Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Kawhi Leonard has struggled with his health throughout his tenure with the L.A. Clippers. He was recently sent home from Team USA’s training camp as he continues to deal with a persistent knee problem. Leonard signed a three-year, $152.4M contract extension toward the end of last season.
During a recent appearance on ESPN’s “NBA Today,” former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins suggested the Clippers should trade Leonard.
“I think Steve Ballmer, he needs to have an evaluation, right?” Perkins said. “You have Ty Lue; you just signed him to a contract extension; he’s there for the long haul … They need to go into a rebuild mode. If I were the Clippers, I would really consider trading Kawhi Leonard. Because they’re stuck in the middle right now … Kawhi Leonard has set them back 10 years … If I’m the Clippers, I feel like I should consider trading Kawhi and rebuilding.”
“If I’m the Clippers, I would consider trading Kawhi Leonard right now, because they’re just stuck in the middle.” @KendrickPerkins says the Clippers should consider a rebuild after losing Paul George pic.twitter.com/ZR9CyE3ptr
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 16, 2024
When healthy, Leonard is one of the most talented players in the NBA. He’s elite on both sides of the court. However, his health has been a significant issue since he arrived in Los Angeles. If the Clippers can’t rely on him to be healthy when it counts, they should certainly test the market for Leonard’s services around the NBA.
Ballmer has done everything he can to uplift the Clippers organization. They move into the Intuit Dome for the upcoming campaign. As such, they can finally stop sharing an arena with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Clippers fans would undoubtedly like the opening years of their tenure in Inglewood to be competitive. However, if the smart move is to begin tearing the roster down and rebuilding from the ground up, the front office must explore that avenue.
Right now, Leonard’s health is directly tied to the Clippers’ chances of success. That isn’t a sustainable business model for the franchise, and it’s unfair to put that type of weight on Leonard’s shoulders.
Perkins may have a point. Perhaps Leonard’s time with the Clippers has run its course.
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