The Clippers missed the playoffs, which seems to meet expectations of them. With George playing 31 games and Leonard reimbursed for the season, we can't be too demanding of this team. However, in the context of the weak strength of the Western Conference team, the Clippers' failure to qualify for the playoffs was completely their own mistake. The first playoff, reversed after leading by 10 points into the fourth quarter, and the second playoff due to George's personal mistakes, led to the Clippers' lack of strength, which are avoidable mistakes. Now, the Thunder hold the picks of the Clippers, and the Clippers have experienced a season of no return.
After the play-offs, there were discordant voices from the Leonard camp. According to the famous journalist Jack Settleman, the Leonard camp has a disagreement with the Clippers' medical team, Leonard does not want to play in the playoffs this season, but the Clippers' medical team believes that he has reached the conditions for a comeback. Leonard didn't show up on the playoffs on the clippers' elimination night, and a rift had already emerged between him and the Clippers. This is not the first time that such a plot has appeared on Leonard's body, and the Spurs in 2018 have encountered such threats, and the final result is well known. The Spurs reluctantly chose to trade Leonard in exchange for DeRozan, which also directly led to the decline of the Spurs. Since the deal, the Spurs have completely fallen from the league's top position, and they have not made the playoffs for three consecutive years.
In terms of performance on the court, Leonard is undoubtedly a superstar, even if he suffered a major injury to the cruciate ligament tear, the Clippers still offered him a 4-year maximum salary contract extension. But if you think about it from the perspective of personal quality, Leonard's successive failures to comply with the contract rules deserve the punishment of the league. If Leonard and the Clippers have worked together for three seasons, he shouldn't have given everything for the Clippers, but he also did it for the Spurs, his old club who cultivated him.
While the playoffs have nothing to do with the Clippers, it's no longer necessary to discuss Leonard's behavior. However, the Clippers and Leonard's contract has 3 years left, which is an issue that the Clippers cannot ignore. Returning to the playoffs is indeed a risk for Leonard, who has just recovered from a serious injury, but the Clippers do not expect him to lead the team to the Finals. Whether it's the Nets or nuggets, they treat Simmons and Murray in the same way as the Clippers, hoping they can play in the playoffs. They don't want them to stand up as saviors, and just ten minutes of playing time doesn't actually change the big picture, but it has great significance for the team's morale in the offseason operation.
If the news of Leonard's return in the playoffs is true, perhaps the team that is entering the playoffs today is the Clippers, not the Pelicans. The main player will play, and it is not a star and a half for the morale of the team. Meanwhile, the Clippers traded with two valuable champions at the trade deadline — Covington and Powell — and Leonard would have a big impact on the upcoming offseason if he could seize the last chance to run in and let the team reference chemistry. The five-small lineup of George, Covington, Batum, Leonard and Powell (Reggie) looks competitive, but it's only on paper. The Clippers desperately need a game to prove their conjecture, but clearly don't have that chance. The contracts of Covington and Batum are about to expire, whether to renew them at the same time, and at what price, these are all questions that the Clippers should consider.
If you have a certain sample for reference at this moment, the Clippers' operation will be more flexible. Since last summer, the Clippers' attitude toward contract extensions has shown somewhat, and Leonard's previous team privileges have gradually disappeared. Leonard has been with the Clippers for three years, has not led the Clippers out of the West, and has not yet achieved any results. The Clippers have also come to understand that Leonard should be more content with himself than repeat the same trick. Help your team win the championship, and the Clippers can even set up a statue for you. There is no room for bargaining until the results have been produced.