After Paul George leaves the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard should be traded.
Over the course of his time with the Los Angeles Clippers, Kawhi Leonard has experienced health issues. Because of a nagging knee injury, he was just sent home from Team USA’s training camp.
Towards the end of the previous season, Leonard agreed to a three-year, $152.4 million contract extension. In an interview with ESPN’s “NBA Today,” former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins recommended that the Clippers trade for Leonard.
“I think Steve Ballmer, he needs to have an evaluation, right?” Perkins said. “You have Ty Lue; you just signed him to a contract extension; he’s there for the long haul … They need to go into a rebuild mode. If I were the Clippers, I would really consider trading Kawhi Leonard. Because they’re stuck in the middle right now … Kawhi Leonard has set them back 10 years … If I’m the Clippers, I feel like I should consider trading Kawhi and rebuilding.”
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Leonard is among the NBA’s most gifted players when healthy. On both ends of the court, he is outstanding. But ever since he moved to Los Angeles, his health has become a major problem.
The Clippers should definitely look into the market for Leonard’s talents outside of the NBA if they can’t trust on him to be healthy when it matters most. Ballmer has made every effort to improve the Clippers franchise. For the forthcoming campaign, they relocate to the Intuit Dome.
They may now move on from sharing a venue with the Los Angeles Lakers as a result. It goes without saying that Clippers supporters would prefer that the team’s early years in Inglewood be competitive. But the front staff has to look into that option if it makes sense to start dismantling the roster and starting over.
At this point, Leonard’s well-being directly affects the Clippers’ prospects of winning. That’s not a viable franchise business plan, and Leonard shouldn’t have to bear that kind of responsibility. Perkins might be right. It’s possible that Leonard’s time with the Clippers is over.