Los Angeles Lakers fans are still holding out hope for Giannis Antetokounmpo, even if president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka doesn't have a great shot of landing the Greek Freak.
If and when the Lakers miss on Antetokounmpo, however, a replacement target is staring them in the face in the form of Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard, who is set to hit free agency after next season.
Lakers could sign Kawhi Leonard in 2027
At 34, Kawhi is a couple of years younger than most people realize (he's been around for so long).
Leonard will be 36 years old entering the 2027-28 season, and if he still looks anything like he does right now, Kawhi would be a real asset for the Lakers as a second or third option behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Kawhi to the Lakers became a subject of speculation on a recent episode of the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast, during which ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill floated the idea of Leonard donning purple and gold.
The Clippers have widely advertised an upcoming franchise reset in the summer of 2027. Only the newly-acquired Darius Garland and Isaiah Jackson are under contract with the Clippers past 2026-27.
In response to Goodwill's suggestion that Kawhi could remain in Los Angeles but switch franchises, Windhorst asserted that the Clippers will be faced with a decision to trade or extend Leonard before he hits free agency.
Leonard has fought his way back from multiple injuries and experienced a career resurgence this season. He's putting up MVP numbers with 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game on 49.1/ 38.3/ 91.2 shooting splits. Some analysts believe he's been the best player in the world since Thanksgiving.
A Kawhi extension this summer makes sense for the Clippers if they believe his resurgence is real and sustainable for the remainder of the decade.
The contrary belief, though -- that Kawhi is likely to suffer further injuries and not sustain his current levels -- is backed by sufficient evidence.
If Leonard follows this season up with another All-Star campaign in 2026-27, he'll have erased some of the doubts about his future value. But by then, he might eschew an extension offer from the Clippers and choose to sign a brand new deal elsewhere, perhaps with a contender like the Lakers (assuming Pelinka has built a title team around Luka).
Three championships with three different franchises? It would make for a unique and singular career if Kawhi were able to pull this off, and it's not looking like the Clippers will be able to provide that platform, competitively speaking. The Lakers could.