Fri Jan 02 05:50:00 UTC 2026: ## Clippers Face Trade Hurdles if Rebuild Considered

Los Angeles, CA – The Los Angeles Clippers, despite a recent four-game winning streak, face a potentially difficult situation should they decide to undergo a rebuild, according to ESPN reports. Trading away stars Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, both with hefty contracts and considerations regarding age and performance, presents significant challenges.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, on the Hoop Collective podcast, stated there’s “not a trade market for Kawhi Leonard around the league,” a sentiment echoed for Harden, albeit with slightly more potential interest. However, even with interest in Harden, colleague Brian Windhorst suggested the return in any deal wouldn’t significantly aid a Clippers rebuild.

The Clippers’ current struggles, with a 10-21 start, are further complicated by the financial commitments to Leonard, who makes $50 million this year and is owed $50.3 million in 2026-27, and Harden, earning $39.2 million with a $42.3 million player option for next season. Luxury tax restrictions make trading such large contracts difficult, especially when considering the players’ ages (both in their mid-30s) and performance.

Leonard, plagued by injuries throughout his career, most recently missed 10 games due to ankle and foot sprains. While Harden is still producing respectable numbers (26.3 points and eight assists per game), he isn’t the dominant force he once was with the Houston Rockets.

Despite their potential contributions to playoff contenders, neither Leonard nor Harden is likely to fetch the valuable draft capital that would jumpstart a successful rebuild for Los Angeles.

However, the Clippers’ recent resurgence, highlighted by a dominant victory over the Detroit Pistons and a 55-point performance from Leonard, suggests a different path. They are only 2.5 games out of the play-in tournament and 9.5 games behind the sixth-seed Minnesota Timberwolves. While a championship run may be a long shot, simply making the playoffs remains a reachable goal, making a potential trade scenario increasingly less appealing.

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