Chris Broussard – The Mistake was Clippers Keeping Kawhi Leonard

Chris Broussard – The Mistake was Clippers Keeping Kawhi Leonard

let’s talk Clippers Rob now they uh they had a big three one of the most B hoood big threes or or most decorated big threes in the league James Harden and MVP kawi Leonard a two-time champion and Paul George who is looks like he’s on his way to a Hall of Fame induction later you know when he’s done playing uh and now it is no more Paul George Goes to the Philadelphia 76ers Rob because he was seeking the 4-year max deal from the Clippers they were only willing to give him three years same deal they gave kawh lyard which was three years 152 million and uh Paul George got more from Philly they gave him four years about 212 million and so he now joins another he fills out another big three in Philadelphia we’ll get to that later uh with Joel embiid and Tyrese Maxi so Rob what what do you think of the decision that Paul George and the Clippers in this instance made Bravo to the Clippers uh just Bravo I mean I I told you before I just couldn’t do it with Paul George once you made the commitment to Kawai you could only keep one of those guys you just can’t do it again really yep and I just think the the three years they offered him the same thing that they gave kawhai there was an opportunity for him to sign it he didn’t want to be there obviously he took more money and I’m not mad at him you want to go to Philadelphia and and go there and and try to win a championship there uh that’s fine but if I’m the Clippers you you you can’t let the you can’t let everybody run your organization you have perimeters you have parameters Chris that you want to work inside of uh they they kept James Harden what he got two years $70 million and they’ll ask some around that’s a great deal I mean right like like that that’s workable right that’s workable they’re not on a hook for James Harden for like $200 million dollar or something crazy that’s workable and you have a player of that elk uh so once they realize they could get Harden you know what I mean and not have to break the bank to keep him around I I think I I don’t have an issue with it I know people will look and and I’m not trying to say Paul George isn’t a good player Chris he he’s a really good player but there comes limits and expectations and and mostly they been disappointing and I’m not blaming him only it’s just been a lot with the organization but I think they had a number and if he wanted to stay there and be a part of it he could this is his hometown they got the new Arena none of that mattered to him he just wanted to get cashed out and so uh Philly came with more money and that’s what free agency’s all about but I don’t have a problem with I don’t think Paul George being there not being there is going to be the difference of them winning because well they not winning without him yeah but I’m they weren’t winning with him that’s what I’m saying without but that’s my point that that they weren’t going to win so so yeah I I hear that I mean they right for them at this moment in time and I think this is why you do the James Harden deal Rob it’s about staying relevant right they’re going into a new Arena billion dollar Arena open they got to sell tickets but but they don’t have to right they want to make the playoffs uh they got a shot you know the West obviously is incredibly deep I think there’s really only two teams that are out of it and that’s Utah and Portland everybody else is going to be fighting for a playoff spot um and they’ll be one of those teams but I I feel you on that and I’ll say this I’ve said it once I’ll say it again Rob to me the mistake was keeping Kawai he’s the guy I would have let walk now I think he’s better overall you know he’s a better player than Paul George but he’s also more they’re both injury prone but he’s more so than Paul George and we’ve seen it Rob the last two years he played in the regular season they managed him it was like okay here he is he’s ready and then come playoff time and he misses most of the postseason they’ve played 11 playoff games the last two years he’s played four of them and so that was the mistake I thought when they signed him last year last season and congrats to his representation my goodness they did a great job but I thought from that point on it was like man I mean you you signed locked up Kawai you kind of need to stay the course and be all in and I I feel I think they’d be better with Paul George but honestly maybe only slightly better and so you bring back Harden you’ve got kawwai Derek Jones Jr is there who we know played with Dallas helped them get to the finals uh they still have IA zubach so they they have enough where there’s for Clippers fans there’s some hope that maybe they make it to the playoffs but with George and I I agree I don’t think they would have won it but with Paul George Kawai and Harden there was at least a chance I guess that if if for goodness sake they stayed healthy that they’d have a chance to get out of the West um and now that chance is gone like so now you know you’re hoping for the playoffs uh and you’re not you’re not making a run I don’t care this team right now is not making a run deep in those playoffs but you know they got a shot to make it and Rob you know there’s talk also about Westbrook going to uh Denver about them trading Westbrook to Denver and and joic wants him so that would be interesting that would be wow okay I like I like him off the bench there I I I can’t imagine they thinking of starting Westbrook but I’d like him to bring his energy Off the Bench um for Paul George Rob look Philly