The Los Angeles Clippers lost their second-best player in the offseason.
Their contract impasse with Paul George reached a breaking point, and with him set to get better offers in free agency, he decided to test the waters.
It didn’t take long before the Philadelphia 76ers got him the kind of deal he was looking for, so he didn’t hesitate to pack his bags and make his way back to the Eastern Conference.
The Clippers went through a major roster overhaul to try and compensate for losing one of the best two-way players in the league.
Kawhi Leonard, however, seems completely unbothered by it.
When asked about George’s departure, he claimed that neither he nor any of his teammates thought of George as their savior, so their mindsets weren’t going to change at all (via Ben Golliver).
Kawhi Leonard on Clippers losing Paul George: “I don’t feel like it’s going to be harder for me personally. For anybody I’m on the court with, I don’t look at him to be my savior.” pic.twitter.com/lNouVoNehA
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) September 30, 2024
Even if that’s true, it still seems a little harsh when you talk about your star teammate.
Leonard is clearly the best player on the team and one of the best players on Earth when healthy, but he’s rarely healthy.
Truth be told, even the often-injured George was more reliable for the Clippers than Leonard, who even skipped the past Olympics as he was nursing yet another injury.
Even if the Clippers have a star, are well-coached, and have added plenty of depth, it can’t help but feel like their NBA championship window has already closed, and that’s not going to change unless Leonard can finally stay healthy.
NEXT:
Jamal Crawford Has Honest Admission About ‘Lob City’ Clippers
