The Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard era has been messy for a while, and the Aspiration saga has only made things worse. Since joining Los Angeles in 2019, Leonard has missed 206 of 472 regular-season contests across his tenure, a simple fact that has repeatedly shaped roster choices and playoff outcomes. Owner Steve Ballmer’s billion-dollar ambitions collided with repeated availability questions. Now, with the Clippers being investigated for potential cap circumvention, things are looking set to get worse.

Inside reporting paints a franchise that has shifted its approach after years of accommodation and controversy, and multiple insiders told Baxter Holmes the Clippers’ focus has changed. “They’re done building around [Kawhi],” one former staffer told Holmes, a blunt assessment that signals a p

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