Long before the offseason began, the Clippers established themselves as the NBA’s premier free agency destination. Now, they’re making that belief come to fruition. Let me tell you why they win free agency.
“#KawhiWatch” has officially concluded. In one of the most anticipated free agent decisions of the decade, Kawhi Leonard has agreed to a four-year, $141 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. Leonard elected to leave the Toronto after leading them to their first Larry O’ Brien trophy. The Clippers finally got their guy and officially began the battle for Los Angeles. But, the biggest bombshell of the offseason came minutes after Leonard’s decision was reported.
The Story Behind The Trade
The Clippers completed a blockbuster trade with the OKC Thunder, and it involved a “record-setting” amount of draft picks.
Thunder Trade: F Paul George
Clippers Trade: G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, F Danilo Gallinari, 2021 unprotected first-round pick (Miami), 2022 unprotected first-round pick, 2023 pick swap, 2024 unprotected first-round pick, 2025 pick swap, 2026 unprotected first-round pick
L.A., in total, sent five first-round picks to OKC. The package also included two pick swaps and two players. In exchange for this hefty trade package, the Clippers acquired one of the best players in the league in Paul George. George is coming off of a season where he was third in the MVP race.
To everyone’s knowledge, PG was injured for most of OKC’s postseason. This led to yet another underwhelming playoff run for the Thunder. A healthy Paul George should want to run it back at full strength and try to compete for a championship alongside Russell Westbrook. There were no reports of any friction within the organization nor any trade requests from players. But, all of that changed once free agency started.
Leonard was holding out his free agency decision while other players announced theirs’ rather quick. After this trade was executed, it was clear why Leonard waited to choose his next home. He wanted another star by his side no matter where he went. He didn’t want to form a super team. This instantly ruled out the Lakers, leaving the Raptors and Clippers as his final two options. Kawhi contacted Kevin Durant before free agency to discuss the idea of teaming up, but unfortunately, Durant wasn’t interested and teamed up with Kyrie in Brooklyn instead. This left Leonard with few options for stars to recruit to his desired destination.
Enter Paul George.
How Kawhi and PG Got Linked Together
Leonard had his mind set on either joining the Raptors or Clippers. This led Leonard to contact Paul George. Leonard had been recruiting him hard to get traded from OKC to Leonard’s team of choice. This team ended up being the Los Angeles Clippers. In fact, Leonard has had his mind set on the Clippers for a while. And, the reason it hadn’t been reported is that Leonard’s representation made sure to warn teams not to leak any information.
Eventually, Leonard’s recruiting worked out. George approached OKC’s front office and requested a trade from the Thunder. They elected not to go through the year with a star discontent, prompting them to trade George to Los Angeles. With the Clippers as the frontrunners for Leonard, it was clear they had to make moves. It was reportedly always going to be the Clippers as long as they were able to trade for PG13.
Thunder GM Sam Presti had the Raptors involved in trade talks as well. But, in the end, Toronto simply didn’t have enough pieces. The Raptors reportedly turned down a trade centered around Pascal Siakam which would’ve given them both Paul George and Russell Westbrook, and in that case, probably space for Leonard as well.
The Clippers chose to pull the trigger on the trade, giving OKC an undeniable offer. This trade forms another terrifying duo for the rest of the NBA to fear. Now that Leonard and George have arrived in Los Angeles, can they co-exist?
How Kawhi and PG Compliment Each Other
Leonard and George form a frontcourt made up of the best two-way players in the league. On top of that, they’re also the two best wing defenders as well. Leonard wanted George on his team for a reason. This duo creates nightmares for opposing teams simply because both players can guard anyone on the court. They handle the toughest assignments on the opposing team. Now, they’re two top-tier defenders locking up the first AND second option. This past season, both Paul George (2.2) and Kawhi Leonard (1.8) ranked in the top-10 in steals per game.
On the offensive end, it’s hard to say which player will take a backseat. Does that really matter, though? Each provides a specific skillset that, together, sets them apart from most duos in the NBA. Leonard (26.6) and George (28.0) both ranked in the top 10 in scoring. Usually, on a team where the most elite defender isn’t the best overall player, that player gives the star a break on the defensive end. This allows for the star to put on the burners on the offensive side of the ball.
