2x All-NBA Star, Ex-Clippers Player Calls Out Team President

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George reportedly wanted the LA Clippers to bring back one player.

Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank at Crypto.com Arena. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Kawhi Leonard and Paul George era in Los Angeles was ultimately a failure. 

Winning just three playoff series as a duo, Leonard and George did lead the LA Clippers to their first Western Conference Finals appearance in franchise history, but the organization would have never traded Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and numerous first round picks for just once Conference Finals appearance.

That 2021 Western Conference Finals group lost Leonard to an ACL tear midway through the Conference Semifinals, but his performance in the opening round and first four games of that series was as critical as anyone else’s that run.

The Clippers also had four-time NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins on that team, and he appeared in 16 regular season games and seven postseason games for them.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George (13) and center DeMarcus Cousins (15) against the Phoenix Suns in game five of the 2021 Western Conference Finals. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

During a recent appearance on FanDuel’s Run It Back show, Cousins called out Clippers president Lawrence Frank.

“I hate how it’s looked upon that Paul George messed up what could have been in LA,” Cousins said. “We know Lawrence Frank, man. Let’s not do this, bro. It’s time to take some accountability, bro. He’s on a legendary run. Let’s just say that.”

"We know #LawrenceFrank, man, like let's not do this. It's time to take some accountability." - @boogiecousins #DeMarcusCousins says the #Clippers #President is responsible for some of the rifts that have happened with players like him and #PaulGeorge 👀😱#RunItBack #NBA pic.twitter.com/TGl7WJtxEM

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) October 15, 2024

Cousins said on a recent episode of the Above the Rim podcast that Leonard and George wanted him back with the Clippers, but Frank did not.

“My last year I had Kawhi and PG on my line,” Cousins said. “’Bro we trying to get you here.’ But Lawrence Frank determines if I’m good enough or not? Your two franchise guys want me there.”

Asked about this on Run It Back, Cousins said, “It’s always Lawrence. It’s always Lawrence. Just know that.”

Former Clippers guard Lou Williams is one of the show’s hosts, and said, “He’s not far off base.”

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