The Kawhi Leonard, Clippers Era is Over
After seven seasons, the run has ended.
It was a euphoric day for the LA Clippers franchise on July 5, 2019. Not only did they land Kawhi Leonard after one of the most intense free agency pursuits in recent NBA history, but he chose them over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Steve Ballmer has never been shy about the two-team dynamic in Los Angeles and his desire to shrink the gap between his franchise and the 17-time NBA champions. At the time, signing Leonard was undoubtedly the biggest advancement possible toward that goal.
However, much bigger than any "Battle of LA" was the Clippers' pursuit of their first NBA title. And having just won 48 games with a team that truly felt a Tier-1 superstar away from contention, there was no better fit than a 28-year-old Leonard.
This gave the reigning Finals MVP unprecedented leverage. And he used it to get the Clippers to trade Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and five first-round picks plus two pick swaps to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Paul George.
That part of the story, and how it ultimately played out, doesn't need more coverage. But in the same way the Clippers did everything possible to sign Leonard in 2019, they did everything possible to keep him happy the next seven years.
