Kawhi Leonard’s surge powers Clippers’ push in crowded West

Kawhi Leonard, Clippers under investigation

Kawhi Leonard and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer are both under investigation over allegations of salary cap circumvention.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Kawhi Leonard has let his game do the talking — and it’s been loud.

The Los Angeles Clippers superstar has been instrumental in the team’s turnaround as they fight for position in the NBA’s stacked Western Conference, looking every bit like the elite force they envisioned when he arrived.

What we know:

Leonard isn’t just healthy — he’s thriving.

Over his last 10 games, the two-time NBA Finals MVP is averaging 31.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists, putting together one of the most dominant stretches of his career.

Timeline:

The Clippers’ ceiling depends largely on how far Leonard can carry them, and right now the 34-year-old is playing some of the best basketball of his career.

He set the tone on Nov. 28, scoring 39 points in the first game of a back-to-back before following it up with 30 more the next night.

Leonard kept rolling in December, scoring at least 20 points in every game. The run included 36 points against Miami, 41 against Houston and a jaw-dropping career-high 55 against Detroit.

Here’s a look at Leonard’s stat lines so far in 2026:

• Jan. 1 vs. Utah: 45 points, seven rebounds, three assists
• Jan. 3 vs. Boston: 22 points, three rebounds, three steals
• Jan. 5 vs. Golden State: 24 points, 12 rebounds, five assists
• Jan. 7 at New York: 25 points, three rebounds, four assists
• Jan. 9 at Brooklyn: 26 points, eight rebounds, four steals
• Jan. 10 at Detroit: 26 points, eight rebounds, four steals
• Jan. 12 vs. Charlotte: 35 points, five rebounds, three assists

Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

What's next:

There’s still plenty of basketball left before the 2026 All-Star break.

The Clippers host the Washington Wizards on Jan. 14 at Inglewood’s Intuit Dome before embarking on a four-game road trip. They return home for matchups against the Lakers and Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 22 and Jan. 25, then close the pre-break schedule with nine more games — seven of them away from home.

The backstory:

Before the season began, a report alleged the NBA superstar was paid $28 million for a "no-show job," accusing the Clippers of salary cap circumvention. Leonard denied the claims on media day and appeared unfazed by the controversy.

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This past offseason also marked the first time Leonard was able to focus fully on training instead of rehabilitation in years. 

"It was exciting to be in an offseason not going through rehab," Leonard said. "I was able to push my body to the limit of what I wanted to do without repercussions or dealing with a [physical] therapist or anything."

Leonard said his focus remains on "trying to win a championship" and "playing as many games as possible."

So far, he’s doing exactly that — and then some.

The other side:

However, for the Clippers, it can't simply be smooth-sailing.

Leonard was initially listed as questionable for a right ankle sprain before he was cleared to play Monday night. It's an injury to monitor.

In addition, Derrick Jones Jr. remains out with a right knee sprain and Bogdan Bogdanović continues to miss time for left hamstring injury management. 

The turnaround is well in progress as the Clippers remain in 11th place in the Western Conference as of Tuesday. 

Dig deeper:

Fellow future Hall-of-Famer James Harden is also one to watch. On Monday, he surpassed Shaquille O'Neal on the NBA's all-time points list.