The Los Angeles Clippers signed Kawhi Leonard in the summer of 2019 and traded for Paul George from the Oklahoma City Thunder, creating a lethal dynamic duo. However, the franchise hasn’t reached the NBA Finals yet.
Leonard and George have only played in 118 regular-season games together. Both stars have been prone to injuries since becoming teammates.
“My legacy here is just haven’t been able to finish,” George told Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. “I think in a lot of ways, injury prone, inability to finish. So can’t even say that — like, I never go into a summer like, ‘Hey, what do I need to work on to get better, what do I need to’ … I got to just try to find a way to stay healthy.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Paul George & Los Angeles Clippers Updates
The Clippers blew a 3-1 series lead to the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the 2020 playoffs. They reached the Western Conference Finals in 2021 but lost to the Phoenix Suns. Leonard tore his ACL versus the Utah Jazz in the second round, so he missed the Suns series.
The Clippers missed the playoffs in 2021, with Leonard sitting out the entire season to rehab his ACL tear. Last season, Los Angeles lost to the Suns in the first round of the playoffs. Leonard played in Games 1 and 2 before missing the rest of the series with a meniscus tear in his knee. Meanwhile, George didn’t play at all against the Suns because he was dealing with his own knee injury.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Paul George & Los Angeles Clippers Updates
The Clippers are potentially facing a crossroads with their roster since Leonard and George both have player options for the 2024-25 season. If Los Angeles doesn’t compete for a championship this season, the Leonard-George era could end next summer.
George is averaging 23.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists with the Clippers.
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