Kawhi Leonard Era Serves as Cautionary Tale for Clippers
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Los Angeles, CA — Columnist Jim Alexander of the Press-Enterprise argues that the Los Angeles Clippers’ high-profile acquisition of Kawhi Leonard in 2019 never delivered the NBA title owner Steve Ballmer envisioned.
Alexander’s retrospective looks back on Leonard’s seven-year stay in Southern California after his championship season with the Toronto Raptors. During Leonard’s introductory event, Ballmer famously declared that “the only thing that matters is the Larry O.B.,” referring to the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The hardware never arrived.
Paired with fellow All-Star Paul George, the Clippers entered several seasons as championship favorites but managed only three playoff series victories and one Western Conference Finals appearance. Injuries were a constant obstacle, repeatedly sidelining Leonard and fueling the league-wide rise of load management.
Alexander notes that the blockbuster trade sending a large package of draft picks and players to Oklahoma City for George ultimately helped turn the Thunder into a contender, while Los Angeles was left with limited postseason success. With Leonard now heading back to Toronto and the Clippers replenishing draft assets, the franchise begins another rebuild.
The columnist questions whether the pursuit was flawed from the outset, given Leonard’s injury history and the team’s management of his availability. What started with sky-high expectations in the summer of 2019, Alexander concludes, has become another chapter in the Clippers’ long struggle to reach the NBA’s summit.
Source: Hoops Wire
