Kawhi Leonard and Paul George brought excitement back to the Los Angeles Clippers’ franchise after their move to LA in 2019. Leonard won an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors just before he entered free agency.
Because of his excellent performance in the 2018-19 NBA season, Leonard became one of the most sought-after free agents in the 2019 class. While Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were targeted together, Leonard was the single-biggest draw.
Most teams in California were trying to get Leonard, as the rumors suggested that he wanted to return or come close to Los Angeles. When Leonard demanded a trade the season before from San Antonio, Los Angeles was his preferred destination.
The Lakers and the Clippers were considered the front runners for Kawhi during free agency. The Lakers had completed a trade for Anthony Davis and had the cap room to add a third superstar in order to make a Big 3 along with LeBron James.
Fans were anticipating Leonard’s decision with great interest. His decision was one of the most anticipated in NBA free agent history, as many believed whichever team he chose to sign with would instantly become favorites for the NBA championship.
In the lead-up to free agency, it appeared that Kawhi would join the Lakers to team up with LeBron. After all, the Lakers were his preferred destination before he got traded to Toronto. All signs were pointing to Kawhi donning the purple and gold.
But then Kawhi shockingly signed with the LA Clippers, after waiting for quite some time to make the decision. But as it turns out, both he and Paul George knew that they were joining the Clippers way before.
In fact, the two superstars decided to team up together when they met at Drake’s house. The hip-hop sensation was hosting several NBA players, and that is where George and Leonard made the decision to join forces.
The Clippers became one of the favorites to win the NBA championship since the duo joined them. But they’ve yet to even reach an NBA Finals at the moment. Given that the two are still in their prime, they still have a chance to bring a title to the Clippers.