I uh I I I understand the move Rob they sitting there with $60 million and really no one to give it to so they go get Paul George I think I’m not picking Philly to win the East I think the pressure is on Joel MBI I mean Rob he’s had some good he’s had James Harden and Tyrese Maxi now he’s got Tyrese Maxi and Paul George MB needs to step up but I I just right now I think even in the East Philly will have a shot if healthy I don’t think they’ll be fully healthy that doesn’t mean MB might not play in the playoffs but it’ll just mean he’ll be banged up and playing on one leg or whatever but I like I still like Boston better than Philly and I like the Knicks better than Philly because of their depth wow yeah I like the Knicks getting male Bridges you know that happened last week while you were gone and their depth is uh is good I know they hate Losing Isaiah hartenstein but I think they’ll be okay but um you know on paper I love Philly but I just Paul George kind of to your point is injury-prone he missed the whole playoffs a couple years ago and he’s almost as injury-prone as Kawai is yeah it’s a shame because he’s a talented player and if he could just stay healthy Chris but it just not it doesn’t seem to be always the case uh and you can’t count on him and then he’s had some Duds as well I don’t know I’m it’s just he’s he’s as you say they they need him to win but but but they weren’t going to win so what’s the difference I mean that’s really what it comes down to yeah and I think like I said I think they can still make the playoffs possibly without you they might miss cuz they they definitely are less talented than they were but Rob they were exas and we’re going to talk about them and it’s it’s interesting cuz the same thing that failed the uh Brooklyn Nets who both you and I liked uh failed the Clippers and I don’t I don’t blame the clippers for going out and get clippers did everything that they could do you kidding they that was a great move they did a great thing they put together a tremendous team if that team could have just stayed healthy right really uh for a couple if they had a healthy run for three years they would have a championship I don’t doubt it I mean maybe not but they they would have been right they had a great shot I mean I you know you never know if they’re going win it but I’m saying like a threeyear run you know what I mean like not a one-year shot but if they stayed healthy for a three years they would have had a shot at it I think they would have won a championship really the only year they had that legitimate chance was 2020 Buble and they lost and that was an odd situation because of the bubble but still they dropped they were up 3-1 on Denver uh would have gotten the Lakers um you know uh in the in the Conference Finals but they blew a 31 lead which was terrible and neither Kawai or Paul George showed up in that game seven shouldn’t have even got to a game seven but Kawai was 6 for 22 George was four for 16 that’s awful in games yeah and that was that was their chance it turned out you didn’t know it at the time but that really Rob was their last chance to really you know when they were both healthy for the bulk of the season and the playoffs and um yeah it it’s really similar to Brooklyn where you had a championship caliber roster but injuries just the year that Milwaukee won the championship Chris I mean that was that right there uh Durant wins it if his foot’s not on the line the Bucks never win I mean it’s it’s unbelievable and that was with the injuries I was going to say right if if Harden and Ka or Kyrie remember they were back ones out the others out if they were healthy they would have won a championship that year they would have beat Milwaukee there no doubt I have no doubt beat without him right right and Harden was on one leg you know at that that when that series ended so I agree with you and it’s just you know it’s unfortunate and I I tell you what with the NBA this year Rob this upcoming season they really I hope and I I’ll probably start talking to somebody about it and see see what they’re thinking but they need to really keep an eye on these injuries Rob and see if they have this a similar injury problem this year and these playoffs as they had last year right they gonna have to try to you know like they have to do something and I I’m not saying I have the answer but you cannot have your playoffs deter we there always we’ve talked about it before Rob there always have been injuries some final is banged up right it defined this season and particularly these playoffs it really did and you cannot have that happening for you know extended years so uh yeah the Clippers look they they went for it it didn’t work and it’s interesting because now Rob they’re kind of in that in between space right they’re not going to be horrible they’re not going to be great they might be good enough to get in the playoffs maybe uh or they might be you know bad enough just to miss the playoffs but not get a high lottery pick so it’s going to be interesting to see but I I just think they made the wrong decision I would rather have George than Kawai um not like I said I think Kawai is a better player but he’s just more injury-prone and less dependable so yeah I uh both are and uh Kawai played all year which was weird and then there he goes got hurt in the pl right it’s just like I mean you thought I his body just doesn’t seem to be able to withstand 80 plus games

THE ODD COUPLE – Chris Broussard and Rob Parker react to Paul George’s departure from the LA Clippers to join the Philadelphia 76ers.

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