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Not gonna lie I've been lurking your boards saying silly things like "Kawhi 100% staying", mainly because it's fun to banter but deep down I'm trying to convince myself that he's staying without any worry. While I still believe there's a strong chance he stays, I know there's an equally strong chance that he signs with the Clips.

But the reality is I'm just nervous. We've never had a player like him before. Clippers Brass and new ownership have legitimately changed the entire course of the franchise, and looking at your executive ranks I have no doubt the Clips are one of the best run organizations in the NBA. Balmer/Frank/West is a dynamite trio. And Doc is a great players coach who will probably have a great rapport with Kawhi.

Wanted to say good luck either way, as Clips and Raps both have loyal fan bases that have suffered through a lot, so I'm wishing you nothing but the best moving forward. If Kawhi does leave TO and sign with the Clips, I'll be cheering you guys on for the next decade.

I think we can all agree that for god sakes just don't let him sign with the Lakers..... much love from the North.

RoyceDa59 wrote:Clippers brass and new ownership have legitimately changed the entire course of the franchise, and looking at your executive ranks I have no doubt the Clips are one of the best run organizations in the NBA. Ballmer/Frank/West is a dynamite trio. And Doc is a great players coach who will probably have a great rapport with Kawhi.

The Clippers have come a long way from the miserable, dysfunctional franchise that was once ran by the evil Donald Sterling. Even when he was ousted by the NBA, there was still some lingering Sterling-isms. Consolidated jobs, twisted priorities, and a lack of direction, under Sterling, the Clippers only wanted to be loved, respected and worshiped like their Big Brother Lakers, only for their attempts to fail hard. Doc Rivers as coach/GM/father was corruption at its worst; the star-led Lob City era couldn't get past the 2nd round; and in times of taking over an advantageous opportunity, they squandered it. All because they were afraid to lose, afraid of turning back into the loser Clippers if one of Paul or Griffin demanded out. It didn't help that Sterling only bought the Clippers because he helped the Lakers by loaning Dr. Buss $2.7 million to purchase the purple and gold from owner Jack Kent Cooke, enacting their own version of the Curse Of The Bambino.

When Jerry West arrived, he noticed and realized like the fox the Clippers had a lot of work ahead of them if they wanted to catch up to the 20th century. He stripped them of their stars and replaced them with ego-less hard working role players, forcing Doc Rivers to never neglect the bench again. This role players team, devoid of All-Star experience, made the playoffs and took two games from the Golden State Warriors as a road team. Doc Rivers learned how to coach again, and the Clippers learned that the true road to glory is in patience, persistence and perseverance. The Clippers were becoming a hybrid version of the Grit N Grind Grizzlies and the Good Samaritan Spurs.

Royce, while it is right of you to suggest fear in losing Leonard to the Clippers, you actually have a saving grace. The Clippers have a sports disorder of sorts known as the "savior's disease." Every player they drafted, traded or, or tried to sign in free agency, they painted their player as a folk hero, their Obi Wan Kenobi. The Clippers idolize Leonard as their leader of silence: for a franchise that has only known bad press (being in the news for the wrong reasons), they don't know how to overcome scandals or poor performances. As I stated earlier, Clippers wanted to be loved, respected and worshiped, but the Lob City era proved the media can be a disrespecting maiden when the going gets tough - they can turn on you in an instant. By having Leonard, he can teach the entire brass how to handle the pressure of an action that has an equal but opposite reaction. You saw that in this year's playoffs: when the Raptors won, they didn't cheer. When they lost, they didn't sulk. All the things he learned with the Spurs have rubbed off on him, and that's what the Clippers want from Leonard the most. If they try to persuade him to join the Clippers solely for media inattention, Leonard might opt to stay in Toronto.

The whole purpose of free agency is not for the perks, it's what the player can do to help your team win a championship. Clippers can definitely close the deal... provided their heads are not in the clouds.

Thanks for sharing that. I had nothing against the Raptors, but this race for Leonard made me support Sixers and Bucks... and not enjoying enough Warriors' defeat. Wish we could have half Kawhi each. The wait is also killing me.

Do they even have a plan B if they lose Kawhi?

Akklaim1 wrote:Do they even have a plan B if they lose Kawhi?

