What a 2025-26 NBA marketing campaign it’s been for the Los Angeles Clippers. The workforce’s low season was marred by information that there could have been unethical practices used to signal Kawhi Leonard to his deal. Then, triumph ensued when information broke that Chris Paul was returning to the franchise he delivered to prominence. He selected to play his last season with the Clippers, a choice extensively recognized and regarded. As of final week, the Clippers have despatched Paul dwelling. Apparently, his management fashion didn’t gel properly with the personnel there. There’s a lot to unpack, however at its core, the sentiment we are able to by no means lose is in all of that is that “the Clippers gon’ clip.”
A glance again
Kawhi Leonard, as Stephen A. Smith would put it, is the worst famous person expertise within the historical past of basketball. He has earned that distinction not due to his immense expertise, however due to his questionable management expertise. The whole lot from the huge time he spends out resulting from harm to his lack of vocal presence, and even his lack of effort to advertise the Clippers’ model. With information of all of this, he nonetheless instructions and receives prime greenback for his companies when he does play.
Information of Leonard being investigated this previous low season for being paid beneath the desk by entities with connections to the Clippers group already got here off as damning. The Clippers have been attempting to revive their picture by cultivating a successful tradition after the dismissal of notorious former proprietor Donald Sterling in 2014. Sterling was banished from the NBA after being caught on tape utilizing racist rhetoric. Sterling was additionally recognized to interact in horrible enterprise practices in actual property. So, when Steve Ballmer, a former CEO of Microsoft, purchased the workforce in 2014 for $2 billion, it was assumed the group can be run significantly better.
A brand new day in L.A.
In some respects, Ballmer has been a stand-up proprietor. He has actually invested within the workforce. He lastly moved from the previous STAPLES Heart to Inglewood on the Clippers’ personal area, the Intuit Dome. He has proven a need and intention to spend no matter it takes to get prime expertise to his workforce. Nonetheless, the personnel that Ballmer has chosen to make use of are clearly questionable. To pair with Leonard, as an example, he signed Paul George at Leonard’s demanding request. Each famous person skills are nonetheless recognized for being injury-prone. So, to any fan of basketball, we knew that deep playoff runs couldn’t be within the workforce’s future.
When that undertaking not served the workforce, they finally signed James Harden to play alongside Leonard. They play off one another slightly properly. However in seasons the place Harden has really been out there to play, Leonard hasn’t. This once more places a ceiling on the success the Clippers might obtain.
As we fast-forward to this previous week, the dismissal of Chris Paul was disheartening. Paul is arguably probably the most important participant within the group’s historical past. The group cites him as not being an excellent match for this workforce. Imprecise language to explain the connection between the 2, regardless that Paul spent a bit of his profession with them. One might surmise that they knew what to anticipate with him.
The pot calling the kettle
As a substitute, we’re left with nameless accounts of gamers like James Harden, who by no means co-signed Paul’s return anyway. These two, as an example, have been teammates on the Houston Rockets and clashed at instances. But when Paul’s vocality was the difficulty, then it’s a disgrace. Even when his expertise are diminished at this stage, demanding extra from a workforce that boasts a 6-16 report this season is apropos. It’s essential, extra importantly. For a participant like Paul, whose effort has by no means been in query, it’s upsetting to listen to Harden say he doesn’t need him round.
Conversely, Harden’s effort is at all times in query behind our minds. He has made a profession of pouting and placing in much less effort as soon as he’s not on a workforce. It occurred in Houston, in Brooklyn, and in Philadelphia. Now he’s within the worst situation in L.A. The irony writes itself. With a repute that precedes him now, we’re instructed Paul is pushing the workforce too laborious. He’s imploring them to play in another way. All of the whereas, he isn’t getting minutes, and the Clippers are nonetheless shedding.
What’s clear is that Paul isn’t the rationale for the Clippers’ woes. If we take a look at it with a broader scope, the Clippers have shot themselves within the foot. They signed Leonard. The identical goes with Harden as properly. Their brass noticed match to align Leonard with Aspiration Companions, which, to date, has mightily backfired.
The Clippers will not be field workplace
Sadly, the optics of all of this aren’t the glitziest billboard in your workforce. I’m unsure what number of groups will align with a company that may search to sully your illustrious legacy, as a result of their egos can’t deal with a legend holding them to account. It’s a laughable solution to conduct enterprise together with your former franchise participant. It’s a black eye on the group that has been attempting to rehab its picture. And it particularly sucks as a result of, low-key, like Tyra Banks, a variety of us have been rooting for them.
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