Kawhi Leonard Not Ready To Discuss Future, ‘Not Stressing’ Aspiration Probe

On the heels of one of the best regular seasons of his NBA career, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard was hounded by Draymond Green on Wednesday and was held to 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting with five turnovers in L.A.’s home loss to the Warriors. In the fourth quarter of the do-or-die play-in game, the Clippers surrendered 43 points and blew a 13-point lead, ending their season.

Although the Clippers’ offseason is now underway, Leonard wasn’t ready to discuss his future immediately after the game. The star forward will be eligible this offseason to tack on up to two years to the one season left on his current contract, but he said those conversations could wait, as Ramona Shelburne of ESPN relays.

“Let me cry about this loss a little bit more,” Leonard said when asked his future with the Clippers. “We’ll have our discussions when that time comes.”

A Los Angeles native, Leonard prioritized a return home when he reached free agency in 2019 just days after winning a title in Toronto. Since choosing the Clippers that summer, he has signed two more extensions with the team, signaling his desire to remain in L.A. However, there has been speculation following in-season trades of James Harden and Ivica Zubac that the Clippers intend to retool their roster around a younger core. If that’s the case, Leonard probably won’t remain at the center of their plans going forward.

There has also been some discussion about whether Leonard will even be able to play out the final year of his current contract, which will pay him $50.3MM in 2026/27. Some league observers have predicted that if the NBA determines Leonard’s and the Clippers’ agreements with the now-bankrupt green banking company Aspiration were designed to circumvent the salary cap, it would result in the 34-year-old’s contract being voided.

Investigative reporter and podcaster Pablo Torre alleged the Clippers were using a no-show endorsement deal between Leonard and Aspiration to funnel the star forward additional money on top of his NBA salary, which the team and Kawhi have vociferously denied. Leonard told reporters after Wednesday’s loss that he’s not concerned about the findings of the investigation.

“I never thought about it too much other than questions asked,” Leonard said, per Shelburne, when asked if he knows the status of the probe. “You’ll have to ask the NBA, not me. I’m not the one doing the investigation. … I think we’re going to be in the clear. I’m not stressing it.”

Between the outcome of the Aspiration investigation and Leonard’s uncertain future in L.A., there are plenty of questions hanging over the two-time Finals MVP this summer. Fortunately, this time around, his health isn’t one of them. Leonard has been plagued in past years by health issues, but he said on Wednesday that his “body’s in a good place” and that his surgically repaired right knee wasn’t a problem at all in 2025/26, per Law Murray of The Athletic.

“I had no headaches with (the knee) the past two years, so I feel great,” Leonard said.