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The Kawhi Leonard chapter in Inglewood has come to a close, but the fallout for the Los Angeles Clippers is only beginning. Between the costly 2019 trade that brought Paul George to the team and recent NBA sanctions, the franchise faces a prolonged setback in talent and draft capital.
The trade that reshaped both franchises
What the Clippers gave up for seven years of Kawhi Leonard
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In 2019 the Clippers made a bold, expensive move to land Kawhi Leonard: they acquired Paul George from Oklahoma City in exchange for a package that included Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, multiple first-round selections and pick-swap rights. Leonard, coming off a championship season with Toronto, reportedly insisted the Clippers trade for George as part of his decision to sign in Los Angeles.
The pairing of Leonard and George produced limited postseason success. Over the seasons they shared the court (Leonard missed the 2021-22 year after an ACL tear), the Clippers managed three playoff series wins and reached the Western Conference finals once. Leonard also struggled with availability, meeting the NBA’s 65-game eligibility threshold only twice during his seven years in Los Angeles.
How Oklahoma City capitalized
Oklahoma City converted the assets it received into long-term building blocks. What began as a trade that looked like a short-term loss for the Thunder evolved into a franchise-altering haul.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Developed into the franchise cornerstone and a two-time NBA MVP (2025, 2026), later earning Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year recognition.
- Jalen Williams: The No. 12 pick in 2022 became an All-Star and a key contributor to OKC’s 2025 title run; he signed a five-year rookie max extension in July 2025.
- Thomas Sorber: Drafted with a 2025 pick the Thunder acquired; missed the 2025-26 season after an ACL injury and is expected to debut later this fall.
- Aday Mara and Brooks Barnhizer: Additional draft outcomes from the trade sequence that added depth to the Thunder’s roster construction.
- Future draft assets: OKC retained protected first-rounders and rights to pick swaps, including a 2027 Spurs first-rounder (top-16 protected) and a 2028 pick-swap right with Dallas.
NBA penalties and the cost for the Clippers
Earlier this week the league announced significant sanctions against the Clippers after finding cap circumvention in a matter tied to Leonard. The penalties include the forfeiture of five future first-round picks, along with fines and front-office suspensions. Leonard himself was fined $700,000.
Those losses compound the price Los Angeles already paid in the George trade. Over the coming years the Clippers will see holes in their draft calendar at precisely the times when a rebuild or retooling would usually rely on those selections.
Which picks are affected
Some specifics from reporting on the penalty framework: the Clippers are expected to lose an unprotected first-round pick that originated from the Pacers in the Ivica Zubac deal, and to forfeit multiple picks across the 2029–2033 window. They also will surrender their own 2030 first-rounder and face the prospect of losing one of the two first-rounders they hold in certain later years (those include picks tied to the Kawhi Leonard transaction with Toronto).
Adding to the strain, Los Angeles currently has only one first-round selection projected across the 2027 and 2028 drafts — a 2027 pick that will be slotted as the middle outcome among Los Angeles, Oklahoma City and Toronto. That limited draft flexibility makes roster recovery more difficult.
What this means for the Clippers
Put simply, the combination of the expensive trade for Paul George and the league’s sanctions leaves the franchise light on high-quality draft choices and financial flexibility. Losing multiple future first-rounders reduces opportunities to restock with young talent or to use picks as trade currency.
For fans and executives alike, the penalty timeline extends through the next decade, making any near-term path back to consistent contention steeper and longer than it would have been otherwise.
The tally
In exchange for a handful of playoff wins and one deep run over seven years with Leonard, the Clippers surrendered major assets that reshaped another franchise and now stand to forfeit multiple future first-round picks. The aggregate effect is a prolonged competitive handicap for Los Angeles.
