The LA Clippers have struggled to keep Kawhi Leonard on the hardwood in the past half-decade.
It’s been five years since the LA Clippers traded the house to acquire Paul George, which led to the club being able to sign Kawhi Leonard. Since then, the franchise has no hardware to show for the additions. In fact, George is now a member of the Philadelphia 76ers and Leonard just missed the team’s season opener.
The Clippers just opened their new arena, the Intuit Dome, with the arrival of the new NBA season. Leonard was sidelined for the arrival of the new arena as the Phoenix Suns took down LA to kick off a new year.
Leonard’s injury history has been a problem, and it now has major implications for the Clippers. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith took to “First Take” to make his feelings on the matter known.
With George no longer with the team, Leonard’s services are needed. The regular season could get ugly without him. James Harden isn’t the same player he was five years ago, and he can’t put this team on his shoulders and secure victories.
Smith is fed up with Leonard continually missing games and being sidelined for long periods of time, especially as the Clippers roster can’t afford to miss him.
“This brother gets every perk — don’t get me started with the private jets and everything — I’m not mad at it, if you’re playing, but when you miss half the game and 15 of the last 19 playoff games, when you’re never healthy when it counts, but yet you sit up there and get every perk under the sun, it’s problematic,” Smith ranted.
Smith didn’t hold back on Leonard whatsoever, and his rant didn’t end there. He went on to make an incredibly bold take regarding the Clippers superstar.
Leonard has won two NBA titles. In both of those championship victories, he earned the Finals MVP award. He’s a bonafide superstar and one of the top talents in the entire world. That’s no secret, either. However, Smith has a problem with Leonard being a superstar.
“[Leonard] does absolutely, positively nothing to support or endorse the NBA brand, the Clippers, etc.,” Smith claimed. “I’m going to say it for the last time, he is a superstar when he is healthy. On the court, top-five player on the planet. I can make a legitimate argument that Kawhi Leonard is the worst superstar in the history of any sport.”
Leonard’s injury history combined with his ability to stay behind the curtain when not on the court is the reason Smith claims he is the worst superstar in sports. He didn’t hold back on his impact, or non-impact, to the NBA and his own franchise.
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