Kawhi Leonard has been making headlines in the NBA recently, but unfortunately, it’s not for the right reasons.
While it looked like the Los Angeles Clippers were on track to defeat the Phoenix Suns, even without Paul George – an injury to Leonard derailed their momentum…again.
Leonard’s inconsistent presence on the court for the Clippers has become an issue that is hard to ignore. According to Colin Cowherd, sources reveal that Leonard is not engaging with his teammates and coaches the way he should be.
Cowherd said: “In two seasons, Kawhi Leonard has played 27 home games. Folks, after a while if you’re getting the understudy on Broadway, three of 4 nights, the understudy becomes the star, not the star. He’s just not available, he’s odd, he’s not verbal, he doesn’t communicate, I’ve been told, with coaches or players. This is who he is.”
"I applaud the big swing by the Clippers… But don't double down on it."
— @ColinCowherd says why it's time to move off Kawhi Leonard pic.twitter.com/lCZ4phSeI7
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) April 24, 2023
Cowherd suggests that the Clippers should think about letting Leonard go. The team brought Leonard and Paul George on board in 2019 with the goal of reaching the Finals and winning championships.
However, this proved to be nothing but a Toronto Raptors type fantasy having only made it to one Western Conference Finals since then. Both PG and Leonard have been plagued with injuries during critical moments, which has severely impacted the team and become a running joke among NBA fans.
Injuries are often an unavoidable part of professional basketball. But with Leonard having played in just 104 of the last 238 regular-season games for the Clippers, Stephen A. Smith argues that it might be time for Leonard to think about retiring.
Smith expressed, “I just have to say it, I’m sick of Kawhi Leonard. Seriously, why don’t you just retire? I mean, the dude blackmails the Clippers into moving heaven and earth to get Paul George because he was threatening to go to the Lakers. This brother has missed so many damn games it don’t make any sense. He’s missed more than 50% of his games.”
While this view may come across as harsh, it’s clear that the media’s narrative around Kawhi Leonard is shifting. Despite having won two NBA championships and two Finals MVPs in his career, Leonard’s past successes no longer seem to shield him from the relentless criticism.
It will be intriguing to see how the Clippers respond, especially considering they’ve now just lost to the Phoenix Suns in the first round.