Why Clippers may never escape Kawhi Leonard, Paul George era

The Los Angeles Clippers went all in for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the summer of 2019. It looked like the kind of gamble a franchise has to take if it wants to escape decades of irrelevance.  Years later, the reality is brutal: only one Western Conference Finals appearance, and a future that looks like purgatory. At the time, the Clippers thought they pulled off a masterstroke. Leonard had led the Toronto Raptors to a title in 2019, and by trading for George, they secured a superstar duo that instantly made them contenders.  The cost was massive: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA), Danilo Gallinari, five first-round picks and two pick swaps. It felt steep, but the logic was clear: championship windows don’t open often.  However, SGA turned into everything the Clippers had hoped for with George — he’s an NBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP and the leader of the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. OKC built a dynasty with the assets the Clippers gifted them, while L.A. is left with nothing. Paul George walked iRead More