"Everybody was excited by me coming back": Kawhi Leonard bluntly calls out Clippers for laidback approach last season
Kawhi Leonard was straightforward in explaining the reasons behind the LA Clippers' underwhelming performance last season, noting that the team chose to bypass certain essential steps, which ultimately resulted in losing early in the playoffs.
In an interview during training camp, Leonard mentioned that the team heavily depended on his return.
“Last year, I think everybody was a little excited just by me coming back,” Leonard said. “I didn’t feel like we really — we skipped some steps, I would say. And that’s on all of us in here, front office, me included, and the coaching staff.”
Last season, the Clippers concluded the Western Conference with a fifth-place finish, compiling a record of 44 wins and 38 losses. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Phoenix Suns, who were led by Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, in five games.
The Clippers faced significant challenges with their two key stars missing a considerable amount of time. Paul George participated in 56 games last season, where he averaged 23.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 5.1 apg, and 1.5 spg.
Leonard played in 52 games and had averages of 23.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.9 apg, and 1.4 spg. As a duo, George and Leonard only appeared in a total of 38 games together.
The Clippers underwent several roster adjustments during the offseason. They decided to part ways with Eric Gordon while re-signing Moussa Diabate, Mason Plumlee, and Russell Westbrook. They also added KJ Martin to their roster and brought in rookies Kobe Brown and Jordan Miller. Furthermore, there is speculation that they might be a possible destination for James Harden.
Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers participate in ‘toughest training camp’
With a fresh approach to the upcoming season, the Clippers are currently putting in a lot of effort during their training camp.
“I think it’s the toughest one for sure, ever since I’ve been with the Clippers,” Ivica Zubac, who will play his fourth season with the Clippers, said. “We’ve been doing a lot, we’ve been running a lot, we’re mentioning physicality a lot. We want to be the most physical team every single night and that’s how we’re going to get into being one of the best defensive teams.”
Clippers forward Robert Covington joined the training camp later than the rest of the team, and when he inquired about what had happened on the first day of practice, he was informed that it had been a particularly rigorous and demanding session.
“A couple veterans was like, ‘That’s the hardest training camp I ever had,’” Covington said.
In the Kawhi era, the Clippers have struggled with health-related issues, which have proven to be a significant challenge for the team. It will be intriguing to see whether they approach the upcoming season with a greater sense of determination and intensity.