The Los Angeles Clippers blew up their only chance to get a second opportunity at the playoffs. Wednesday brought with it the 121-126 death knell from the Golden State Warriors. The Clippers bounced back from a 6-21 start to the regular season to get over .500. Now, as the season ended for them, their star, Kawhi Leonard, took center stage. He brushed off any conversation about his future with the team amidst new hope in the ongoing Aspiration case.

You see, last September whispers around the Clippers turned serious as allegations surfaced of salary cap manipulation tied to Kawhi Leonard and a questionable endorsement with Aspiration, now bankrupt. The NBA stepped in, launching a formal probe and appointing Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to dig deep. Meanwhile, insiders debated intent and potential penalties looming over the franchise. Their biggest concern? Officials could void Kawhi’s contract if they find him guilty.

But the league’s probe into Aspiration has gone quiet in recent months; however, a decision now appears to be on the horizon. Per Law Murray of The Athletic, many believe the Aspiration investigation will lead to minimal consequences, and expect officials to leave Kawhi Leonard’s contract untouched. Now, where does this news land for the Golden State Warriors‘ aspiration to acquire Leonard?

Reports say that the Warriors could revisit trade talks for Kawhi Leonard this offseason. ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne reported, “The season-ending loss to the Warriors was noteworthy for another reason. In February, the Warriors were among the teams that called the Clippers to inquire about Leonard’s availability after the Harden trade, according to multiple sources. Though those talks fizzled, there is an expectation they could be revisited in the offseason, sources said.”

But as you can see, Steve Ballmer and Co. are seemingly escaping harsh punishments. This could mean, that the 34-year-old forward could likely start the next season in his Los Angeles Clippers jersey. In the 2026–27 season, Leonard will account for a $50.3M cap hit as part of his fully guaranteed $149.5M deal with the Clippers. After that, he will be turn into a free agent. Interestingly so, the Warriors can either chase after the 7-time All-Star now, or wait until 2027. The possibility of the former happening suddenly feels unlikely.

When you break it down, the Warriors’ cravings for Kawhi Leonard makes sense. After all, he’ll be 35 by 2026–27, staring straight at Father Time. As the clock ticks, retirement chatter grows louder; however, Leonard appears locked in, fine-tuning his game. Therefore, the mission feels clear—maximize the moment and chase one, maybe two, final championship runs. That’s one of the Dubs’ ways to give Stephen Curry the farewell he deserves.

Kawhi Leonard ignored questions about his future

Following their Play-In loss against the Warriors on Wednesday, Kawhi Leonard faced the media. Of course, their focus was on the NBA’s active investigation into the Clippers-Aspiration fiasco. Usually, the organization doesn’t host any kind of traditional exit interviews after losing, therefore, it was the only opportunity for the reporters to ask the Klaw about his thoughts on the case.

“I’m not sure, I never thought about it too much until the question is being asked,” he said. “You have to ask the NBA, I mean, I’m not the one doing the investigation. I think that we’re gonna be in the clear. Like I told you before. It’s not like I’m stressing.” Meanwhile, Leonard bypassed questions about his future with the organization.

“Let me cry about this loss a little bit more. We’ll have our discussions when that time comes,” he said. After a brutal 6–21 start, the Los Angeles Clippers clawed their way back into the playoff mix. However, the Golden State Warriors ended their run in the Play-In Tournament. Still, there was shine amid the chaos, as Kawhi Leonard earned an All-Star nod, played 65 games, and ended the season with a career-best 27.9 points per game.

So, amidst uncertainty about what’s about to come, Kawhi Leonard’s ties with the Clippers reamins strong. Despite the Warriors attention on the 2-time NBA champ, it’s seemingly unlikely that a trade could happen anytime soon. After all, Steve Ballmer could find the relief in the ongoing probe.