Why the Clippers Should Do It
In the dynamic between George and the Clippers, it’s George who holds all the leverage. Say what you will about his reputation or playoff performance, but the fact that he can leave after 2021 will continue to loom large unless he makes a long-term commitment.
We’ve seen what can happen when a star leaves one place to go elsewhere. We saw it with Leonard and the Spurs. And Leonard and the Raptors. Kevin Durant with the Thunder, and yes, George and Russell Westbrook with the Thunder as well.
This move from the Clippers would be a way to hedge their bet. A way to get something instead of potentially nothing if George were to leave next year.
But beyond the possibility of George leaving, his performance, and the team’s performance, was not good enough.
By acquiring Walker, the Clippers would get a player who is under team control longer than George, and a player who could serve as Leonard’s sidekick.
One brief caveat: The salary of Gordon Hayward would work in place of Walker from the Celtics, assuming Hayward opts-in as expected. But Walker seems to be the better fit of the two for Los Angeles, especially considering Hayward’s injury history.
