The Detroit Pistons are scanning the market for an aggressive swing this offseason, and one name that has continued to pop up for Trajan Langdon to pursue is LA Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard.
Leonard's two-way skill set would make him an ideal fit in J.B. Bickerstaff's system, and the idea of pairing the veteran alongside Cade Cunningham feels like a no-brainer move that would help Detroit get over the hump in the Eastern Conference.
The asking price for the star wing would always be a sticking point in any potential negotiations for the Pistons, given his contract, age, and injury history, but if the cost was feasible, it felt like Leonard would indeed be an option Detroit would explore.
Nonetheless, based on the recent report from ESPN Insider Anthony Slater, the dream of landing Leonard can almost certainly be put to rest.
Clippers' owner Steve Ballmer is against trading Kawhi Leonard
In Slater's recent report covering the possible paths to improvement for the Golden State Warriors this offseason, the insider covered the idea of a move for Leonard.
Within the article, it was revealed that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is heavily against trading the team's star forward this offseason.
"League sources said Ballmer has maintained a firm stance against a Leonard trade, preferring to continue building around his star forward," Slater wrote.
Obviously, the team's decision to move on from Ivica Zubac at the trade deadline after receiving a godfather offer from the Indiana Pacers suggests that if the price threshold is met, Los Angeles can be persuaded to move on from players they originally seemed against moving.
At the same time, Ballmer has the final say in any decision for the Clippers, so if he's against moving Leonard, there's nothing the front office can do.
For Detroit, Leonard being off the table may quietly be the best thing for the franchise.
Acquiring Leonard for a steep asking price never made sense
The Pistons would have almost certainly had to forfeit a piece of their young core in order to bring Leonard to the Motor City, and all signs suggested Ausar Thompson would have been the most likely candidate to be included in a deal.
If Kawhi was still in his prime, that decision would be an easy one to make, but at 34 with his injury concerns, Detroit mortgaging their future for a short-sided upgrade never made sense.
At the right price, sure, but they were never going to land Leonard for a discount.
Fortunately, it feels like Ballmer has made the Pistons' decision much easier, given that it doesn't feel like the Clippers are going to field offers for Leonard after all.
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