How Kawhi Leonard's partially torn ACL could affect his free agency outlook and his next contract

When Kawhi Leonard initially joined the Los Angeles Clippers, he did so on a deal that lasted only two years with a player option for a third. It was a wise maneuver, one that perfectly balanced his financial and professional empowerment. The short length of the deal kept the Clippers accountable for their on-court product and off-court compliance with his demands, but it sacrificed very little in the way of security. Players like LeBron James and Kevin Durant have taken one-year deals in the past for the sake of leveraging that organizational accountability to the fullest, but doing so exposed them to a fair degree of financial risk. Leonard struck a greater balance.