Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on promising trajectory this season
By Will Eudy
The decisions to sign Kawhi Leonard and subsequently trade for Paul George were two of the most franchise-altering in the history of the LA Clippers. Putting together a massive haul of draft picks was worth it to form one of the most lethal superstar duos in the entire NBA.
Yes, the Clippers gutted their draft picks by going all-in with a league-shaking move. But they gave themselves an immediate and legitimate chance at winning a championship. While LA has yet to reach the mountaintop, they have had more of a shot at a title in the last four years than they ever would have had building organically.
Up until recently, the biggest problem facing the Kawhi Leonard-Paul George duo was their ability to remain healthy. But now, the two have played in each game for the Clippers this season. In doing so, they have put themselves on an excellent trajectory. Leonard and George are on pace to play their most minutes alongside each other this season since teaming up in LA.
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are already 52% of the way to last season's minutes total together. They've played 518:50 this season after having 996 last season. They played 1,028 in 2020-21 and 891 in 2019-20.
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) December 3, 2023
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are on pace to play more minutes together than ever
The injury history between these two superstar players is rough to look at. Kawhi Leonard was unable to finish the Clippers' playoff series in 2021 and 2023 due to injuries, while he missed the entire 2021-22 season with a torn ACL. That same season, Paul George was only able to play 31 games due to an elbow injury.
But after all the inconsistencies and understandable frustration from the fanbase, Leonard and George have done the unthinkable in not missing a single game nearly six weeks into the season. Now, they have already logged 52% of their total minutes played together from last season.
Kawhi and PG are on pace to absolutely shatter their record for time spent on the court together as teammates. This continues to be one of the most notable storylines for the Clippers this year.
dark. Next. 5 Clippers who won't last the entire season in Los Angeles. 5 Clippers who won't last the entire season in Los Angeles
If the two can finish the season both playing 70+ games, perhaps LA can finally get a glimpse of the results they were hoping for when they acquired the superstar duo.