Clippers to blame for another Kawhi Leonard and Paul George disappointment

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It was July 5, 2019, when the Los Angeles Clippers made arguably their biggest leaps in franchise history by trading for Paul George to convince Kawhi Leonard to sign in free agency. Leonard was coming off an impressive playoff run in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors that culminated in a championship victory.

So, it definitely made sense for the Clippers to do whatever it took to convince one of the greatest playoff performers of all time to join perhaps the most snake-bitten franchise in NBA history. .

However, Leonard and Georges’ fourth year is spent together in Southern California, and they have nothing but a singular appearance in the Western Conference Finals to show for. While that in itself is an achievement given the Clippers’ terrible past, it certainly falls short of the high expectations they set for themselves in the summer of 2019.

It seems like time and time again over the past four years, there has been something that has derailed the Clippers’ playoff hopes.

In 2020, the Clippers’ chemistry issues came to the fore, and they weren’t able to maintain the mental toughness required to win a championship in the bubble, as many asterisks as there can be for some fans regarding this title win.

Meanwhile, in 2021, it definitely looked like the Clippers were starting to click, losing 2-0 in their first two playoffs notwithstanding. But Kawhi Leonard sadly tore his ACL in Game 4 of their second-round matchup against the Utah Jazz, wiping out the Clippers’ championship hopes.

And then in 2022, Leonard and Paul George couldn’t shake off the injury bug, which turned out to be a foreshadowing of their loss the following season, as the two Clippers stars couldn’t get together. adapt to their season in play against the Phoenix Suns.

It’s easy to blame both for the Clippers’ playoff failure this season, but it definitely seems unfair because these two didn’t choose to get injured. Injuries, for better or for worse, are mostly beyond the control of individuals anyway.

Thus, it is certainly fairer to determine which member of the Clippers organization is to blame for something under their control.

Here are two Clippers to blame for yet another failed season with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

Tyronn Lue

Make no mistake, Tyronn Lue is a quality head coach. Lue has proven to be one of the most tactically savvy coaches in the league, and he’s not afraid to tinker with rotations in the playoffs. Lue, at the very least, is also capable of motivating his players to give it their all, as the Clippers, despite missing Kawhi Leonard and Paul George against the Suns, didn’t go down without a fight.

However, Lue also deserves his fair share of blame for some baffling decisions that may have cost the Clippers a few wins, putting them in a position where they need Leonard to put up a heavy regular-season workload just to compensate.

For starters, Lue, for all his DIY playoff prowess, remained stubborn in his rotation decisions for stretches. He stuck with Reggie Jackson and John Wall even though both point guards were struggling. Wall, in particular, looked cooked, and even then he logged long minutes in his last game as a member of the Clippers organization.

But what angered fans the most last season, and for good reason, was his stubbornness when it came to Marcus Morris Sr. Lue clearly appreciates the offensive punch Morris brings to the Clippers’ starting lineup. But it became clear sooner rather than later that Morris was no longer the offensive force he was in the past. And to make matters worse, Morris lost a step or two defensively, making him a liability if he didn’t drain his shots.

Lue adjusted to finish the season by replacing Morris in the starting lineup with Nicolas Batum, but by then it was already too late, as the Clippers faced a tough climb just to avoid the tournament altogether. play in. But it was obvious that old habits die hard, as Lue then reinserted Morris into the starting lineup in the playoffs against the Suns.

Lue appears to be on track to return as Clippers head coach for next season, so they will need him to coach all season with a greater sense of urgency than he has shown. last season.

Marcus Morris Sr.

This doesn’t need much explanation. Morris’ defensive impact has diminished, his scoring has become redundant with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and he tends to be a ball-blocker on offense. Clippers fans let out a collective groan every time Morris throws a contested mid-range jumper while falling.

Morris had plenty of good times in a Clippers uniform. In 2020 and 2021, Morris’ shot was crucial, especially when George was struggling. But in 2023, Morris’ overall impact no longer justifies the kind of minutes his head coach regularly gives him.

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