.jpg)
2 hours ago
3
The Golden State Warriors were denied in their pursuit of Los Angeles Clippers superstar forward Kawhi Leonard this past season.
League sources told ESPN that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer denied the Warriors' trade offer for Leonard ahead of the February trade deadline.
In the past, the Warriors made a move for Leonard and were denied every time. However, Golden State felt like things would be different considering their change in direction with trading All-Star guard James Harden.
Things felt different for Los Angeles this time, which is why the Warriros took one more stab at it; however, it was to no avail.
According to ESPN, the package for Leonard included substantial draft capital and multiple valued players. However, Ballmer refused to accept.
Clippers Remain Committed to Kawhi Leonard
The Clippers have been vocal about wanting Leonard to remain with the team long-term. Clippers' president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said so last week in a press conference.
"Our plan is to win with Kawhi," Frank said. "We obviously showed as an organization that we want to continue and we are driven to win. So, at the appropriate time, we'll sit down with Kawhi, and very similar to 2024, lay out our plan. And if our goals are aligned, then we'd like to win with Kawhi."
While that is the case, reports have indicated that Leonard's long-term plan with the team is uncertain. The 34-year-old is under contract with the Clippers through the 2026-27 season. Leonard signed a three-year, $153 million extension with Los Angeles in January 2024.
English (US)