Kawhi Leonard has “negative value” on the trade market
There was a time when the Clippers Kawhi Leonard was one of the most desirable players in the league. Those days have passedas an investigation of Leonardo’s business with Aspiration represents negative value on the trade market, according to insiders around the NBA, as reported by ESPN.
The report indicates that a variety of factors led to the conclusion that James Harden still has value. However, those same insiders said they believe Leonard has negative value and there is no need to trade him. The consensus is that the Aspiration scandal, along with his long injury history, makes him unattractive to other teams.
It was criticism of Leonardo over the years, and much of it focused on his limited impact on the Clippers. When the Clippers signed him, there was a belief that he could lead them to their first NBA title, as he did with the Toronto Raptors. Instead, it was one injury after another.
Leonard played just 57 games in his first season with the Clippers. Furthermore, his 68 games in 2023-24 were the most he had played since his 74 with the San Antonio Spurs. To make matters worse, this Aspiration scandal further diminishes his value and leaves the Clippers stuck with him as they endure a miserable season.
Despite the controversy, Leonard has been on fire lately, averaged 31.5 points in four games. Despite this, the Clippers continued to struggle, going 1-3 in those games. Overall, Los Angeles is 6-16 and tied for 13th in the Western Conference. If the Clippers were to try to free up talent to begin a rebuilding phase, they would be hard-pressed to find a replacement for Leonard, who has already missed time this season.
The future is very murky for Leonard and the Clippers as they attempt a season filled with drama off the court and struggles on the court. As the NBA continues to investigate, the Clippers will try to ignore the talk and climb out of the hole they dug themselves.
2025-12-05 19:05:00
