The Los Angeles Clippers may be forced to sacrifice their franchise cornerstone, Kawhi Leonard, to avoid severe league punishment, a stunning possibility that could reshape the balance of power in the NBA overnight. What began as whispers of tension in Los Angeles has escalated into speculation about a potential split between the two-time Finals MVP and the organization he helped elevate. Now, a new narrative suggests the Clippers might escape the harshest consequences of the so-called Aspiration scandal, but only if the resolution centers on Leonard himself.

According to the NBA Insider Tim Kawakami, the Clippers could avoid punishment for the Aspiration scandal, and that any punishment is expected to be ‘Kawhi-centric’. “A lot of rumors of the Clippers thing about to come down. I heard it’s gonna be Kawhi-centric…The rumors I’ve heard is that it’s gonna be less about the Clippers and more about what’s gonna happen to Kawhi’s contract,” Kawakami said in the latest episode of the North and South podcast.

There have been rumors about the team paying their superstar under the table, and now it feels like all of those things are coming out in the open. Earlier, NBA Insider Tom Haberstroh had already hinted that the NBA Commissioner could invalidate Kawhi’s contract. And after hearing Kawakami, there could be a hefty fine and suspension attached to it.

Even if the Clippers are not penalized in the entire Aspiration fiasco, losing someone of Kawhi Leonard’s stature to free agency is nothing less than punishment. Depending on the punishment, the Claw’s arrival in free agency could wreak havoc across the league.

Therefore, specific teams that were actually waiting to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer may opt to pursue Kawhi if he becomes available.

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The Lakers, Warriors and others are on high alert as Kawhi Leonard closes in on a split with the Clippers

Owing to the entire fiasco over the Aspiration scandal, the NBA executives of some of the top teams are on the fence, monitoring the fiasco and waiting for their opportunity to pounce on Kawhi Leonard whenever he hits free agency.

Kawhi and the Clippers are getting close to a split as soon as this offseason, as per NBA Insider Jake Fischer. This would be a major setback for the Clippers, who have already traded away two of their crucial players, James Harden and Ivica Zubac, to the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers, respectively.

These two trades on the deadline completely wiped out their chances of pushing for a play-in spot or fighting in the postseason.

Recently, even Kawhi didn’t mince his words with the entire situation around the franchise. “Just developing over time. I think it’s over now,” he stated after a recent win over the Denver Nuggets.

However, considering the uncertainty around his future with the Clippers right now, teams like the Los Angeles Lakers or the Golden State Warriors will pounce on him if he eventually moves to free agency. The Lakers are an offensive-heavy team, led by Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves.

They were in the market for a defensive wing but couldn’t get their hands on any of their targets. Kawhi would fit in that role like a glove and instantly elevate this roster, especially with his clutch scoring late in games and overall defensive prowess.

For the Warriors, things have been pretty rough this season with injuries to Jimmy Butler and now to Stephen Curry. They are desperately after a superstar and were in the market for Giannis Antetokounmpo until the last hour of the deadline.

However, the Claw would be a better fit for the Dubs. They may have to sacrifice Butler, but a team with Curry, Kawhi, Kristaps Porzingis, and Draymond Green could work like magic, blending defensive prowess and perimeter shooting.

Other teams like the New York Knicks could also be in the mix for the former MVP. A troika of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Kawhi Leonard would be fantastic, given that the former two are offensive weapons, and Kawhi brings all the defensive muscle while playing alongside players like Miles Bridges and OG Anunoby.

Overall, investigations are on, and there’s a lot of scrutiny around the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard. If his contract is voided and he hits free agency, NBA teams will absolutely go berserk, fighting among themselves to sign the former NBA champion.