With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George returning to the team again, the Clippers did not usher in a complete body as expected. Instead, they messed up several games that should not be lost. In the highly competitive Western District, several problems also surfaced.
– If Kawhi Leonard doesn’t come back…
In the three games he returned, Leonard averaged 14.3 points, 7 rebounds and 3.7 assists. The overall shooting percentage was only 37.2%, and the three-point line was only 21.4%. Is Kawhi Leonard never coming back?
I’m not a doctor, so it’s difficult to analyze Leonard’s actual recovery status from the performance on the court, let alone predict the future, but the obvious fact is that Leonard is far from the All-Star skill of the past. Maybe be a little more optimistic, and you can expect to gradually recover after staying healthy, but fans still have to be mentally prepared. After a long recovery period and the current load control of the Clippers, expecting Leonard to replicate the peak performance in the 19-21 playoffs, averaging 40 minutes per game, 30 points, and 50% shooting, I am afraid it is a bit too optimistic.
However, what Leonard can do with his reduced strength, and what the Clippers should do in the future, will be issues that can be discussed in the short term. Judging from the current small sample data, Leonard’s single defense and mobility have not yet returned to the peak, but the defensive concept is still in place, and he appears in the most reasonable position at the right time. He can also play in the fourth position to assist rebound protection, which is helpful The Clippers restarted the small ball lineup. Although he is not very good on the outside and is more cautious in physical confrontation when cutting in, he can still assist his teammates in all aspects. Not only did he win the mid-range game against the Hornets, he also arranged key layups and assists in the game against the Wizards.
Leonard is still improving the combat power of the speedboat in all aspects. For example, some netizens jokingly exemplified “Leonard is now the Draymond Green of the speedboat version”. This is probably not what the Clippers and fans expected, and it will cause a major blow to the combat power.
The Clippers’ struggling performance so far this season should not make people pay attention to the mid-season trading early. The current team has certain bargaining chips, including Luke Kennard, Terance Mann, BJ Boston, Robert Covington, Amir Coffey, etc., as well as the 2029 first-round draft pick that can be included in the transaction. Coffee, moderately improving the lineup is not too much to ask.
Recalling how abruptly Blake Griffin was traded in 2018, you might as well imagine how Leonard will affect the subsequent trading of the Clippers. The most conservative is to believe that he will recover his skills, continue to strive for the championship this season, and choose the most suitable reinforcement position (such as center). However, if Leonard cannot approach his former skills, George must bear even greater pressure. The team can make mistakes Space has also been reduced.
Unable to let Kawhi Leonard take a chance, the “rotation dilemma” facing the Los Angeles Clippers
If the record and Leonard’s recovery status are still not optimistic in the middle of the season, and he insists on achieving results this season, he may have to seek a larger-scale transaction and try to get a higher-level quasi-star player to make up for his combat power. Even a little more pessimistic, the Clippers can take a step back and look forward to the next season, hoping that Leonard can regain his skills in the summer vacation, and change to a veteran as the main trade package to increase the playing time of young players. The Clippers also hold the 2023 first-round pick Right (cannot be traded and the Thunder has the right to swap).
-Robert Covington on the bench
Covington was supposed to be a key player in the Clippers. He also signed a new two-year contract in the summer. His outstanding performance at the end of last season is still fresh in his memory. He has been on the bench many times this season and has no stable playing time. Ty Lue’s scheduling controversy has never stopped this season. In all fairness, Covington’s poor shooting selection in the beginning of the season is also the reason. At one time, the Clippers suffered a poor offense. However, with the team’s injury wave, they played well, but they still did not get playing time. , and the playing picks in the last two games are even after BJ Boston.
“The Athletic” Clippers reporter Law Murray believes that the Clippers definitely need Covington to play in the playoffs, but now he is ranked “11th man”, so unless the two stars truce, it will be difficult to get playing time in the regular season. In addition, it is more suitable for the 4th position itself, and the effect of playing center is not as good as Batum. It also caused Covington’s playing space to be further compressed after Terance Mann returned to the core rotation, and many guards had to carve up the 2nd position this season.