Kawhi Leonard could be on his way out of the Los Angeles Clippers after allegations surfaced that owner Steve Ballmer circumvented the salary cap to pay him. Although there has been no verdict yet, there is a chance the Clippers would be punished.
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The League could void Leonard’s contract, leaving room for other teams to pursue him. Robert Horry believes this would be monumental. He feels there would be a difference in the 2025-26 Leonard compared to what we have seen of him with the Clippers.
One thing that has held Leonard back from succeeding in Los Angeles has been his injury troubles, especially in the postseason. Out of the 43 playoff games the Clippers have taken part in since he joined in 2019, Leonard has played only 28.
When someone of Leonard’s quality misses those important games, the Clippers get handicapped. But Horry feels that something’s about to change heading into the new campaign, whether it’s with the Clippers or not.
There will be a bunch of teams interested in Leonard, according to the Lakers legend. And they could hit a jackpot, because Horry predicts a completely healthy Kawhi Leonard. Fresh and ready to succeed.
“He’s not a guy that’s gonna cause conflict in your locker room, and I think, this year, he’s gonna be 100% healthy,” said Horry on his podcast. “I truly believe that because I think you go through a stage where you come back too early… and I think a lot of his injuries stem from him coming back too early.”
Horry isn’t wrong, and the 2022–23 season provides perfect evidence of that. Leonard tore his ACL the previous year and tried to ease back into action a bit too early. His knee soon swelled up, causing him to miss games due to recurring issues. Leonard was forced to sit out the final stretch of that season.
Leonard seems to have taken that as a lesson and now goes slow during the regular season. In the 2024-25 campaign, we saw Leonard in his healthiest best in recent years during the postseason. With a full summer of training and recovery, he will be revitalized, whether for the Clippers or for another team.
About the chances of his contract getting voided, Horry stated that there would be a ton of stipulations. He feels that Leonard won’t be allowed to just go wherever he wants to.
“They [are] gonna have to do it, cuz think about it, they [are] gonna fine you $28 million, or something like that. They ain’t gonna let him be a free agent, because he will hit a lot more than the $100 million if he becomes a free agent, think about it,” explained Horry.
Despite being 34 years old, Leonard will still command a huge figure for any team to sign him. Horry took Joel Embiid, who has injury problems of his own, as an example.
“I just think that in this day and age, with a talent like this, a game changer like this, you [have] got to take that chance…” the seven-time NBA champ added.
And if what Horry predicts about Leonard’s health proves to be true, then we may end up seeing the forward rediscover form close to his Finals MVP-winning years (2014 and 2019).
