Clippers' Kawhi Leonard may soon hit the trade block if latest NBA rumors are true

The Los Angeles Clippers are once again staring into uncomfortable territory, and this time, the warning signs are louder than ever. According to Kevin O'Connor, the poor season start in Los Angeles could eventually push either James Harden or Kawhi Leonard to ask out.

That possibility alone is enough to send shockwaves through the franchise. But when placed into the broader context of the Clippers’ season, it starts to feel less like speculation and more like a looming crossroads.

Kevin O’Connor’s warning shouldn’t be ignored

O’Connor’s comment cuts straight to the core of the Clippers’ problem. Harden is playing at an elite level at age 36, and seasons like this are finite. For a veteran star, wasting a year on a team stuck in neutral is often the final straw.

While Harden was the focus of O’Connor’s remark, Kawhi Leonard looms just as large in this conversation. The Clippers have built everything around his health and availability. If the team cannot capitalize while he is playing at a high level, the pressure to rethink the entire project intensifies quickly.

Kawhi’s 55-point night changed the tone - but not the stakes

Kawhi Leonard’s 55-point performance against the Detroit Pistons was one of the defining moments of the Clippers’ season. It was a reminder of how dominant he still is when healthy. The postgame celebration, with teammates pouring water over him, looked like a group rediscovering belief.

At the same time, that performance sharpened the stakes. A healthy Kawhi playing like a superstar either carries the Clippers toward the playoffs - or dramatically increases his value on the trade market. There is very little middle ground.

The next 20 games will decide everything for the Clippers

With roughly 20 games remaining until the NBA trade deadline, the math is simple. If the Clippers can win around 13 or 14 of those games, pushing themselves firmly into the playoff picture, a star trade is almost certainly off the table. Even 12 wins may be the bare minimum needed to keep the front office committed to the current core.

If they fall short of that mark, the conversation changes fast. At that point, trading Kawhi Leonard would no longer signal panic—it would signal realism. From a front-office perspective, moving a superstar at peak value can be the smartest move when a season slips away. They might need a rebuild, also considering the league's investigations into Kawhi, which harm the Clippers.

For now, the Clippers are still choosing optimism. Kawhi’s body language, his on-court dominance, and the team’s response suggest belief is still alive. But as O’Connor warned, time is running out. The Clippers either win now or watch trade rumors turn into an unavoidable reality.