The Latest on the Kawhi Leonard Extension Talks
Has the Paul George, Kawhi Leonard experiment finally run its course in Los Angeles? That’s what many NBA fans are asking themselves as Leonard heads into what could potentially be his final year on the West Coast.
With a $48M player option available for 2024-25, there’s no guarantees beyond this season that the former NBA champion will still be with the Clippers in 2024-25.
No Rush on Extending Kawhi
In the words of ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, “There’s no rush on an extension for Kawhi Leonard, and then Paul George will be eligible in September.”
Leonard, the two-time Finals MVP, is entering the third season of a four-year deal he signed with the Clippers back in 2021. Leonard joined the Clippers in 2019 after leading the Toronto Raptors to a franchise-first NBA championship, with LA then acquiring Paul George via a stunning trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Since then, the farthest the Clippers have gone in the playoffs was the Western Conference Finals in 2021 where they lost to the Phoenix Suns in six games. Leonard went on to miss the entire 2021-2022 season due to injuries and he and George have only played 118 regular-season games together since becoming teammates.
Last season, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year averaged 23.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.4 steals, and 51.2% field goal shooting in 52 regular-season contests. The Clippers finished with a 44-38 record and entered the playoffs as the sixth seed. Again, they faced the Suns in the first round and lost in five games. Leonard only played the first two games of the series before a knee injury shut him down.
He has since undergone surgery in the offseason.
While the Clippers hinted at their intention to extend the Kawhi-PG13 duo, many believe LA not-rushing-to-extend-Kawhi is a sign the franchise might already be looking for ways to break up the All-Star power duo. And you can’t blame Steve Ballmer and the Clippers organization for playing the long game. They’ve already shelled out millions of dollars, and a warchest of draft picks without even so much as a Finals appearance to show for it.
Is Kawhi on His Way Out of LA?
Until Kawhi Leonard signs on the dotted line, fans will continue speculating as to whether or not he will remain a Clipper beyond this season. Recently, the talks between the Clippers and the Philadelphia 76ers involving a potential James Harden deal have stalled. There’s also the ongoing waiting game for the Damian Lillard trade which will likely need a third team.
At 32 and with tons of injuries battled throughout his NBA career, fans and analysts are justified in asking a difficult question: have we seen the last of a prime Kawhi Leonard?
If the Clippers decide to break up their dynamic duo and hit the reset button, it could take years before they could be considered a playoff-bound team again. On the other hand, Kawhi and George has done little to convince fans that keeping them together is a recipe to win a championship.
It’s a difficult situation for any franchise to be in, especially with the sky-high expectations vested on the team the moment they acquired the pair. With training camp fast approaching, it’s a widely held belief that the Clippers will decide on Leonard’s future first before deciding whether or not they will extend George’s contract.
-Iggy Gonzales
Photo: U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Mhecaela J. Watts. This file is a work of a United States Marine or employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, it is in the public domain.