Lawrence Frank: Clippers Still Intend to ‘Win With Kawhi’
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INGLEWOOD, Calif., Apr. 17, 2026 — LA Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Friday that the organization’s long-term strategy remains centered on Kawhi Leonard, even after the team’s first postseason miss with the All-NBA forward in uniform.
“Our plan is to win with Kawhi,” Frank told reporters during his end-of-season news conference. “At the appropriate time, we’ll sit down with Kawhi, lay out our plan, and if our goals are aligned, we’d like to win with Kawhi.”
Leonard, who turns 35 in June, declined to address his future two days earlier after the Clippers’ play-in loss to the Golden State Warriors. “Let me cry about this loss a little bit more,” he said Wednesday, adding that contract discussions would occur “when that time comes.”
Best Offensive Year, No Playoffs
The two-time Finals MVP produced a career-high 27.9 points per game while appearing in 65 contests, his second season above 60 games since 2018-19. Despite the personal numbers, the Clippers failed to reach the playoffs when Leonard was healthy for the first time; the team’s previous miss came in 2021-22, when he sat out with a torn ACL.
Mid-season Roster Shake-up
Los Angeles reshaped its roster at the trade deadline, sending guard James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and moving center Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers in a deal that brought back Bennedict Mathurin. Frank cited the club’s mix of veterans and emerging players, along with draft assets and future cap flexibility, as evidence the franchise is “building that bridge from competitive to contender.” He also referenced the Clippers’ run of 15 consecutive seasons as a competitive team to underscore that the organization is not entering a rebuild.
Ongoing NBA Investigation
This season unfolded amid an NBA probe into Leonard’s endorsement agreement with Aspiration, a former team sponsor that has since filed for bankruptcy. A preseason report suggested the deal might have been designed to circumvent salary-cap rules. Frank reiterated Friday that the investigation had “nothing to do with” the team’s performance. “If you know Steve [Ballmer] and his integrity, you know there’s nothing to it,” he said, declining further comment while the league’s review continues.
Los Angeles heads into the offseason with Leonard’s future undecided but, according to Frank, still central to the franchise’s championship ambitions.
Source: ESPN
