Prominent NBA analyst Bill Simmons has sparked conversation around the Los Angeles Clippers’ future with Kawhi Leonard.
Simmons suggested that the franchise and its fanbase may have reached a breaking point regarding the star forward’s persistent availability issues.
Leonard is currently in his fifth season with the Clippers, a tenure marked by flashes of brilliance overshadowed by extended absences.
While he has guided the team to the playoffs four times, their ceiling has been limited to a single Western Conference Finals appearance in the 2020-21 season.
“This is now over a half decade of ‘well if Kawhi can just…’ and I think this is it,” Simmons stated on his podcast. “This has been five years of this.”
The frustration stems not from Leonard’s on-court performance, but rather his inability to stay healthy for extended periods.
This season alone, the six-time All-Star has appeared in just 31 games while battling multiple injuries, primarily related to ongoing knee issues.
Simmons articulated the emotional rollercoaster Clippers fans experience when Leonard is available: “His bounce is there, if you see it in person, I don’t know how long that’s gonna last. And it’s gotten to the point when he is out there with the other guys they have, when Clipper fans think rightfully ‘we can hang with any team in the league’.”
“And the reason he is a crossroads thing is I think the Clipper fans are at the crossroads with that feeling,” he added.
The statistical decline is evident. Leonard is averaging 20.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and three assists this season—all career lows during his Clippers tenure.
Despite the diminished production, he alongside James Harden remains integral to the team’s championship aspirations.
Currently sitting eight in the Western Conference with a 43-32 record, the Clippers are still have a chance to make another playoff run.
However, Simmons believes another postseason availability issue could permanently damage the relationship between the fan base and their star player.
“If he gets hurt again or he falls apart in some way or he is not there or in round one, all of a sudden game three Shams is reporting Kawhi Leonard is doubtful for tonight, I just don’t think the Clipper fans wanna do it again,” Simmons explained.
This concern is particularly relevant considering last season’s disappointment. Back then, Leonard appeared in just two games during the Clippers’ first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks—when they ultimately lost in six games.
As the regular season winds down and another playoff appearance approaches, the pressure mounts on both Leonard and the organization.
With the team moving into their new Intuit Dome next season and significant financial investments made in their roster, the Clippers find themselves at a critical juncture.
The coming weeks may determine not only this season’s fate but potentially the future direction of the franchise and its relationship with its oft-injured superstar.
For Clippers fans who have endured years of ‘what ifs‘ the 2025 playoffs could represent the final test of their patience.
