On Oct. 18, the Clippers said that Leonard, the centerpiece of the team, would definitely miss the early part of the season due to a swollen right knee. There is no clear word on when Leonard will return. Leonard's "glass man" physique has had a serious impact on his season appearances and the Clippers' results. But what is frustrating is that the Clippers signed Leonard early this year to sign a three-year, $152.4 million contract, and his contract does not end until 2027. Judging from the current situation, after failing to retain Wei Shao and George in the offseason, the Clippers may rely more on Harden in the new season, but the beard is by no means the super state of the Rockets back then, so the prospects for the Clippers' new season are quite bleak.
Leonard has been through serious injuries over the years. Since joining the Clippers in 2019, Leonard has missed 179 games. Last season, Leonard missed the final eight games of the regular season and four games in the first round of the playoffs, and the Clippers lost 4-2 to the Mavericks.
Despite the constant injuries over the years, the Clippers still consider Leonard to be the team's core resource. This is also an important reason why the team extended his contract early in January this year. The idea at the time was for the Clippers to re-sign Leonard and then keep George in the offseason, so that the team's main framework would remain intact and the Clippers would remain a strong team in the West. But that didn't work. The Clippers' offer of a contract extension for George in the offseason didn't satisfy the latter, and he ended up playing for the 76ers. At the same time, Westbrook, who had a good season this past season, also switched to the Nuggets. As a result, the Clippers' luxurious roster disintegrated. Fortunately, they eventually kept Harden.
Leonard has been plagued by swollen right knee this summer, which has led him to miss out on the opportunity to represent the United States men's basketball team at the Paris Olympics. And in the offseason, Leonard even underwent surgery, but until now, it has not been able to solve the problem. Leonard reluctantly said in an interview that he may have to "coexist" with the issue throughout his career. Leonard will miss all of the Clippers' preseason games, and there is no doubt as to when he will play. This is a big headache for the Clippers. Without Leonard, the Clippers can only rely on Harden, but Harden has long passed his prime, and his ability to lead the team with a single core has greatly diminished. Such a Clippers team is not very competitive in the West, which is particularly competitive.
But it's clear that as long as Leonard remains with the team, they won't be able to completely start a rebuild. And this will continue for at least three years. The Clippers can only lament the fate of the Clippers.
Text/Beiqing Sports Song Xiang