A blockbuster NBA trade proposal sending Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard to the Phoenix Suns this offseason has been created.
In a story called “5 NBA Offseason Trade Ideas That Need to Happen,” Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report wrote that the Suns should trade Jalen Green, Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and a 2027 first-round pick to the Clippers this offseason for Leonard.
Most people in the NBA believe the Clippers should trade Leonard this offseason since they are no longer a championship contender and Leonard has just one year left on his contract. Leonard will make $50.3 million next season and then hit unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2027 if an extension isn’t accomplished.
This trade proposal pairs Leonard with Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen, Collin Gillespie, Royce O’Neale and Mark Williams. That’s not a bad core at all on paper.
Leonard is putting up MVP numbers for the Clippers this season, showing the entire NBA world that he’s not even close to being washed. The California native is averaging 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 50.4% from the field, 38.1% from beyond the arc and 89.9% from the free-throw line.
A future Hall of Famer, Leonard is a two-time champion, two-time Finals MVP and two-time Defensive Player of the Year. He was named a top 75 player of all time in 2021. The San Diego State product holds career averages of 20.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.6 blocks per game with the San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors and Clippers.
It will be intriguing to see where Leonard is playing next season. He will most likely not be on the Clippers since the team is rebuilding after trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers.
The Suns need to pair Booker with another All-Star to compete in the rugged Western Conference. Leonard is one of the best players in the NBA and would undoubtedly make life easier for Booker.