Clippers eye former Finals MVP as Kawhi Leonard trade talks heat up

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The Los Angeles Clippers may already have their Kawhi Leonard backup plan, and it comes with a Finals MVP trophy.

Leonard’s future in Los Angeles is now growing murkier, the Clippers have reportedly emerged as a serious team to watch for Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown. According to ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill, one league executive said the Clippers “want Brown bad,” adding another major name to what has already become one of the NBA’s most active rumor cycles.

Leonard is entering the final year of his contract, and the Toronto Raptors have reportedly engaged the Clippers in serious trade talks about bringing him back to the franchise he led to the 2019 NBA championship. Leonard’s camp is reportedly seeking a long-term commitment, while the Raptors appear more willing than Los Angeles to meet that number in a potential reunion.

If the Clippers move Leonard, they are not expected to pivot into a full rebuild.

Owner Steve Ballmer has shown little appetite for a full scale rebuild, and the Clippers’ reported interest in Brown fits that approach. Instead of tearing things down, Los Angeles could attempt to replace one former Finals MVP with another.

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Brown, the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, would give the Clippers a younger two-way star still in his prime. The five-time All-Star is coming off the best statistical season of his career, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists while shooting 47.7 percent from the field.

He also brings the kind of playoff resume and wing versatility the Clippers would need if Leonard is no longer part of the plan.

The Celtics’ situation makes the rumor even more interesting.

Boston has reportedly taken calls on Brown as Brad Stevens evaluates how to reshape the roster around Jayson Tatum. Brown has not requested a trade, and prying him away would still require a massive return. He has three years and roughly $183 million remaining on his deal, meaning any interested team would need to satisfy Boston both financially and with real assets.

That is where the Clippers’ path becomes complicated.

Los Angeles may not have enough on its own to build a clean Brown package, especially after selecting Keaton Wagler with the No. 5 pick and signaling at least some interest in developing a younger core. But a Leonard trade could change the equation. If the Clippers move Kawhi to Toronto and collect players or draft capital in the process, those pieces could theoretically be redirected toward Boston in a larger deal.

That makes a three-team construction involving Leonard, Brown and Toronto worth watching, even if no agreement appears close.

For now, the Clippers’ message seems clear: if Leonard leaves, they do not want to be left without a star.

And if they are forced to replace a Finals MVP, Brown may be the NBA’s best version of a Plan B.