"The most damaging transaction in history" - Bill Simmons slams Kawhi Leonard's deal for destroying the Clippers`

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Although the Luke Doncic trade left the NBA stunned, Bill Simmons believes that the Los Angeles Clippers signing Kawhi Leonard may be an even more damaging decision.

Over the past few weeks, more and more rumors and allegations have continued to come to light, thanks to investigative reporting from Pablo Torre. While the NBA is investigating the matter, Simmons believes that Leonard's time with the Clippers has been an unmitigated disaster, in fact, so much so that it has to be one of the worst decisions of all time.

During Thursday's installment of his show, Simmons spoke about the situation, reminding fans what the Clippers had to give up in order to clear out cap space for the Kawhi Leonard-Paul George era. Simmons said:

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"The entire thing of going into business with [Leonard], all the stuff it cost them, all the players and the draft picks, plus this scandal. It has to be the most damaging transaction in the history of the league. I don't even think you could compare it to anything. It's already retroactively one of the worst trades of all time."

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As Simmons pointed out, in the case of the Luka Doncic trade, at least the Mavericks wound up with Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg.

In the case of the Clippers, the team is reportedly done building around the two-time NBA champ.


Looking at the Clippers' offseason additions as Kawhi Leonard looks to win his third ring

After a first-round exit from the playoffs at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, Kawhi Leonard continued to train through the end of the NBA Finals in order to prepare himself for what he and the team hoped will be a big 2025-26 season ahead.

Throughout this summer, the team's front office has continued to add depth to their roster.

While the team parted ways with Norman Powell, they notably acquired Bradley Beal, John Collins, and Brook Lopez, while re-signing Harden on a two-year extension, and bringing back Nic Batum on a two-year deal.

Considering the team still has Ivica Zubac, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kris Dunn, and Derrick Jones Jr. under contract for the season ahead, the team is preparing to head into the 2025-26 season with arguably their deepest roster in years.

The big question, of course, is whether Leonard will be able to remain healthy for a full 82-game season and the playoffs.

Additionally, with the league's ongoing investigation into the cap circumvention claims raised by Pablo Torre, only time will tell how things play out for Leonard and the Clippers in the season ahead.

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About the author

Evan Bell

Evan Bell is a journalist specializing in the NBA and NHL at Sportskeeda, whose love for the game stems from a childhood spent watching the Chicago Bulls. He has been there through their highs and lows, from the Jordan era to the exciting Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah years.

Evan finds the 82-game season and the intensity of playoff basketball exhilarating, and he also revels in the offseason drama. Phil Jackson stands out as his favorite coach, whom he admires for his composed leadership and success in managing dynamic personalities like Dennis Rodman.

To deliver top-quality content, Evan fact-checks information while diligently keeping up with the action year-round.

When he's not writing, Evan follows tennis and Greek football, and also plays basketball and tennis.

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Edited by Satagni Sikder

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