Kawhi Leonard Makes Stunning Admission, Coach Fires Back

Kawhi Leonard speaks softly and infrequently. But when he says something of substance, people listen. With the Los Angeles Clippers now two games under .500, Kawhi sounded brutally honest about the Clips' chances the rest of this season:

I think it’s over now.

Let's admit it, when the Clippers traded away James Harden and Ivica Zubac at the trade deadline a couple of weeks back, it was pretty clear that the direction in which they were headed was not anywhere near title contention this season. That's certainly was Leonard was alluding to.

They got a lot younger and more primed for the future with exciting incoming stars like Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin. But they did not provide Leonard with the pieces he can take on a majestic playoff run in 2026.

So, what does the team need to do to become contenders?

“Just development over time,” Kawhi said.

Switching from what sounded like a macro view, he then got a little more micro, by stating, "Every day is a day to grow. A day to learn and get better. So just gotta keep looking over time and see in two weeks if we’re getting better and see what happens from there.”

It's even possible that Leonard might not be part of the Clippers' future, as we heard earlier this week that teams will be pushing hard for a trade of the former two-time champion this offseason. Perhaps even his old championship organization, the Toronto Raptors.

Clippers head coach fires back at Kawhi's negative comments

But head coach Ty Lue isn't giving up the ship for the Clips just yet this year. He responded to his star player's obvious proclamation with his own little pep talk. He says trading for younger players doesn't mean they're done.

“Man, we’re playing to win,” Lue told Dave McMenamin. “I don’t care if it’s young, old, toddlers … whoever’s on the floor, we’re trying to win. I mean, we’re trying to win. There’s no other reason to play.”

The Clippers are in the 9-seed in the Western Conference, a half-game up on 10th, and clinging to a Play-In spot. The chances of a guaranteed top-six playoff position are, in Kawhi's words, "over now," as they are 7.5 back of the 6-seed Minnesota Timberwolves, a team that is eons better than LA could even hope to be this season.

Even if they do make it into the Final 8, facing either Oklahoma City or San Antonio in the first round, it'll be a one-and-done playoff series for the Clips.

And the seventh season since Kawhi arrived that the team hasn't come anywhere close to being NBA title contenders.