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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 20: L.A. Clippers Forward Kawhi Leonard celebrates donation of One Million backpacks from Baby2Baby, Kawhi Leonard and the L.A. Clippers to students across Los Angeles at 107th Street Elementary on August 20, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Baby2Baby)
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 20: L.A. Clippers Forward Kawhi Leonard celebrates donation of One Million backpacks from Baby2Baby, Kawhi Leonard and the L.A. Clippers to students across Los Angeles at 107th Street Elementary on August 20, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Baby2Baby)
Two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard wanted to leave the Toronto Raptors despite winning the NBA title with them. He chose to go to the LA Clippers instead to try to build a dynasty there. But he demanded that they bring in Paul George for him, and even after getting the player he wanted, they failed.
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NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith recently criticized Leonard for these actions. He also spoke about how Leonard should be stepping up after making such demands.
“He essentially blackmailed the Clippers,” Smith said. “That’s why they gave up all they gave up, to get Paul George. Because they knew that’s what it was gonna take to get him. You put a franchise through that, you owe them more than 25, 26 (points) a game.”
During the series against the Nuggets, Leonard had a couple of good games. But in Game 6 and 7, when the Conference Finals was on the line, he couldn’t step up and was a big reason they lost.
Will Kawhi Leonard lead the Clippers to a better result in 2020-21?
Smith later added that Leonard needs to do the best he possibly could to get them a chip because the Clippers had done everything he asked. He said, “You got to exhaust everything inside your soul to make sure you do everything humanly possible to deliver a chip, because of your greatness as a player. But (the Clippers) did all of that because you asked for it. You gotta step up if you Kawhi Leonard.”
After their playoff defeat, Paul George said it was not a championship or bust season for them. But the upcoming 2020-21 season is going to be much tougher, and they had a much better chance last season. They just lost Montrezl Harrell in free agency, and to make matters worse, he joined the rival Lakers.
Free agent Montrezl Harrell has agreed to a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, agent Rich Paul of @KlutchSports tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
The Clippers have a very difficult season ahead of them. They also have a new head coach in Ty Lue, and he will be hoping to avoid a successive playoff debacle. If the Clippers are targeting a championship, they need George and Leonard to play at their very bests, and also step up during the playoffs.
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