"I love that": Kawhi Leonard expresses true feelings about $17,937,500 FA signing's invaluable impact on Clippers

Kawhi Leonard expressed his feelings about the LA Clippers’ acquisition of Brook Lopez this offseason. The 37-year-old veteran center signed a two-year, $17,937,500 contract with the Clippers in free agency.

Lopez was solid in the Clippers’ loss against the Denver Nuggets on Monday, finishing with 15 points and three blocks, shooting 6-for-10, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range. While addressing the media after the game, Leonard expressed his happiness with Lopez’s signing.

“I love that we have a shooting five,” Leonard said. “And we don’t have to put a 6’7” or 6’8” guy in to try to fill that center void. He can score on a small or like size in the post. He’s been doing great … Veteran guy.”

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Kawhi Leonard continued, discussing Lopez’s presence in the locker room, saying his humor will be crucial next season.

“Well spoken. Knows how to bring humor in the locker room as well,” Leonard said. “You need that as the season goes on, because you do have a lot of boring days. You need that team camaraderie and somebody to give you a laugh.”

Before signing with the Clippers, Brook Lopez had been with the Milwaukee Bucks for seven seasons. He played 469 games for the team, averaging 13.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.

Lopez was an integral part of the Bucks’ 2021 team that won the NBA Finals, making his championship experience key for the Clippers, who hope to contend in the 2025-26 season.

"The most well-rounded team since": Kawhi Leonard compares Clippers 2025-26 roster to 2021 team

In Kawhi Leonard's six seasons with the Clippers, the furthest the team has progressed in the postseason is a conference finals appearance in 2021. Back then, the Clippers boasted a solid roster filled with two-way quality, headlined by Leonard and nine-time All-Star Paul George.

Since that run, Leonard and Co. have not won a playoff series. Speaking to the media on Sunday, the two-time Finals MVP drew a parallel between the Clippers' current roster and the team from 2021.

"I think this is probably the most well-rounded team since then. It seemed like we were always missing a piece," Leonard said. "Overall, we have the spots filled."

The Clippers will return to action on Wednesday when they face the Sacramento Kings.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Sameer Khan