"Will this last? Oh, my gosh, that’s why it’s great to see Kawhi signed up now for another four years" - Steve Ballmer on green-lighting the "franchise-altering" Paul George trade that also brought Kawhi Leonard

LA Clippers Introduce Kawhi Leonard & Paul George in 2019

The trade that brought Paul George and Kawhi Leonard to the LA Clippers in 2019 was a big move for the franchise. It was done with an agenda to change the trajectory of the organization, as both the big names come with championship ambitions.

Leonard was in demand as a free-agent after winning the title with the Toronto Raptors. He was linked to the LA Lakers among other teams. But the Clippers announced a surprise deal that involved both Leonard and George signing to be LeBron James’ neighbors in Los Angeles.

At the start of the season, former Clipper Serge Ibaka invited owner Steve Ballmer to his show called “How Hungry Are You?” They ate a lot of food and talked basketball. While Ballmer spoke about some of his difficult moments as the owner of the Clippers, he also explained the decision to sign George:

“You know, the biggest deal we ever made of that kind was the huge trade we made to get Paul to come, and Kawhi came with. Of course, in a way it’s an obvious and in a way, you know, it was a shorter-term deal – will this last? Oh, my gosh, that’s why it’s great to see Kawhi signed up now, for another four years.”

At the time, Leonard was coming off a championship season. For the Clippers, it was a no-brainer to do everything possible to get his signature.

Now, despite the injury that has kept him out since the playoffs last year, Leonard remains the Clippers’ franchise player. At the start of the 2021-22 season, Leonard signed a four-year contract extension worth $176.3 million. The Claw was very optimistic in an interview after the contract extension, saying:

“I’m here to be a Clipper. I’m not going to another team unless something drastic happens. I’m here for the long run.”

Also Checkout:- Paul George Contract

George, on the other hand, has had a strong start to this season – feeding off his momentum from the 2021 playoffs. George has played only 26 games, averaging 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists. An elbow injury has kept George on the sidelines since late December, as the team is putting on a fight without their superstars.

On the show, Ballmer highlighted the thought process behind the trade:

“That was when we say, of course, we should do it ,and yet it’s one of those decisions, which you only get to make a few times. Which are really franchise-changing.”

The LA Clippers without Paul George and Kawhi Leonard

A year before Kawhi Leonard’s contract extension, Paul George’s contract was renewed as well – extending into 2024-25. However, in the current season, coach Tyron Lue has been forced to rely on his supporting cast – with both Leonard and George battling injuries.

The Clippers have gone 19-20 since George’s absence from the rotation, but players like Reggie Jackson, Ivica Zubac and Terance Mann have stepped up their performances. The Clippers (36-35) are eighth in the West, six games away from getting out of the play-in tournament bracket.