Reports of a fracture have been circulating in Clipper land. Though some players have been aggressively denied it, rumors continue to swirl that the “preferential treatment of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard is making others in the locker room unhappy.
Off the court, sources say there are some teammates who have struggled with the organization’s preferential treatment that is afforded to Leonard and George. On the one hand, this sort of superstar handling is somewhat commonplace in the NBA. Case in point: LeBron James has a significant voice in Laker Land, where he frequently coordinates practices and shoot-around schedules with coach Frank Vogel, depending on what they believe is best for the team at that time.
These types of lingering issues have been a problem for the Clippers all season long. But in regards to this situation in particular, it’s not something particularly rare. LeBron James has significant pull in Lakerland and often coordinates team practices and other things.
According to Scottie Pippen, Michale Jordan had the same type of treatment when he was playing for the Bulls.
As arguably the best player ever, the Bulls would have been crazy to not give Jordan some kind of special treatment. And while Pippen admitted his frustration with this reality at first, he ultimately says it’s a part of the game. Michael Jordan, after all, is not a normal player and he shouldn’t get treated like one.
Guys like Giannis or Steph, who are the de-facto leaders of their team no doubt get some degree of power/treatment that normal players don’t. Perhaps it really is just the nature of the game. They carry the team, are the emotional anchors, and often get the most minutes.
Whatever the case, it seems to be really striking a nerve with some people on the Clippers and only time will tell, at this point, what kind of impact it will have on the rest of their season.
