The Los Angeles Clippers’ first-round exit was the latest disappointment for the franchise they’ve been accustomed to. After acquiring superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George nearly four years ago, most expected them to be title contenders, but injuries quickly marred those expectations. George missed the entire first round of the playoffs this year, while Leonard missed the final three games of his series against the Phoenix Suns with a torn right meniscus.
This was just the latest release in a long history of injuries to Leonard that has led many to wonder if the Clippers can count on him to be healthy. Celtics legend Paul Pierce recently put Leonard’s position on hold. Pearce was quoted as saying, “If I were him, I would retire.”
Pierce has been known to say some questionable things since his retirement, but even if Leonard doesn’t take his advice, there may be some truth to what Pierce says. After all, Leonard has lost a staggering 25% of his games since he was drafted in 2011. Also, even though the Clippers have been managing loads with Leonard trying to keep him healthy going into the playoffs, he hasn’t been available when they need him. more.
Clippers: Kawhi Leonard’s injury history may affect the length of his career.
Even worse, Leonard turns 32 this summer, and leg injuries, including some chronic or degenerative, indicate he probably won’t be playing in his mid-30s as well as Pierce did. With two years left on his contract, it’s fair to ask if he should continue his career if the same injuries keep repeating.
It’s also worth noting that some of Leonard’s games are built on his athletic ability, which will wane as he ages, and injuries won’t help. He’ll probably still be able to bully opposing wing-defenders at the post or use a screen to get a draw, but that could really affect him at the defensive end.
Leonard is a two-way star, but what happens when he starts sliding on that end of the Earth? The answer is that his ballpark value goes down. It’s questionable whether the Clippers or another team would sign him to a multi-year deal if they couldn’t count on him to play semi-permanently, and he’s not the same player when he actually does.
In the end, it seems unlikely that Leonard would take Pearce’s advice at this point in his career. However, his injury record suggests that he may not have the same longevity that we’ve seen from other superstars.