The Los Angeles Clippers need to focus on the offseason that is coming soon.
They were just eliminated from the playoffs after making their first ever Conference Finals.
Now the offseason brings some uncertainty.
Their franchise player, Kawhi Leonard, is going to enter free agency.
Teams are already lining up to make a run at him.
The Mavericks and Heat plan to make a ‘hard push’ to acquire Kawhi Leonard, per @KevinOConnorNBA pic.twitter.com/vy5Iyimq0W
— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) July 1, 2021
The problem is we do not know what is going on in Leonard’s mind.
We don’t know if he is unhappy, or loves the organization.
However, the Clippers should focus on keeping him.
Yes, Leonard can be hard to gauge.
But, he is an important piece to have in order to win a championship.
The Clippers cannot afford to lose Leonard in free agency this year.
Leonard Is A Top Player In The League
By all accounts, Leonard is at least a top 10 player in the NBA.
He is arguably the best two-way player in all of basketball.
Players like him do not just grow on trees.
The Clippers would do anything to have a player of his caliber.
That is why it would not make sense to move on from him.
They have the player that every team clamors for.
Before his injury in this year’s playoffs, Leonard was on a tear.
Kawhi Leonard this playoffs:
32.5 PPG
7.5 RPG
2.7 3PG60.2 FG%
43.2 3P%
71.4 TS%Reminding us he’s still one of the best playoff players of all time. pic.twitter.com/ij6a6bVFF9
— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 5, 2021
His performances in the games he played in were absolutely historical.
However, he did hurt his knee, and we do not know the severity of it.
You still can’t let go of someone that, when healthy, is one of the best players in the league.
Teams would love to have him, but the Clippers already do.
Moving on from him should not be an option for the Clippers this offseason.
If He Was Healthy, They Could Have Won It All
The Clippers made the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.
However, a healthy Leonard could have propelled them to their first NBA title ever.
With Kawhi Leonard, the Los Angeles Clippers would be in the NBA Finals.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) July 1, 2021
Leonard was phenomenal during the run.
Imagine what he would have done in the Conference Finals.
Leonard has an ability to go above and beyond in the playoffs.
He did with the San Antonio Spurs and won a championship.
Leonard went to the Toronto Raptors for one year and carried them to their first ever Finals appearance and win.
He is capable of doing the same for the Clippers.
For the first two seasons in Los Angeles, they have been touted as favorites.
Unfortunately, they choked away their opportunity last season and this one was hampered by his injury.
Even with all of that, Leonard is only 30 years old and can still be a part of a title favorite with this same organization.
There is a reason why they made it this far without him.
However, they need him to get to that next level.
Leonard is a championship-caliber player who could have won it all this year.
There will be more chances to do so if the Clippers try their very best to keep him for their championship window.
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