Win Finals MVP for the third time
When Kawhi Leonard won his second Finals MVP Award with the Toronto Raptors, he joined an extremely exclusive club. Before him, only LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had won the award for multiple teams. James did it with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers, while Abdul-Jabbar did it with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers.
A third Finals MVP, this time with the LA Clippers, would put Leonard in a league of his own as the only player to do so with three different teams.
If the Clippers were to take the Finals in 2020, Leonard would make the most sense to win the award, at least on paper. He’s the best player on the roster and considering his streak of postseason dominance, it would only make sense if that continued with his new team.
That wouldn’t be the only list Leonard could add his name to, though. He would also become the Clippers’ first Finals MVP, and put himself atop the list of the franchise’s best players. Hello, statue.
A third award would do plenty for Leonard’s own personal legacy, too. There’s a lot of talk now that he might be one of the best players in basketball, if not the best. Triumphing over the rest of the league in what’s looking to be one of the most competitive seasons in recent history would only strengthen that argument, and start pushing the conversation in the “All-Time” direction.
The fact that the LA Clippers have a player on the roster capable of achieving these feats is exciting enough, and any thoughts we have now about what it would mean for the franchise is likely only scratching the surface. LA would be on the map for good, and once the Clippers make their move out of STAPLES Center, they could very well be bringing some banners with them.