Throughout the superstar-centered era in Los Angeles, fans of the LA Clippers have never truly witnessed a player arrive at the peak of his prime, dominate, and then decline. Paul George was the closest, but he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, saving the Clippers from a disaster. However, Kawhi Leonard, the two-time champion who wanted George in LA the most, appears to be hanging on to his best years by a thread.
Leonard’s numbers this season look exceptional. Any 34-year-old averaging 21.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists, shooting 47.1% from the floor, would be cherished and praised for still showing up at a high level.
In fact, Leonard scored 30 in the Clippers’ third regular-season game against the Portland Trail Blazers, showing the national media that he is not like the average aging superstar in his mid-30s.
Conversely, at moments during the season opener and LA’s most recent loss to the Golden State Warriors, which was by 19 points, Leonard seemed terrified of initiating a hard-nosed drive to the cup.
Kawhi Leonard’s offensive confidence appears to be at levels underground
Kawhi Leonard’s opening night performance does not need a narrator: he shot 3-9 from the field, 1-5 from three, and did not get to the free-throw line much, leading to just 10 points. Additionally, he was heavily outplayed by Lauri Markkanen, the Utah Jazz’s lead star.
Leonard’s rust appeared to be shaken off against the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers, with combined 57 points in consecutive games, but then his lows came about again versus the Golden State Warriors.
He was unable to keep up with how well Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler were scoring, partly because he was scared to attack the paint. This explains his 10 missed shots, three of which came from beyond the arc.
Moreover, the Clippers have already seen the turnout of a player with little confidence in Ben Simmons. Granted, Leonard has his ability to shoot and score at all three levels to rely on, but without applying any pressure inside the paint, defenses will find it easier to guard him, as they did with Simmons, whose offense was one-dimensional.
That said, the best way for Leonard to regain his confidence is to be aggressive. It may take some time, and in between, he may miss some easy opportunities, but it is a process that will keep the Clippers motivated to deem him un-tradable.