Kawhi Leonard era ultimately became cautionary tale for Clippers

The Clippers’ blockbuster pursuit of Kawhi Leonard was supposed to change everything.

Instead, longtime Southern California columnist Jim Alexander believes it became another painful chapter in franchise history.

Writing for the Press-Enterprise, Alexander reflected on Leonard’s seven-year run with the Clippers following his trade to the Raptors, arguing that the championship vision introduced during Leonard’s celebrated arrival in 2019 never came close to becoming reality.

Alexander recalled owner Steve Ballmer’s memorable declaration at Leonard’s introductory event that “the only thing that matters is the Larry O’B.,” a reference to the Larry O’Brien Trophy awarded to NBA champions.

That trophy never arrived.

Despite pairing Leonard with Paul George and entering multiple seasons as championship contenders, the Clippers won only three playoff series during the Leonard-George era and reached just one Western Conference Finals.

Alexander suggested the aggressive trade that brought George to Los Angeles ultimately helped transform the Thunder into a powerhouse while leaving the Clippers with little to show after injuries repeatedly derailed Leonard’s tenure.

Now, with Leonard returning to Toronto and the Clippers rebuilding their stockpile of draft picks, the organization is beginning a new chapter, Alexander wrote.

He also questioned whether the pursuit itself was flawed from the start, pointing to Leonard’s recurring injury issues, the franchise’s handling of his availability and the rise of load management as defining themes of the era.

As written by Alexander, what began with enormous expectations in the summer of 2019 ultimately ended as another reminder of how difficult it has been for the Clippers to reach the NBA’s mountaintop.

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