Kawhi Leonard said he chose to join the Los Angeles Clippers instead of the Los Angeles Lakers during the summer of 2019 because of the appeal of moving to a franchise where he could build a legacy.
“For some players, that was the appeal. During his free agency, in 2019, Leonard was rumored to be a Lakers target before ultimately opting for the other Staples Center locker room. ‘I just wanted to go to a franchise where I could try to help build a legacy,’ he told me this spring. (A knee injury will keep Leonard out for at least the season opener.),” Sam Schube of GQ wrote in his latest column.
Before joining the Los Angeles Clippers, Kawhi Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA championship after beating the Golden State Warriors in six games during the NBA Finals. When he decided to leave Toronto, it ultimately boiled down to the two Los Angeles teams, and he picked the Clips.
Unlike the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers don’t have a winning history. They have never made a Conference Finals in their entire history, so there was certainly a chance for Kawhi Leonard to create a legacy, especially when the team acquired Paul George from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Kawhi Leonard is out indefinitely for the Los Angeles Clippers
Five seasons later, the Los Angeles Clippers only have one Conference Finals appearance to show for, and their lack of success is mainly attributed to injuries of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
The two NBA All-Stars have gone separate ways this summer, as George left to join the Philadelphia 76ers.
Kawhi Leonard is still in Los Angeles but is out indefinitely due to his lingering knee injury. With him sidelined, James Harden will be asked to carry the Los Angeles Clippers at the start of this season.
