Latest Kawhi Rumors Reveal Star's New Stance on Spurs Contract amid Raptors-Clippers Trade Talks

While the Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors are holding trade discussions regarding star forward Kawhi Leonard, it sounds like his other old franchise is out of the running to acquire him.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, sources said that Leonard's reps "informed other teams he only wanted to sign an extension with the Raptors if the Clippers were not going to keep him." NBA insider Jake Fischer previously reported that Leonard also would've considered signing a contract extension with the San Antonio Spurs, but it appears that is no longer the case, as Toronto is leading the way as his next potential landing spot.

Leonard began his career with the Spurs in 2011 and won his first NBA championship with the team in 2014. He was later traded to the Raptors, and he led them to the 2019 NBA title in his only year with the franchise.

The 2026-27 season is the final year of Leonard's contract, so any team that acquires him this summer would want to sign him to an extension. Charania's report likely makes Toronto his only viable trade destination, limiting Los Angeles' options to move the two-way star.

Trading Leonard would be a difficult decision for the Clippers, as president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said at his end-of-season news conference in April that he hoped to build around the seven-time All-Star.

"Our plan is to win with Kawhi," Frank said at the time. "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."

It now sounds like the Clippers are accepting the likelihood that Leonard won't be on the team next season, and the Raptors are in the driver's seat to acquire him.