What The Clippers' Roster With Kawhi Leonard Would Look Like, Making Los Angeles A Top NBA Contender

The Los Angeles Clippers were a good team last season, going 48-34 as the No.8 seed in the Western Conference. L.A. could go from good to great at the end of the Kawhi Leonard Sweepstakes, hoping to sign the league’s top free agent and become one of the favorites to win the 2020 NBA Finals.

All of the available All-Stars came off the board within a few hours of free agency, but Leonard remains unsigned nearly five days later. He’s expected to make his decision at any moment after meeting with the Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors this week, potentially shifting the balance of power in the NBA.

The Lakers have the best odds to win next year’s championship with LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the roster, and that likely won’t change, no matter where Leonard goes. If Leonard signs with the Clippers, he could turn them into the biggest threat to L.A.’s marquee franchise.

The Clippers were the biggest surprise of the 2018-2019 season, making the playoffs comfortably without an All-Star on the roster. Los Angeles traded their best player at the deadline, sending Tobias Harris to the Philadelphia 76ers, and somehow got even better.

After re-signing Patrick Beverley to three-year, $40 million contract, the Clippers’ top five scorers are all set to return. Considering the team nearly won 50 games and beat the Golden State Warriors twice in the first round, adding Leonard to the mix would conceivably make L.A. a top championship contender.

Lou Williams just won his third Sixth Man of the Year award in five seasons, leading the team with 20.0 points and 5.4 assists in just 26.6 minutes per game. Danilo Gallinari had a career year, finally staying healthy for the most part and averaging 19.8 points and 6.1 rebounds in 68 games. Montrezl Harrell’s 61.5 percent shooting ranked fifth in the league, in addition to the forward averaging 16.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Landry Shamet made up the Clippers’ starting backcourt in the postseason and were both All-Rookie Second Team selections. Gilgeous-Alexander might be a future All-Star. Shamat made 45 percent of his three-pointers.

The Clippers haven’t been able to be too active in free agency while they keep a max salary slot open for Leonard. They did acquire Moe Harkless from the Portland Trail Blazers in a four-way trade, giving them another role player that was a key contributor on a winning team. The 26-year-old averaged 8.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 1.1 steals in 16 playoff games this past year.

Los Angeles signed guard Rodney McGruder to a three-year, $15 million contract in free agency. JaMychal Green is unsigned after averaging 8.7 points and 6.5 rebounds in 24 games with the Clippers. Ivica Zubac is a restricted free agent.

Jerome Robinson will return. He was taken 13th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft, scoring just 112 points in 33 games.

Garrett Temple and Wilson Chandler both left as free agents to sign with the Brooklyn Nets. They averaged fewer than 10 points per game combined for Los Angeles.

If Leonard joins the Clippers, it will mark the end of the super-team era. The Warriors’ dynasty is over. The NBA will be more wide open than it has been in a long, long time.

Before trading DeMar DeRozan for Leonard last summer, the Raptors were a perennial playoff team that could never reach the finals. They finally got over the hump when they acquired a superstar.

Maybe the two-time Finals MVP could do the same for the Clippers.