With the Los Angeles Clippers having lost star Paul George to the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency this offseason, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden are under even more pressure to produce.
Of course, the Clippers need to be concerned about Leonard's injury history, and there's no guarantee that he'll be able to play more minutes to make up for George's exit.
Appearing on The OG's Show with Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller, ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has some advice for Clippers owner Steve Ballmer:
Said Smith, “I'm not letting you play if I'm Steve Ballmer, I will use every means at my disposal to make sure this man ain't on Team USA.”
The Clippers got some positive news regarding the health status of Kawhi Leonard ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Head coach of USA Basketball Steve Kerr spoke with members of the media in during the start of camp, confirming that Leonard is healthy and participating in early July's training camp.
Leonard was the final player named to Team USA's 12-man roster in April, despite dealing with inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee at the time. He's worked tirelessly over the last few weeks to get back on the court, and there have been reports that he's greatly impressed
Head coach Steve Kerr says he's fully participated in both days of practice so far with nothing to indicate a setback.
Kawhi Leonard on Clippers workload after Paul George’s exit
Kawhi Leonard is now left as the only star on the Clippers' wings after Paul George's move to the 76ers. While a lot of stars would be hitting the panic button, the star forward had no interest in doing any of that. Instead, he had full trust in Tyronn Lue and the rest of the front office to figure it out. When asked about the situation and the void of leadership that the big exit left, the Clippers superstar had a very simple answer.
“How much will be on me to lead the team? The same as it was last year. It doesn't change,” Kawhi Leonard said.
While George may now be gone, there are some new additions to help Kawhi Leonard and his aging body when it comes to his position. Derrick Jones Jr. landed with the Clippers in free agency. He inked a deal which was valued at around $30 million which lasts for three years. This was one of the first moves that the Clippers did to fill the void of losing George.
The other big addition is Nicolas Batum. The veteran is going to stay with the Clippers on a two-year deal worth $9.6 million. His ability to space out the floor has been big for the 76ers, knocking down the 3-pointer at a 39 percent clip. This may allow Harden, Westbrook, and even Leonard to have more open driving lanes when the season arrives.
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