The Los Angeles Clippers cannot survive another second-round playoff exit. Last season, the Clippers blew a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets. If that happens again, there would be a lot of uncertainty around the team that the Clippers can’t contend for an NBA championship. 

Both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have player options in 2021. While many believe that George will pick up his option, the word around the NBA is that teams are not entirely certain that Leonard will pick up his. If Leonard chooses to become an unrestricted free agent in 2021, Clippers fans will need a Pointsbet Promo Code to wipe their blues away. Leonard would be the No. 1 ranked free agent on the market. With that said, these four teams would be his top suitors. 

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3. Dallas Mavericks

No offense to Tim Hardaway Jr. or Josh Richardson, but wouldn’t you rather have Leonard at shooting guard or small forward too? The idea of formulating a “Big 3” of Leonard, Luka Doncic, and Kristaps Porzingis is mouthwatering to a fan. Doncic is already an MVP candidate among NBA award predictions. Pairing two MVPs together would be unbeatable.  

The Mavericks would have three legit No. 1 options on their team. If the game required a game-winner, choosing the right shooter would be incredibly hard. Not to mention, the Dallas market would allow Leonard to remain his calm, cool self. Doncic and owner Mark Cuban are great media personalities. All in all, this would be a great fit for all parts involved. 

2. Golden State Warriors

There are many positive variables to Leonard joining the Warriors. For starters, who doesn’t want to play with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson? Along with Draymond Green, this would have a feel to the teams of when Kevin Durant played. Those teams made three straight NBA Finals and won two titles. 

Finding a way to dump Andrew Wiggins and his salary would be tough, but it could be done. A “Big 3” of Curry, Thompson, and Leonard could be better than the Durant days given that Leonard is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Playing with Draymond Green and Thompson would bring the Warriors back to the days of defensive tenacity. 

1.  Los Angeles Lakers

Leonard had a chance to join LeBron James before last season but opted to convince the Los Angeles Clippers to destroy their future by shipping numerous first-round picks so he could play with Paul George. The real slap to the face of the Clippers would be to leave for their arch-rivals in Los Angeles. 

However, if the Lakers don’t give Dennis Schroder loads of money, the team could afford James, Leonard, and Anthony Davis. Realistically, James does not have too many seasons left. He will be 36 years old in 2021. The trio could win one NBA title together and then the Lakers would still contend even if James was gone. A dynamic duo of Leonard and Davis could be enough to win a title on their own.