LOS ANGELES – LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is focused on the 2020-21 season and the team's pursuit of an NBA Championship, not his impending free agency. His co-star in Paul George committed to the franchise longterm last week when he signed a four-year extension, but that's because he was eligible for one. Leonard isn't.

“Just for my situation right now, I’m just focused on this season,” Kawhi Leonard told members of the media on Monday. “Not saying I’m going anywhere else or staying here, but I’m just focused on the season. Obviously, if I’m healthy, the best decision is to decline player option, but that doesn’t mean I’m leaving or staying. I’m focused on the season, like I said. We’ll talk about that when the time is right.”

Leonard will be playing his 10th NBA season this year, which will then allow him to sign a max contract worth up to 35% of the salary cap next summer. Barring another complete meltdown, Leonard is widely expected to re-sign with the Clippers in free agency 2021.

In his press conference following his extension announcement, Paul George said he's talked to Leonard, but wasn't going to put any pressure on him to re-sign.

“The responsibility is to make him feel like the way I felt when I came into my extension,” Paul George explained. “I knew where I wanted to be. I knew who I wanted to play with. That’s my responsibility to go into the season. Again, it’s Kawhi’s decision. I’m a grown man. If he decides to go elsewhere, that’s a decision that I’ll be happy for him. But my hope, my responsibility, and what I would love is to play with him for the rest of my contract or the rest of his contract. I guess I have to work on that when it comes to his time.”

Leonard, for one, appreciated George coming to him about the deal.

“I spoke to Paul, he felt comfortable here,” Leonard added. “He loves the city, he’s obviously from here, so I think from his standpoint, he did a great job of coming to me and telling em how he feels before signing the contract.”

When pushed for his initial expectations on what Leonard would do, George again couldn't answer, but said he's hopeful that Kawhi does re-sign.

“I’m hopeful,” George added. “I won’t put words in another person’s mouth, but I’m hopeful. He's one of the guys that I talked to and kind of wanted to inform, ‘Hey, this is a decision I wanted to make, I want to be here long-term.’ It’s not putting a gun to Kawhi and telling him, he’s gotta do this or do that. Hopefully it’s a mutual bond and we both enjoy playing with one another. Everybody's got their own decisions to make and hopefully me showing my commitment, being here and wanting to play with him long term sticks out.”

Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and the LA Clippers are expected to continue their partnership beyond this season. It's just a matter of securing as much financial stability as possible, especially during a pandemic that doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. As George said, the Clippers still have some work to do to ensure that Leonard feels comfortable where he is, both on and off the basketball court.