Kawhi Leonard and James Harden did more for Clippers by leaving

Jordanna Clark of Clipperholics argues that trading away Kawhi Leonard and James Harden was the best move for the LA Clippers' long-term future. The writer contends that moving the aging stars brought valuable draft capital and guard Darius Garland while relieving the franchise of costly contract commitments, despite the Clippers' poor 2-7 start to the season.

According to the article, Leonard signed a two-year, $115 million extension with Toronto but has battled knee swelling, while Harden signed a three-year, $97 million deal with Cleveland where his on-court metrics have struggled. Clark emphasizes that trading both players secured crucial assets before the NBA stripped five future first-round picks over a cap-circumvention scandal.