Clippers Never Shopped Kawhi Leonard At Trade Deadline

Merlin sees the Clippers shuffled pieces at the deadline, sending James Harden and Ivica Zubac elsewhere, yet Kawhi Leonard stayed off the market. Insider Zach Lowe reported there was "no trade buzz" around Leonard, even as Kawhi heads toward an expiring contract after next season. That matters because Kawhi is playing elite basketball now and his contract timing makes him a prime summer asset. Merlin notes the signs of a pivot and the counterbalance of Leonard’s form and injury history. Los Angeles is hotter lately, 15-5 in their last 20, which could slow trade urgency. Still, an expiring $50.3 million salary and Kawhi’s age mean summer talks are likely to bloom where deadline talks did not.