Analyzing the Clippers-Kawhi Leonard Era: Was It a Failure or a Success?

The Los Angeles Clippers have moved on from their franchise player, but was the whole Kawhi Leonard experience worth it?

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) warms up. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The NBA offseason has presented its fair share of surprises with massive trades. The Los Angeles Clippers got involved in the trade frenzy as they sent Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks (2031, 2033), two second-round picks (2030, 2033), and a first-round pick swap in 2027.

It marks the end of a seven-year career with the Clippers. It moves the franchise in a new direction as they will get younger and rebuild. For Toronto, they get their star player back and locked down for a multi-year extension. Leonard will play with an exciting core that features Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Collin Murray-Boyles.

As fans re-evaluate Leonard's time in Los Angeles, it's worth pondering a question.

Was Leonard's Clippers Tenure a Success or Failure?

Fresh off winning an NBA title with the Raptors, Leonard signed a four-year, $141 million deal with the Clippers. He signed a four-year extension in 2021, before agreeing to a $149 million contract extension in 2024.

Of course, Leonard's signing also came with a blockbuster trade for Paul George. The trade came with an abundance of first-round picks, which the Thunder used to draft guys like Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, and, most recently, Aday Mara. It also cost LA Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It was a massive gamble by LA's front office, but it made sense at the time.

There is no doubt the Clippers have felt the after-effects of making a blockbuster trade such as this one. But did it lead to any success? LA made the Western Conference Finals once in 2021, and Leonard wasn't healthy for that run.

During Leonard's tenure, the Clippers won three playoff series. They defeated the Dallas Mavericks back-to-back years in the first round (2020, 2021) and the Utah Jazz in the second round in 2021. On the other hand, Leonard rose to the occasion in the playoffs and made his mark on the franchise.

He finished with nearly 9,000 points, over 2,000 rebounds, and nearly 1,500 assists. He was a four-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA and All-Defensive Team selection.

The Verdict: Leonard's Tenure Was a Failure

From a statistical perspective, Leonard will go down as one of the best players in franchise history. There is no doubt he made an incredible impact, and fans will miss him. I'm not here to bash Leonard as a player.

Ultimately, greatness is often judged by playoff success. And for the Clippers, that did not happen with Leonard. When LA brought George and Leonard together, the expectation was to bring a championship to the organization. They came close one time, but they didn't get it done.

One could argue that championships aren't the only measuring stick when evaluating a player's greatness. It's a valid point. But the NBA has been a league of parity since Leonard arrived in LA. There have been eight new champions since 2019. 13 teams have made the Finals since that year, and the Clippers aren't one of them.

The franchise's shortcomings certainly don't fall completely on Leonard. Oftentimes, he did his part to help the team win, but it never fully came to fruition. Who's to blame could be a story for another day, but unless the Clippers won a championship, Leonard's contributions in LA was never going to be enough for the fans.