Upon being asked by Chris B. Haynes of ‘NBA on Prime’ on the expectations he has for the second half of the season, Kawhi Leonard feels as if the LA Clippers are not contenders. He says this as the front office found a new motive at the trade deadline, yet Leonard’s comments suggest he does not have much faith in LA's chances against the top of the Western Conference, despite going from 6-21 to 26-28 in two months.
"Obviously right now with the roster we're not contenders..."Kawhi Leonard
The second and third most prominent pieces in the locker room, in James Harden and Ivica Zubac, were crucial to the turnaround. They showed up, even when they felt the spiraling vibes, and pushed through en route to the sunshine at the end of the storm. With both gone, the team has a different energy that Leonard quickly picked up on.
Thus, Leonard’s pessimistic mindset is a product of being realistic about his supporting cast and comparing it to the top seeds. Things might have been different had Darius Garland arrived at full health, but there is no timetable on his return, and LA has just under 30 games left.
While the realization may hurt, Kawhi Leonard might be spot on about the LA Clippers
As a ninth seed, with the second option being unavailable for the foreseeable future, Kawhi Leonard is essentially right: the LA Clippers should not be considered a playoff threat. They just do not have a consistent level of firepower to give an opponent a run for their money in a seven-game series with the season at stake.
Just look at the four games following the trade deadline. Leonard is dominating, averaging 30.8 points, and outside of John Collins, who is scoring at a rate of 16.5 points, there is no one to seriously depend on.
It is all inconsistent help from role players who have limitations. The worst of all is Brook Lopez; he has done a solid job replacing Ivica Zubac in the starting lineup, but he is not someone who should be playing over 30 minutes a night, regularly.
Additionally, Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders have hit their low points, while Bennedict Mathurin is still adapting to a new system.
That said, the truth hurts, and though Leonard will evidently try his best to take the Clippers as far as he can with whoever is contributing, it is fair for him to have minimal expectations at two games below .500.