With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on board, the Los Angeles Clippers were considered to be favorites for the NBA title this past season. However, they fell apart in the playoffs, losing to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals.
Since arriving to Los Angeles, Leonard was treated like a star, and that reportedly didn’t sit well with some of his Clippers teammates. Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, who were central figures on the 2018-19 Clippers’ squad, were reportedly irritated by the team’s handling of Leonard, according to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha and Joe Vardon.
The players, apparently, had several issues with the four-time All-Star, including his load management and how he was allowed to live in San Diego, which resulted in Leonard often being late for team flights. Getting from San Diego to Los Angeles is about a two-hour drive … with traffic, it could take even longer.
It’s understandable that Leonard’s teammates were irritated with his star treatment. Commuting from San Diego to Los Angeles every day is quite ridiculous.
Regardless of their feelings toward Leonard, though, the team is ready for a new era of basketball after moving on from Doc Rivers. Ty Lue reportedly agreed to a five-year deal to become the Clippers next head coach, and he has significant experience managing star egos. He guided the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 2016 title with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, who both have large personalities.
If he can manage the likes of Leonard, George, Beverley, Williams and Harrell, the Clippers will be much better off.
