The Los Angeles Clippers saw their season come to an end on Wednesday night after suffering a 126-121 loss to the Golden State Warriors in the 9 vs 10 NBA Play-IN game.
“Let me cry about this loss a little bit more,” Clippers star Kawhi Leonard said, per ESPN, after being asked if he could see himself staying with the same franchise that traded away former MVP James Harden and center Ivica Zubac in February, prompting many to wonder if a rebuild was in the works. “We’ll have our discussions when that time comes.”
Leonard will become eligible for a contract extension that could keep him in his home state of California for two more seasons on the day after the NBA Finals.
Complicating the calculations for the Clippers is that the team actually improved after the trades, going 36-19 to close the season after a 6-21 start to the campaign. The franchise is also dealing with an investigation into reports that former team sponsor Aspiration’s endorsement with Leonard was a way to pay him while circumventing the salary cap.
“I never thought about it too much other than questions asked,” Leonard said after being asked for his thoughts on the investigation. “You’ll have to ask the NBA, not me. I’m not the one doing the investigation. … I think we’re going to be in the clear. I’m not stressing it.”
If this season is it for Leonard with the Clippers, it was a great one. He averaged a career high in points per game at 27.9, and he played in 66 games, his second most since the 2016-17 campaign.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.