The Los Angeles Clippers are reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring Jaylen Brown as they prepare for a future that could be without franchise star Kawhi Leonard. With Leonard’s name surfacing in trade discussions and uncertainty surrounding his long-term future, Brown has emerged as one of the organization’s top targets to become the team’s next cornerstone.
According to recent reports, the Clippers are among several teams with significant interest in the Boston Celtics forward, with one league executive claiming they “want Brown bad.” The reported pursuit comes as the franchise weighs its options amid serious trade talks involving Leonard and the Toronto Raptors.
As per Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints, the Clippers are now considering Brown as a potential replacement for Leonard if they cannot agree on a contract extension.
“If the Clippers were to move on from Leonard and not pay him the extension he’s looking for, Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown would be LA’s top target to replace the two-time NBA Finals MVP, league sources told ClutchPoints,” wrote Azarly in his latest report.
Subsequently, NBA insiders Chris Haynes and Shams Charania both reported on the growing intensity of the negotiations between the Clippers’ and the Raptors’ front offices as we near the certainty that Kawhi Leonard will not begin the 2026-27 season in a Clippers jersey.
“The Clippers and the Raptors are in talks. They are communicating. I was told there was a bit of a stalemate right now between those two teams. Kawhi Leonard, as it was relayed to me, would be a team that he would sign an extension with.”
“The Clippers, right now, from what I’m told, they still want a little bit more than the Toronto Raptors are offering right now. It’s a little bit of a stalling point right now.”
“I think it’s very unlikely that Kawhi Leonard returns to the Los Angeles Clippers. I think it’s a situation where it’ll be hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube,” Haynes concluded on NBA TV’s The Association.
Following Haynes’ report, Charania also appeared on SportsCenter and reached a similar conclusion that Kawhi Leonard’s time in Los Angeles is nearing its end.
“Those talks are continuing, and they are serious between the Clippers and the Raptors on what would bring Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto. Those conversations are ongoing; they may happen over the next few hours or even potentially tomorrow,” he said.
“But all signs point to both these sides being motivated, and the future is nearing its end. Kawhi Leonard’s tenure is nearing its end in Los Angeles. He’s been there seven years, and the Clippers have not given him any indication that they want to give him a contract extension.”
“He has one-year, $50 million left on his contract, so if the Clippers are not giving him a contract extension, there are multiple teams in the market that would. He’s coming off a Second Team All-NBA season, but as of right now, there’s only one place he would commit to long term, and that’s the Toronto Raptors,” added Charania.
So if the Clippers manage to get a promising young player and some draft assets in return for Leonard, then they could look to extend this into a three-team deal and relay those assets to the Celtics in exchange for getting Jaylen Brown to Los Angeles.
Leonard ended the 2025-26 season averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 50.5% from the field and 38.7% from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, Leonard finished 2025-26 while averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists, going 47.7% from the field and 34.7% from behind the three-point line.
The Celtics star is reportedly growing frustrated in Boston and is stuck in a situation that can be perfectly described once again as ‘You cannot put the Toothpaste back in the tube.’
“League sources said that the Celtics have continued to field calls from teams interested in trading for Brown. A league source said that Brown has grown frustrated with the organization’s approach following a season in which he guided the Celtics to 56 wins while Jayson Tatum was sidelined for months with an Achilles injury,” wrote the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach.
Once he was offered in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, it was almost certain that it would create a rift between the front office and him. After the talks with the Trail Blazers broke down following their acquisition of Ja Morant, Brown still seems to be on the trade block, gunning to join a team where his contributions are appreciated much more.
It will certainly be fascinating to see how the Clippers manage to navigate the Kawhi Leonard situation into potentially getting assets from the Raptors, which they could use in creating a lucrative offer for Jaylen Brown.