For this duo, whichever way you put it, someone is going to cause immense trouble on offense. Kawhi Leonard is used to carrying the load defensively then coming back to torch the opposing team on offense. This was very much the case last season for Paul George. Putting these two together gives the opportunity for both to take on the toughest assignment. And, no matter who’s going to be given the boost on offense because of it, it’s going to be an elite scorer.
Clippers = Championship Contender
This trade officially makes the Clippers one of the favorites for the NBA Championship next season. Top to bottom, this may be the best overall roster in the league. From lockdown players to offensive maestros, this team has it all.
| Player | Age |
| Patrick Beverley | 30 |
| Wilson Chandler | 32 |
| Angel Delagado | 24 |
| Paul George | 29 |
| JaMychal Green | 29 |
| Maurice Harkless | 26 |
| Montrezl Harrell | 25 |
| Mfiondu Kabengele | 21 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 28 |
| Terance Mann | 22 |
| Rodney McGruder | 27 |
| Johnathan Motley | 24 |
| Jerome Robinson | 22 |
| Landry Shamet | 22 |
| Sindarius Thornwell | 24 |
| Tyrone Wallace | 25 |
| Lou Williams | 32 |
| Ivica Zubac | 22 |
They’re loaded with talent. It’s significant enough that the Clippers have Kawhi Leonard and Paul George as their 1-2 punch. But, when you have a Beverley-Shamet-George-Leonard-Harrell starting lineup, it’s hard to resist how elite this team is. Beverley is said to want Defensive Player of the Year on his resume. Shamet is a good young player who blossomed after being traded to Los Angeles. His numbers showed that with a slight increase to 10.9 points and 2.3 assists while shooting 45% from three.
Montrezl Harrell is someone who was a finalist for the Sixth Man of the Year award. Coming off of a season where he held averages of 16.6 points and 6.5 rebounds, Harrell stole the show at many points in the season. He’s also another defensive anchor and led the team in field goal percentage along with two-point field goals made per game. He’s simply another key piece that provides depth to this exceptional Clippers’ squad. It’s debatable as to whether he or Ivica Zubac will be the starting center, but no matter who it is, Harrell will have a huge impact.
But, wait… There’s More
That was just the starting lineup. More evidence of how deep this Clippers’ team can be seen on the bench. This bench mob is led by two-time reigning Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams. Whether he’s on the court with Leonard and George or carrying the second unit, Williams will get his baskets. He’s one of the most prolific scorers in today’s NBA and will be someone who compliments the Clippers’ newest stars. The NBA’s leading scorer off the bench is another that really puts the pressure on the opposing team. For the Clippers, this makes their roster that much more complete and that much scarier.
And, in-between all of the previously mentioned players, you have those such as Ivica Zubac who proved to the Lakers that it was a mistake to trade him. There’s also Mo Harkless who’s known to be a gritty defender himself. He started 53 games for the Trail Blazers last season, showing he can step up in the rotation if Los Angeles needs to rest other key players. Harkless is a great fit for a team who’s arguably the best defensive roster in the league. Along with a large amount of talent on this team, the Clippers will obviously have their fair share of above-average players to round out this very deep roster.
What’s the Ceiling?
Considering a whopping seven draft picks and two players were involved in a trade for one player, it’s safe to say it’s championship or bust for the Clippers. They have Jerry West – currently the best executive in basketball. Doc Rivers is one of the best coaches in the NBA. On top of that, the Clippers have one fantastic owner governor in Steve Ballmer. Now the Clippers have won the 2019 NBA Free Agency.
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have arrived in the “City of Angels” with only one goal in mind. With Leonard under contract for four years and Paul George for two years (in addition to a $37.8 million player option) they have some time to get this right. They have two of the best defenders in the league to go along with one of the most complete rosters in the NBA. The Clippers have arrived, and they’ll accept nothing less than an NBA Championship.