Why Kawhi Leonard’s game-winner probably doesn’t bode well for the Clippers

Kawhi Leonard hit the shot of a lifetime on Sunday night, and in doing so, he might have hurt the LA Clippers’ chances of signing him this summer.

A player’s tenure with a team can often be defined by an individual moment — that is, one that is universally recognized and synonymous with a player’s career. Michael Jordan had a few, but the “Flu Game” stands out above them all. Christian Laettner’s incredible collegiate career all boiled down to one game-winning shot. Kobe Bryant’s 81-point performance is another.

Up until Sunday night, Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard didn’t have one of those moments. He’s well-known for a lot of great performances, specifically for the defense he played on LeBron James throughout the 2014 NBA Finals. But the shot he hit to eliminate the Philadelphia 76ers takes the cake. It’s his moment.

In case you missed all the action last night, allow me to recap.

In the waning moments of Game 7, tied at 90 apiece, Leonard got the ball and heaved up a shot from the far corner. The buzzer sounded as the ball bounced around the rim, ultimately falling through the net as the players all stood frozen on the court. The make eliminated the Sixers, and punched Toronto’s ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals in the process.

That shot may have sealed the deal on Leonard’s next contract with the Raptors.

These are the kinds of moments that, when making a pitch to players, executives can capitalize on. And whereas any potential pitch the Raptors would have made to Leonard before likely would have focused on what their team could become with him at the helm, it can now include what he’s already achieved with the organization, capped off by this punctuation mark of a shot.

This was an emotional, back-and-forth series that, without a doubt, brought the Raptors closer together. And the fact that Leonard was the one who ended the whole thing? That’s about as bad of a scenario as the Clippers would have hoped for.

Of course, these playoffs are still far from over, and a lot could still happen between now and July. Toronto could get slammed by the Milwaukee Bucks in the next round, and that could be a factor that swings momentum away from the Raptors. Leonard has also largely been noncommittal about his future, and chances are he’ll still hear the Clippers’ pitch, even if he intends on re-signing up North.

It’s probably an overreaction, but all things considered, this is the last thing the LA Clippers wanted to happen before they have their chance to speak with Leonard about his potential future in Los Angeles.