Prior to the LA Clippers' signing of franchise superstar Kawhi Leonard, the front office understood who he was after his tenures with the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors. Leonard was arguably the best player in the world, coming off an iconic title run, who could destroy any team on both ends of the court, no matter the occasion.
Furthermore, from a player with a serious injury history, Leonard was healthy in his first season with the Clippers. He sustained a semi-conference finals playoff run with former head coach Doc Rivers.
In the following season, Leonard encountered an ACL injury right as the Clippers made a push to the Western Conference Finals. This was unfortunate, as he was coming off back-to-back all-star and all-NBA seasons.
Since his return in 2022, Leonard's knees have not been the same. He made a notable recovery before playing two postseason games just to get injured again against the Phoenix Suns.
Fans were optimistic that he would finally be the superstar the Clippers needed once Leonard's knees returned to life. Well, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year endured another injury against the Dallas Mavericks in 2024, which impacted his career to an absurd extreme.
After this season, the LA Clippers must evaluate whether it is time to part ways with Kawhi Leonard.
Kawhi Leonard's recovery this season has been one the LA Clippers did not see coming. He made it clear there was no rush, and after several games, the six-time all-star made it seem he was officially at one hundred percent.
Conversely, Leonard has been in an unprecedented slump lately. This affects the Clippers significantly, as head coach Tyronn Lue expects his top talent to make winning easier, even if he is not scoring.
Leonard is averaging 15.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists this season, shooting 46.4% from the field and 36.2% from three.
These numbers are abnormal for Leonard, but his recent performances speak more to his struggles. In fact, he has totaled 18 turnovers and only 14 assists in his last five games, on 15 points per contest. In that span, LA has faced three losses.
Leonard turns 34 in June, and if he finishes the season on a disappointing foot, the Clippers will be forced to consider trading him. This would be the only way to rebuild, as the ship to make the NBA Finals would have sailed years ago.