Keaton Wagler as the No. 5 overall pick on Tuesday night. Now comes the free agency and trades portion of the offseason, with L.A. very much at a crossroads when it comes to franchise cornerstone Kawhi Leonard.

A two-time Finals MVP, Leonard clearly has a lot left in the tank. He's also 34 years old with one of the more troubling injury histories in the league. Moreover, the Clippers are still wrapped up in an NBA investigation regarding Leonard's last contract and whether all his compensation was above board.

If the Clippers decide it's prudent to move on and reset — or if the league forces their hand in some way — the Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs, his prior teams, are landing spots of interest, per The Stein Line's Jake Fischer. Other potential suitors mentioned are the Detroit Pistons, who just salary-dumped Isaiah Stewart, and the Miami Heat, who recently acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Here are what potential deals could look like.

Spurs trade package for Kawhi Leonard

The Spurs welcoming Leonard back into the fold after their messy 2018 divorce sounds inconceivable, but enough time has passed and Leonard's apparent interest — and willingness to sign an extension — probably tells us something. San Antonio was knocked out in the NBA Finals by a very physical Knicks team with wing depth out the wazoo. The Spurs really could use a big wing with Leonard's track record as a defender, shooter and, of course, as a clutch-time killer. Those late collapses probably don't play out quite the same way with Leonard on the floor.

Can San Antonio trust Leonard to stay healthy? And is he really the right use of resources for a team built around three stars still on their rookie contracts? Those are fair questions, but the best-case outcome of this trade is hard to pass up. Plus: It's not like the Spurs can't win without Kawhi, if it comes down to it.

The Clippers probably have their choice of Keldon Johnson or Carter Bryant, if I had to guess. Bryant is the obvious pick as a 20-year-old with tremendous physical tools and defensive acumen on the wing. He should complement a youth movement led by Darius Garland and Wagler, two finesse guards, well. Devin Vassell is a talented scoring wing on a friendly contract. Luke Kornet is salary filler, but the Clippers do also need frontcourt depth. His screen-setting and short-roll passing could mesh nicely with L.A.'s new backcourt.

Raptors trade package for Kawhi Leonard

There is a storybook quality to Kawhi returning to the Raptors, where he won a title in 2019. There's certainly less bad blood there than in San Antonio, at least on the surface.

The Raptors are well-equipped in terms of draft assets, interesting young players and of course big matching salaries. There's a simpler framework centered on Brandon Ingram's $40 million contract, but Toronto could view this as an opportunity to improve and get off of their burdensome four-year commitment to Jakob Poeltl.

It would probably require an extra draft pick or two, but a jumbo, hyper-versatile four-man group of Leonard, Ingram, Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles could go places in the East. The Raptors are built to wreak havoc on defense already. Leonard can carry the halfcourt offense when things slow down in the playoffs, which is what Toronto needs most of all.

The Clippers can hope against hope to rebuild Poeltl's value enough to flip him down the line. Beyond that, RJ Barrett is a talented slasher who can hit open shots and pressure the rim off of passes from Garland and Wagler. Allen Graves, the No. 19 overall pick in Tuesday's NBA Draft, is a gifted defensive playmaker at the four spot, with enough shooting and connective passing equity to develop into an extremely helpful role player.

Heat trade package for Kawhi Leonard

The Heat are threadbare in the assets department after the Giannis trade, but this could appeal to the Clippers from a pure salary-dump perspective. Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell and Pelle Larsson are all basically off the books after next season (although Mitchell and Larsson could be worth keeping around on manageable salaries). If the Clippers can't extend Leonard, this allows them to clean up the books long term.

Miami can still offer unprotected first-round swap rights in 2028, 2029 and 2032. If the Heat are willing to truly unload the clip, this package becomes extremely appealing, as who knows what the shelf life is on a Giannis-Kawhi partnership. (Probably not long.) Plus, according to The Stein Line, Leonard has not expressed a willingness to sign an extension in South Beach, so the Heat would be flying blind.

Andrew Wiggins could potentially return some kind of value in a separate trade, even if it's just the Clippers deciding to take on money elsewhere in exchange for assets. Or he can help on the court for a year with his defense and spot-up shooting. Larsson gets after it on both ends. Mitchell is a strong culture guy whose rugged on-ball defense sure would help off the bench, as neither Garland nor Wagler project to offer much resistance on that end of the floor.

Pistons trade package for Kawhi Leonard

Leonard probably has enough leverage on an expiring contract to steer himself away from Detroit, but if the Pistons put forth their best offer, it is anyone's ballgame.

The Pistons own all their future first-round picks, which is rare enough for a No. 1 seed looking for that extra boost. Detroit probably won't consider trading Ausar Thompson, but the Clippers could see an undervalued upside swing in Ron Holland, who's just waiting for a more optimal role and system. Los Angeles can pair the former top-five pick with two elite shooting and playmaking guards in Garland and Wagler. There's be a lot more space for Holland's slashing to shine compared to the cramped floor he plays on in Detroit.

The Clippers can flip Duncan Robinson to a contend when the time is right. Caris LeVert is an expiring contract and another potential trade chip, should a team with bad money (and picks) come knocking. Plus three future first-round picks to stuff their coffers.

The Pistons need another player who can consistently break down the defense and create from scratch in the half court. Leonard does the trick, without negatively impacting their stout defensive identity. If rookie guard Ebuka Okorie can plug and play as a sixth-man microwave, Detroit suddenly has the ammo to really contend in the East.

A surprise landing spot: Celtics trade package for Kawhi Leonard

The Celtics appear dead set on trading Jaylen Brown. The 2024 Finals MVP is still very good, but his contract is a doozy and his online comments after Boston's first-round exit in the playoffs didn't exactly create good press.

Leonard is significantly older and less durable, but he's a clear upgrade when healthy. Leonard and Brown occupy similar areas of the floor and offer similar skill sets, but Leonard is (still) vastly superior as a defender and he's just more efficient — more refined. Leonard is as close to automatic as it gets in the mid-range. He will attack his spots with more purpose and precision than Brown. The Celtics offense, especially with Jayson Tatum back in the fold full time, would just feel crisper and cleaner.

Meanwhile, Steve Ballmer has never expressed any remote desire or willingness to endure a long rebuild. If the Celtics come calling with a 29-year-old Jaylen Brown, fresh off of a second-team All-NBA season, it could appeal to Ballmer's competitive ethos. Garland and Wagler — L.A.'s other pillars — are synergistic fits on paper. Brown is also under contract for three more years. If the Clippers can't find a path forward with Kawhi, Brown is a ready-made star who offers security and fresher legs. He also went to school at Cal, for what it's worth.

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