Well if we can re-hijack this thread back from the Raptors fan who hijacked our board, , I'm nervous



If we don't get Kawhi we could be on the outside looking up at the rest of the WC

—Do we really want to sign any of the other FAs long term? Klay, maybe, but GSW is expected to offer him the max.

—We could easily lose our heart and soul Pat Beverley.

—Gallo could always go down at any minute and at the moment he's our best player except for Lou.

—Trezz's contact is up after this year.

Hell yeah, I'm nervous...


What if the Clippers don’t actually have a bright future after all?

The overwhelming optimism about the Clippers’ future ignores just how precarious that future actually is.


https://www.sbnation.com/2019/6/24/18715105/la-clippers-free-agency-nba-rumors-future-steve-ballmer

Don't be. You just won a freakin championship and that should have you set for a lifetime. But more importantly, just like us, you have a top notch front office that will continue to build exciting teams whether Kawhi is on them or not, you don't depend on that one dude as much as you might think you do now. For the immediate future you'd also have a great piece to build around in Siakam, and again, you have a front office capable of finding guys like him and OG from nothing.

That's the reason I'm not all that nervous from the Clippers side, and why you shouldn't be either. Not long ago it seemed like losing Paul and Griffin would send us into a years long spiral of nothingness, but then Trez and Shai and Sham came outta nowhere and most Clips fans will tell you this is the most fun team we've had since Miles and Q Rich. If Kawhi leaves eventually, I'm sure Masai and them will find your next crop of exciting young players in no time.

RoyceDa59 wrote:I think we can all agree that for god sakes just don't let him sign with the Lakers..... much love from the North.

That we can definitely agree on
Good luck to you lot too, enjoyed your title run more than I did anyone's since Dirk in 2011. Wouldn't be mad at all if you get him back.

Well after listening all 57min of Masai Ujiri season end conference..i honestly think if Kawhi leaves than nothing in the whole world would stop him from doing that in first place.
Because right now no basketball related reason, wether its immediate winning or playing healthy, no money, nothing aside him wanting to live in California will be a factor.
I dont think LAc or Raptors or anybody needs to pitch him..its just due dilligence no pitch will alter his decision.
It will be what he already knows and feels he wants.

RoyceDa59 wrote:Not gonna lie I've been lurking your boards saying silly things like "Kawhi 100% staying", mainly because it's fun to banter but deep down I'm trying to convince myself that he's staying without any worry. While I still believe there's a strong chance he stays, I know there's an equally strong chance that he signs with the Clips.

But the reality is I'm just nervous. We've never had a player like him before. Clippers Brass and new ownership have legitimately changed the entire course of the franchise, and looking at your executive ranks I have no doubt the Clips are one of the best run organizations in the NBA. Balmer/Frank/West is a dynamite trio. And Doc is a great players coach who will probably have a great rapport with Kawhi.

Wanted to say good luck either way, as Clips and Raps both have loyal fan bases that have suffered through a lot, so I'm wishing you nothing but the best moving forward. If Kawhi does leave TO and sign with the Clips, I'll be cheering you guys on for the next decade.

I think we can all agree that for god sakes just don't let him sign with the Lakers..... much love from the North.

Good luck to you too! Great post, there's so many salty arguments right now, I mean understand the emotion but people are claiming how there's now way this or no way that, we're all just fans on a message board trying to read tea leaves for god's sake.

I could reverse all the Raptors and Clippers references in your post and it would probably echo my feelings about now. I mean I think right now there's a better chance that he stays in Toronto, but who knows. I don't think he's signing a 1+1, I think it will be a full length contract whatever he decides.

esqtvd wrote:What if the Clippers don’t actually have a bright future after all?

The overwhelming optimism about the Clippers’ future ignores just how precarious that future actually is.

https://www.sbnation.com/2019/6/24/18715105/la-clippers-free-agency-nba-rumors-future-steve-ballmer

A FO each day can only ever try to maximize what it currently has, and the Clippers have done that very well the last couple of seasons. So even if we don't get Kawhi or whoever, we can only trust that our FO will continue to keep trying to improve the team. They have shown the willingness to make bold moves, so who knows what's in store.

With Jerry's perspective guiding the FO, I'm sure we have Plans A, B, C, and D already mapped out. The other options will obviously not be as ideal, but they won't be us crying over spilt milk.