Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors ended the Los Angeles Clippers’ season on Wednesday night after notching a gritty 126-121 Play-In Tournament victory.
As a result, the 4-time NBA champion might have drastically improved the franchise’s odds of landing a perfect complementary superstar talent for one more full-fledged title push in 2026-27 .
Curry scored 35 points (27 in second half) on 7-for-12 shooting from three-point range to pull the Warriors back from multiple double-digit deficits to keep the Warriors’ season alive, outclassing the Clippers’ 2-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard in the process . The 34-year-old Leonard, an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027, could be ready to move on from Los Angeles after concluding his sixth season with the organization .
Rumors of a blockbuster swap involving Leonard have begun to swirl with the Clippers’ elimination from postseason contention, and FanSided’s Maxwell Ogden believes that Golden State came away with a crucial Leonard-related victory Wednesday night.
“Though advancing in the Play-In Tournament is the primary topic of conversation, the Warriors quietly secured another victory: A clearer path to acquiring Kawhi Leonard,” Ogden wrote Thursday morning .
“After the Clippers were knocked out of the Play-In Tournament, one can’t help but feel as though the dream of acquiring Leonard is more realistic than ever before” .
“Though nothing is set in stone, the Warriors may very well have won twice in one night by winning a Play-In Tournament game and giving Leonard reason to consider moving on from the Clippers” .
The Financial Hurdle: Making the Money Work
Acquiring the 7-time All-Star via trade this offseason would be a daunting task for the Warriors’ front office. Leonard is owed $50.3 million for the 2026-27 campaign, meaning that a swap not involving Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green or any other meaningful piece is nearly impossible .
However, soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Kristaps Porzingis’ $30.7 million deal is set to come off the Warriors’ books in a few months, opening up some financial flexibility for the dynastic franchise .
The Warriors’ urgency starts with Stephen Curry. The franchise cornerstone turned 38 in March and has just one guaranteed year left on his deal after this season. In other words, the Warriors’ championship window with Curry at the helm is nearing a close .
The Warriors are clinging to the edge of playoff contention, sitting in the Play-In range, and their current roster hasn’t consistently looked like a title threat. Injuries, most notably the season-ending ACL tear to Jimmy Butler, have only reinforced the need for another elite option. That’s where Leonard enters the picture .
The Near Miss at the Deadline
New reporting confirms Golden State came close to acquiring Kawhi Leonard at the trade deadline, signaling a clear intent to make an aggressive push this summer .
According to Tim Kawakami, the Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers had “generally agreed” on the framework of a deal before the Clippers abruptly backed out. That near-miss now reads less like a one-off and more like a preview of Golden State’s offseason blueprint .
The Warriors gave up on the two-timeline approach when they sent Jonathan Kuminga to the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline. Now it’s all about maximizing the home stretch of Curry’s career .
The Leonard Reality: Still Elite When Healthy
Leonard poured in a career-high 27.9 points on impressive 50.5/38.7/89.2 shooting splits in 65 appearances for the Clippers this season . The 2-time Defensive Player of the Year also swiped 1.9 steals and compiled a solid 113 defensive rating per 100 possessions, proving to remain one of the elite two-way wings in the NBA .
Even with a lengthy injury history, Leonard is still producing at an MVP level. He’s averaging 28.1 points while shooting over 50% from the field and nearly 90% from the line. In short, when healthy, he remains one of the few players capable of shifting a championship race .
Leonard scored 21 points in the play-in loss, but his only points in the fourth quarter came on a last-minute dunk with the game mostly out of reach .
The Wild Card: Could Leonard Become a Free Agent?
Leonard’s situation adds another layer of opportunity and risk. He’s entering the final year of a $50.3 million contract, and league insiders widely expect the Clippers to explore trade options this offseason. But the ongoing NBA investigation tied to the organization and Leonard’s relationship with a now-bankrupt company could change everything .
If the league voids his contract, Leonard would become an unrestricted free agent overnight. That outcome would fundamentally reshape the market and likely put the Golden State Warriors at the front of the line .
The Verdict: A One-Year Window?
Curry’s search for a fifth championship ring persists, and Leonard’s hypothetical addition would do plenty to help the Warriors leap back into the fray as serious title contenders in the Western Conference, if health permits .
The Warriors would still be at risk of crossing the second apron, given that Curry, Butler, and Draymond Green — if he picks up his player option — make over $150 million combined next season. In other words, this is the ultimate lean all-in for the Warriors as a last-ditch effort .
But the Warriors have never been afraid of bold moves. They traded for Durant. They traded for Butler. They traded for Porzingis.
Now, they have their sights set on Leonard.
And after Wednesday night, that dream feels more realistic than ever before.