The Clippers’ handling of Kawhi Leonard was anything but casual. According to a report from Baxter Holmes, the team enforced a strict protocol for how staff could speak publicly about their star forward, with one insider explaining just how much fear surrounded the situation.
“If this guy is willing to tell the Spurs to go f*ck themselves, he’s not going to hesitate to tell us,” a Clippers source told ESPN’s Baxter Holmes. “Everybody was afraid of Kawhi leaving.”
It’s obvious why the Clippers didn’t want to lose Kawhi Leonard. When he’s on the court, he’s one of the best two-way players available as a two-time champion, two-time Finals MVP, and six-time NBA All-Star. With career averages of 20.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, he has very few holes in his game, and his impact on teammates is major.
Back in 2019, Kawhi’s stock was at an all-time high after coming off a championship with the Raptors. When he hit free agency, several teams raced to earn his commitment, all while he and his camp made illegal demands in the form of ownership stock, exclusive endorsement deals, and even a house.
Those requests only came just two years removed from a bitter war with the Spurs, where he held out on the team and refused to play for them despite being cleared by team doctors. At the time, his camp claimed distrust of the Spurs’ medical staff, and it was enough to effectively end his good relationship with the team right there.
By the time 2019 free agency came around, Kawhi already had a history of sowing chaos, and it should have been a warning to the teams hoping to sign him. After a relatively quick process, Leonard joined the Clippers that summer, and it was supposed to usher in a new era of prosperity for the franchise. Instead, it’s been nothing but disappointment with just three playoff series wins over the past six years.
To make matters even worse, Kawhi hasn’t been particularly easy to deal with. He reportedly doesn’t communicate with the organization and often keeps them in the dark about which way he’s feeling. That’s on top of the injury struggles and load management practices, which have limited him to just 157 games over the past four seasons.
Despite Kawhi’s failures to lead the Clippers, they’ve done everything to appease him for fear of losing their biggest star since Chris Paul. Knowing what he did to the Spurs, the Clippers were determined to make it work with Leonard and ensure his happiness by whatever means necessary.
Now, however, the situation has changed. Amid the latest scandal and his lack of achievements in Los Angeles, many on the Clippers are ready to move on from Leonard. His tenure has been a complete disaster, and the thought of losing Kawhi now might bring more feelings of relief than terror.
With another two years and $100.3 million on his contract, Leonard is likely to play this out in Clipperland, but it’s possible he could force his way out if he grows restless with the situation in Los Angeles. Until then, the Clippers have to do what they can to make the most of his presence and try to win a championship before losing their most talented star.
