The Golden State Warriors are facing an existential crisis this offseason. There's no other way to put it.
With the expiration of Steve Kerr's contract and another year spent far from championship contention, the Warriors must determine whether they want to spend another season with a veteran-stocked roster in hopes of providing Stephen Curry with one more run at a championship. If Kerr is gone, it might be time for a serious organizational reset.
If they choose the former path, it's very likely they will pursue another blockbuster trade. This roster, as it stands, does not quite have the juice to compete with the top teams in the West. Negotiations for a Kawhi Leonard trade reportedly were started at the deadline but never came to fruition.
If Golden State is looking to build on their existing roster with a desperate move, pursuing a Leonard trade this offseason might be their best path.
But Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported in his latest newsletter that Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was opposed to a Leonard trade from the get-go. It could mean that a path to Leonard has already been permanently blocked for Golden State.
Clippers will do everything they can to keep Kawhi Leonard in Los Angeles
When Los Angeles made it clear they were going for an organizational reset with their trades of James Harden and Ivica Zubac, the Warriors saw an opportunity. Bringing Leonard into the fold would grant them an All-NBA caliber player, even if it came at a high price.
But, according to Stein, parting with Leonard so quickly after shipping out two of their stars was too difficult a pill for Clippers owner Steve Ballmer to swallow:
"Clippers owner Steve Ballmer ultimately could not stomach [such] an outcome and Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank insisted in the wake of Wednesday’s Play-In loss at home to Golden State that LA hopes to retain Leonard as its franchise centerpiece."- Marc Stein
Los Angeles is in a difficult spot as an organization. They are not in sole possession of their first-round pick until 2030. Despite tearing down their roster at the trade deadline, they evidently have hopes to remain competitive with Leonard and Darius Garland at the core of their starting lineup. While speculation has abounded regarding Leonard's availability this offseason, it may take another disappointing season from the Clippers before the organization truly explores their options.
For the Warriors, things remain urgent. They frankly can't afford, at this point, to be involved in another drawn-out trade sweepstakes. We saw it with the Kristaps Porzingis trade, when Golden State pivoted quickly off the uncertainties surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo and dealt two of their primary salary assets for a lesser contributor.
A Leonard trade is not off the table entirely. But it's clear from Stein's reporting that it's not something the Clippers are looking to explore unless they're forced to.
For the Warriors, it could be time to start barking up a different tree.
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