Blog

Over a year ago, the Los Angeles Clippers were the talk of the league after they pulled off the perfect offseason, signing Kawhi Leonard in free agency, and trading for Paul George in one fell swoop. They were immediately installed as one of the favorites to win the title, and for good reason considering the talent they had on the roster. 

Leonard, of course, was coming off his brilliant run with the Raptors, winning Finals MVP as he led them to their first championship in franchise history. George, meanwhile, had just put together the best season of his career, earning a third-place MVP finish in 2019. With those two leading the way, reaching the Western Conference finals for the first time in their 50-year history seemed like the bare minimum for the Clippers. 

The 2019-20 Los Angeles Clippers were the very definition of a win-now team. They traded virtually all of their draft capital to unite and supplement two superstars, and now do not control their own first-round pick until 2027. Those superstars, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, both entered the season in their late-20's, and both have extensive injury histories. The next three highest-paid players on the team, Marcus Morris, Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams, are all in their 30's. They had a window to win the championship this season. They failed to capitalize on it in losing their second-round series to the Denver Nuggets. There's no guarantee that window will last any longer. 

And yet, in George's mind, the expectations that came with that pricey roster were unfounded. "I think internally, we always felt this was not a championship-or-bust year for us," George told reporters after Game 7. Well, they didn't get the championship, and now, given the precarious state of their roster, this entire experiment might go bust.