There’s simply no approach round it; the L.A. Clippers are a multitude of epic proportions. They’re presently simply 6-19, do not personal their decide this yr or subsequent yr, and their finest participant, Kawhi Leonard, solely performs part-time.
That isn’t to say that each he and the Clippers are being investigated by the NBA over wage cap circumvention. The opposite shoe will drop in some unspecified time in the future, however the Clippers are in a nasty spot proper now.
Paradoxically, it appears that evidently they a minimum of made one proper name, opting to not re-sign Paul George. Bear in mind, the Clippers are on this mess as a result of Leonard pushed them to commerce for George, with the outcomes being disastrous.
Fortuitously, they a minimum of knew when to chop their losses. They let him depart for nothing in free company, and he signed a 4-year, $212 million cope with the Philadelphia 76ers. That transfer has appeared terrible up to now, with him averaging simply 15.9 factors per sport since becoming a member of the Sixers whereas making greater than $50 million per season.
Had the Clippers held onto George, as Leonard had wished, they’d be caught with one other ugly contract. That might have been particularly devastating in gentle of latest occasions.
The Clippers are vindicated for refusing Kawhi Leonard’s want
The NBA’s looming investigation may presumably end result within the league taking all the Clippers’ remaining first-round picks, leaving them and not using a first till 2031. The one approach for them to get out of that mess is to filter out cap area and rebuild by means of free company starting in 2027.
Had they held onto George, that possible would not even be an choice. Even so, the preliminary George commerce, which was pushed for by Leonard, set the Clippers again a minimum of a decade, they usually will not reside that commerce down for years to return.
Clippers followers have Leonard to thank for that, and with the franchise spiraling and him out and in of the lineup, he possible hasn’t earned himself any new followers. L.A. will possible surrender a excessive lottery decide to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, who’ve an opportunity to win a minimum of 70 video games this season.
Often, it is the small-market groups getting taken benefit of by big-market groups. Nevertheless, the Clippers are the clear exception, with them having been bamboozled by each Leonard and the Thunder.
Fortuitously, a minimum of L.A. did not chase a disastrous choice with one other by re-signing George, giving them a minimum of a glimmer of hope to ultimately construct a greater roster.
