NBA: Los Angeles Clippers shooting guard Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard says that there is no truth to the claims of Johnny Wilkes and that he is just one of many individuals trying to make some money. He expects more of that to follow. (Photo: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

The Los Angeles Clippers have a lot of ground to cover as they try to make up for a disappointing finish to their 2019-20 NBA season. Montrezl Harrell is gone and initially, it seemed the Clips’ chances for next season has dipped. That was until Serge Ibaka entered the fray.

Ibaka signed a two-year deal with the Clippers to plug the frontline void. It was Kawhi Leonard who recruited his former teammate. Ibaka and Leonard were together when the Toronto Raptors won the 2019 NBA title.

Many were curious at how Ibaka was recruited by his 29-year-old friend. The Congolese-Spanish player revealed how it went down and it was not hard to understand. Most know that Leonard is a man of few words so his invite to Ibaka was hardly surprising.

"Hey, what's up? Are you coming or no?" Ibaka revealed in what pundits brand as the most Kawhi way possible.

 

But on the serious side of things, Ibaka knows that the Clippers have the talent to make a run at the NBA title. Though they are in the same bracket as the Los Angeles Lakers, the Clips can pull something off if they play well and if first-year head coach Tyronn Lue’s system works.

Lue inherits a team that needs a new shot in the arm. That loss to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals will still be up in the air, particularly for players like Leonard and Paul George. Some blame that debacle on former coach Doc Rivers. Losing that 3-1 advantage is nothing new to the one-time NBA champion coach.

Aside from that, there are also rifts from within. Harrell and George are one of those instances even if the Clippers tried to cover it up.

George too is under the radar. Though he produced good numbers, more is expected out of him. He claims that the reason for his struggles is that he was not used in the manner he is comfortable with under Rivers. He failed to adjust so the coming season will be interesting.

George finds himself adjusting anew under a new head coach in Lue. He does have motivation since he is in the final year of his contract. If he fares badly, another poor season could place his future in jeopardy. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent and only a good performance can assure him of another good payday.