BJ Mathews is the host of the THE PULL UP! Basketball Podcast. He’s a Clippers credentialed creator representing thePeachBasket. On this article, After One other Playoff Heartbreak, Can a Wholesome Kawhi Leonard Lead the Clippers to a Title Run?, he asks the query each Clippers fan is contemplating – does the crew have sufficient for a Title Run?
Does Kawhi Leonard really feel the Los Angeles Clippers can compete for a championship?
Presently, the NBA is within the convention finals stage of the playoffs. Which suggests, the Los Angeles Clippers are two weeks faraway from being eradicated. In an historic seven sport sequence the Clippers misplaced to the Denver Nuggets. After one other first spherical exit for the Clippers sure issues must be reevaluated. Why not begin with the most effective participant on the roster Kawhi Leonard?
Leonard has two extra years left on his three-year/$150 million contract, but it surely’s turn into a norm for gamers to not end out their contractual obligations. Whereas that has not been Leonard’s character to not honor his contract. Conditions and circumstances occur the place discussions have to be had.
For the primary time since 2019-2020, Leonard accomplished a full 37 sport season and playoff stint. Within the sequence for the Nuggets, Leonard lead each groups in scoring at 25.0 ppg with taking pictures splits of 53/40/78. He additionally grabbed 7.6 rpg with 4.7 apg, and 1.1 spg. The case might be made that statistically smart he was essentially the most impactful participant on this sequence for each groups. Nonetheless, the consequence nonetheless led to a loss and that didn’t sit properly with a participant of Leonard’s caliber.
After the Recreation 7 loss to the Nuggets, Leonard was requested a sequence of questions on how the season ended. All through a lot of his interviews, viewers ought to have a transparent thought of his demeanor. The phrases that come to thoughts is “sincere and straight to the purpose”. When requested concerning the consequence of the sport: “Might’ve given a greater effort for certain. I don’t assume this crew is 30 factors higher than us. You bought to present them credit score, they got here out and ran laborious in transition, obtained straightforward factors and made photographs.”
When requested concerning the significance of him ending a season wholesome: “To have the ability to begin coaching camp and the beginning of the season shall be nice. Proper now, the loss remains to be on my thoughts. I’m completely satisfied that I’m wholesome popping out of the sport. I want we might’ve had a greater consequence.” Just lately, Leonard has echoed how vital it was to him to complete a full yr with out accidents. From 2017, it’s properly documented what number of decrease leg extremity accidents he has gone by.
Proper quadriceps tendinopathy, torn ACL, torn meniscus, and knee irritation attributable to workload within the knee. The a number of surgical procedures he has had one would assume Leonard would decline drastically. Stunning although it has been the alternative he has maintained celebrity manufacturing. Since 2017, he has had 5 All-star appearances, 4 All NBA Groups, and three All Defensive groups with a championship in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors.
Coming into the 2025-26 season, Leonard shall be 34 years previous. He’s proper on the finish of his prime and has been capable of full a full season. In direction of the top of the season, he completed as a high 5-10 participant that comes with championship expectations.
The place are the Clippers at with assembly these expectations? Within the aftermath of the season, President of Basketball Operations for the Clippers Lawrence Frank held a digital exit interview. Joey Linn Clippers beat author had introduced up the topic to Frank of them being an early first spherical exit with a full wholesome roster, and was Leonard and James Harden the reply for championship hopes?
Frank appeared to have a way more constructive response when requested the query than Leonard did after the Recreation 7 loss. He appeared to focus extra on how aggressive the sequence was towards the Nuggets. As an alternative of trying on the brutal harsh reality, that the Clippers for a 3rd straight yr misplaced within the first spherical. He additionally highlighted like many different folks that there’s a lot to be completely satisfied about which was a 50-win season with the departures of All-Star Paul George and Russell Westbrook. When Leonard was requested concerning the significance of a 50-win season, “I don’t know I assume we did an excellent job as a result of many people counted us out, however that’s by no means the purpose.”
The Clippers completed 13-2 with a nine-game successful streak to complete the common season. The reactions from Frank and Leonard gave the impression to be opposites. This offseason, that could be a dialog available with Leonard and the group. Is there nonetheless perception that they will compete for an NBA championship? In his 13-year profession, when he completes an precise playoff run, he has solely been eradicated from the primary spherical one time. That speaks volumes of the place his requirements lie at in the case of playoff basketball. He’s high three in successful proportion in NBA historical past. Leonard is a two-time NBA champion he is aware of what it appears prefer to win on the highest degree.
Sadly, the Clippers shouldn’t have that luxurious, the sense of urgency doesn’t appear to be the identical after they introduced Leonard and George to the crew again in 2019. The constructive factor to take from this that he appears to be wholesome and can be capable to go right into a full coaching camp. Nonetheless, in a loaded Western Convention the Clippers confirmed they nonetheless have a solution to go from reaching championship aspirations.
The query is, how does Leonard really feel about that?
