At every opportune moment, the LA Clippers’ front office is wondering how they can make the team better fit Kawhi Leonard and his playstyle. However, this logic is flawed, as Leonard is constantly in and out of the lineup, and his example is not the only one for the Clippers, as multiple teams have gone down and embraced the same roadway.
Evidently, when the Clippers have Leonard, his supporting cast has the one superstar they need to develop and complement their games around. Hence, positivity is the vibe, and a successfully prospering culture is on display.
But when Leonard is out, the same players acquired specifically for him end up forced to fit with James Harden, a superstar who prioritizes making plays first over scoring efficiently in the midrange.
That said, the inconsistency in Leonard’s availability parallels the results, and the Clippers have the New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies, and Philadelphia 76ers who can also agree with them.
Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, and Joel Embiid have their teams on the same island as the Clippers
The mistake of viewing Kawhi Leonard as a building block is less painful now, knowing the New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies, and Philadelphia 76ers all did the same with their supposed faces of the franchise.
The Pelicans may have it the worst, as their stars, Trey Murphy III and Jordan Poole, are ready to form a trio with Zion Williamson. Yet, he cannot stay healthy, as he is currently injured with a strained hamstring and has had three seasons of 30 games or fewer in his seven-year career.
Ja Morant has the Grizzlies close to the Pelicans. Although he has accolades with multiple All-Star selections and award wins, the front office split up a big three with Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. that would have worked if the former second-overall pick had been in action more often.
Lastly, while the 76ers may have tried with Tyrese Maxey and Paul George next to Joel Embiid, and James Harden a couple of years ago, they at least got to witness multiple playoff runs and an MVP season. But the truth is, Embiid has not been there, and their bright idea to center their roster around him was mistaken.
All of these examples show how the LA Clippers made a common blunder. Over Leonard, they should have changed their system build to focus on James Harden, who has more credibility in terms of not missing playing time, possibly yielding better results.