The Kawhi Leonard Period has not gone as deliberate for the Los Angeles Clippers.
When Leonard landed in L.A. with Paul George in 2019, everybody had visions of a number of championships. Among the gamers who had been then on the roster had been sure {that a} title was inevitable.
Sadly, the Clippers had been by no means fairly in a position to stay as much as the hype. Leonard has performed in 52 video games over every of the previous two seasons and his squad has but to even attain the Western Convention Finals.
Leonard’s plain lack of success in L.A. has led to one thing of a standoff between him and the entrance workplace over his subsequent deal, per Brian Windhorst.
As issues presently stand, Leonard is underneath contract for 2023-24. After that – he has a participant possibility. If the Clippers wish to transfer on from him, he won’t ever have extra commerce worth to them than he does proper now.
In current weeks there was a whole lot of hypothesis about whether or not the entrance workplace would take into account buying and selling Leonard and what a possible deal may appear to be.
This week one specific blockbuster commerce proposal involving Leonard and the Bulls divided NBA followers.
Within the proposed agreement, Chicago would get Leonard whereas the Clippers would obtain Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, a 2027 first spherical choose, a 2029 first spherical choose and no matter different minor capital was vital to shut the deal.
Followers didn’t find it irresistible, however primarily as a result of they deemed Leonard unfit of that form of commerce package deal.
HELLLL NO
— greg ☀️ (@gneppl16) August 16, 2023
Nope
— Brian Fitts😀 (@beeferoni790) August 17, 2023
He’s NEVER wholesome… no 👎
— Monarch☘️Dafey (@MonarchDafey) August 17, 2023
Why on gods inexperienced earth would you usher in a habitually injured participant?
— The Italian Chicago Bull (@sweetness3484) August 16, 2023
The truth that a complete fan base is so adamantly towards buying Leonard given what he did for the Toronto Raptors in 2018 is a reasonably telling indicator of how unhealthy the final 5 years have been for him.
Clearly Leonard continues to be very gifted. And clearly he could be very impactful when he’s on the courtroom, as he proved throughout Recreation 1 of this yr’s first-round playoff collection towards the Phoenix Suns.
Plus, Leonard is a enjoyable character – as evidenced by his outfit option to a teammate’s current wedding ceremony and him partying it up within the membership with Rick Ross not way back.
However he’s additionally habitually harm. Giving up a participant of LaVine’s caliber for him isn’t as straightforward to swallow because it in all probability must be.
It’s additionally price noting that this isn’t the primary time in current weeks that LaVine has been linked to the Clippers.
What every week for the Jacksonville Jaguars. https://t.co/aeXVxUnAhm
— Recreation 7 (@game7__) August 17, 2023
Possibly the place there’s smoke, there’s fireplace.
Will the Clippers commerce Leonard to the Bulls in some unspecified time in the future within the foreseeable future? It’s arduous to see that taking place, however in a league the place Bradley Beal is traded for peanuts and Kevin Durant in some way will get moved regardless of being in Yr 1 of a contract, something is feasible.
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