Several members of the Clippers want to part ways with Leonard! Two major factors fuel the conflict, Olympic controversy resurfaces

On September 18th Beijing time, NBA reporter Ashish Mathur revealed that several individuals inside the Clippers want to go their separate ways from Leonard. Leonard signed with the Clippers in the 2019 offseason, but the team has not made it to the NBA Finals, and his participation rate stands at merely 42%.

A source inside the Clippers described the "Leonard era" as a nightmare, stating, "When healthy, he is an extremely talented player, but it’s well known he rarely stays healthy, and his team is difficult to work with. Thankfully, his time here is ending soon."

Leonard is set to earn $50 million from the Clippers in the 2025-26 season, $50.3 million in 2026-27, and will become an unrestricted free agent in the 2027 offseason. If the league confirms the Clippers and Leonard’s "under-the-table" contract, Leonard’s deal will be voided, and he will be barred from re-signing with the Clippers. Analyst Hollinger joked that for the Clippers, it’s unclear whether this would be a punishment or a "blessing."

Issues surrounding Leonard with the Clippers have brought renewed attention to his withdrawal from the national team before last year’s Olympics. According to the latest ESPN report, Leonard only informed team officials weeks before the USA Basketball training camp that he had undergone surgery—causing frustration among coaches and management preparing for the international competition.

In April 2024 (just weeks after the Clippers were eliminated from the playoffs), Leonard was named to the USA Basketball 12-man roster. Officials hoped Leonard would be a defensive anchor, but doubts about his health persisted due to knee inflammation he suffered late in the season.

At the end of June, USA Basketball officials learned that Leonard had undergone knee surgery two months earlier (early May), intensifying concerns. This revelation was surprising as the procedure had never been publicly disclosed, and staff remained unaware until just before the July training camp.

Sources indicated Leonard appeared slow and struggled during training in Las Vegas. Despite the poor performance, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, who also serves as an assistant coach for Team USA, defended Leonard. Lue emphasized that Leonard is aware of his physical condition and would voluntarily step back if unable to compete, and that he remains committed to representing his country.

Frank, the Clippers’ President of Basketball Operations, shared a similar view, stating Leonard was eager to participate. However, USA Basketball officials were not convinced.

“I think he believed he could recover during the three weeks of USA Basketball training camp and then compete in the Olympics,” a source familiar with the situation told ESPN. Ultimately, USA Basketball officials deemed that expectation unrealistic and replaced Leonard with Celtics guard White, who later helped Team USA defeat host France to win the gold medal.

The lack of transparency left USA Basketball personnel dissatisfied. ESPN reported that officials regretted how the situation unfolded and felt Leonard’s team did not fully disclose the surgery details or recovery timeline.

Leonard’s secrecy aligns with his career-long approach—from leaving the Spurs to his time with the Clippers. Although he remains a two-time NBA Finals MVP and a key player for the Clippers, this incident further highlights the ongoing uncertainty regarding his health and availability.

Currently, Leonard and the Clippers are embroiled in trouble. Previously, reports surfaced that the now-bankrupt Aspiration company paid Leonard $48 million as a "name fee" to circumvent the NBA salary cap. The league is investigating, and if confirmed, both Leonard and the Clippers will face severe penalties.