KEY POINTS

  • Kawhi Leonard could opt out and become an unrestricted free agent this summer
  • ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski hints that Leonard might consider a move to one of the teams being linked to his name
  • The two-time NBA champ is confident ahead of this year's NBA playoffs

Adrian Wojnarowski just dropped another free agency bomb ahead of the NBA Playoffs.

Kawhi Leonard is in his second year with the Los Angeles Clippers and is hoping to bounce back from the devastating playoff lost last season.

No matter how the Clips end up in this year, the truth remains that Leonard still has a player option for next season and could opt out this summer to become an unrestricted free agent.

While all points lead to a contract extension with the Clippers, NBA rumors guru and ESPN’s Wojnarowski teased that an early elimination in the playoffs could prompt the two-time NBA champ to consider a move to the “sleeper” team in his free agency, the Miami Heat.

“I think Kawhi [Leonard] is staying with the Clippers,” Wojnarowski recently said on the latest episode of the "Woj Pod" podcast. “He hasn't said that publicly. Probably won't until the day he signs his contract. I don't sense -- I know there's been some mention of Miami, could Miami be a sleeper for him. I think he's where he wants to be geographically. I think he's gotten along very well within the organization, with management, with ownership.”

“I think Ty Lue has really, really been good this year for them,” he added. “The way it's been described to me with Ty in L.A. is Ty can hit you without leaving a bruise. Can coach you hard, can hold guys accountable. I think that's an environment Kawhi likes. I think it's been good for this team. But listen, things can go sideways when you get knocked out earlier than you expect.”

Kawhi Leonard LA Clippers
Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers of the LA Clippers dribbles the ball during the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets in Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 15, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images

Last year, the Denver Nuggets eliminated the Clippers in the Western Conference semi-finals in a hard-fought seven-game series.

This season, the Clippers are likely to take a very familiar road as they could once again face the Nuggets in the semis.

However, the team should first beat the Dallas Mavericks, which is also the same team they took on in the first round last year.

Heading into the playoffs, Leonard insisted that he is as “confident” as he has always been in every post-season.

"It's just about between the ears now," Leonard told ESPN. "How much are we willing to sacrifice to get a win? How much of our mind and body are we going to put into this playoffs? That's where I'm at. I am confident in this unit."

"I feel confident like any other year," the five-time NBA All-Star added. "I feel like we got a good team. We got some depth on us."

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