Kawhi Leonard’s next team could be another Western Conference powerhouse

Kawhi Leonard has been at the center of trade rumors for weeks. The two-time NBA Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year has just one year left on his deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, and he’s about to turn 35 years old, so now might be the time to capitalize on his value. He’s coming off a season where he averaged a career-high 27.9 points to go along with 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.

Even with Leonard playing some of the best basketball of his career, the two sides are reportedly not close to getting a deal done on a possible contract extension. NBA insider Chris Haynes recently said that “if an extension isn’t worked out, the Clippers are expected to move him.”

Funny enough, the two teams that could arguably use his talents the most are the two teams he used to play for, the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors. And recent reports circulated that Leonard would be open to extending with both teams.

But on Friday, Sportsnet’s Michael Grange reported that the Houston Rockets are another team that could also be in the mix.

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The Rockets came into the 2025-26 season as one of the title favorites, but despite their blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant, Houston won just 52 games, good for fifth in the Western Conference, and was bounced in the first round of the playoffs.

But pairing Leonard with Durant would create one of the most complete and battle-tested tandems in the NBA.

Back in April, ESPN’s Bobby Marks floated a potential deal that would send Alperen Sengun, who the Rockets are reportedly open to trading, Reed Sheppard, and Steven Adams to the Clippers in exchange for Leonard and Brook Lopez.

In this deal, the Clippers would get a legitimate starting center after trading away Ivica Zubac at the deadline last year, while Houston would get to pair two of the greatest players of all time.

Durant is 37, and Leonard is about to turn 35. This might be either player’s last chance to win a title and doing it together would be iconic. The Rockets would still have Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Tari Eason, as well as Fred VanVleet, who played with Leonard during the Raptors’ championship run in 2019.

Coincidentally, the team Toronto beat to win the title was Durant’s Golden State Warriors. Now both players could be teaming up for one last ride together.

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