*as a Lakers fan, this hurts to write...Kawhi is a Clipper...*
Two days after the landscape of the NBA shifted, it shifted again. And of course it was in the same place where residents had been feeling earthquakes and aftershocks for two days now.
Less than an hour ago Kawhi Leonard signed a four-year, $140 million with the Clippers as he shifted the dynamics of the Western and Eastern Conference. To top that signing, the Clippers and Thunder agreed to a trade that will send Paul George (the max superstar the Clippers needed to secure Kawhi) to the Clippers in exchange for for two unprotected first-round picks, one protected pick, and two pick swaps. Let me just emphasize this - NOW THE CLIPPERS HAVE PAUL GEORGE AS WELL!!
The details and years haven’t been disclosed yet, but assuming the Stephan rule applies here, the Clippers will be giving away picks every other year for the foreseeable future.
This trade also makes the battle for LA even more intense than it already was. Now these two LA rivals, both loaded with max superstars, have the chance to be competing for the top spots in the west. Who will win out this time? the Clippers rose to prominence five years ago right about when the Lakers declined. Will the same thing happens this time? The battle of the Clippers and Lakers has to be the most intriguing storyline heading into next season now.
However, not only the two teams in LA will feel the aftermath of these deals.
So what about the Thunder? Now Westbrook is seemingly on his own again after another superstar wanted to leave OKC and play somewhere else. After Kevin Durant left OKC, Westbrook averaged a triple double. What will he do this time - a quadruple double? That would be ideal as a basketball fan. Either way I think OKC’s playoff chances just became very slim because - besides Russell Westbrook and Steven Adams - they don’t have the depth to compete for a playoff spot in the west.
Now for the Raptors. They must be disappointed that they lost Kawhi by do they care that much? They just won their first title in franchise history and they still have a good enough roster to compete in the east.
Speaking of the East. Now Philly becomes the front-runner to win the conference. Their roster is by far and away the best in the conference with Milwaukee, Toronto and Boston being close behind them (Brooklyn will be the better team in the 2020-21 season).
Now for the West. This makes the Clippers favorites to perhaps win the entire conference! They certainly have the best defense in the conference. A perimeter of Kawhi, PG13, and Beverly would keep any backcourt up at night and having Montrezl Harrell at the rim to defend an interior shots makes them a defense to be reckoned with. This signing really affects the outcome of every team in the NBA.
At least the Lakers landed Danny Green for $30 million over 2 years.
Here's a question for all you NBA fans out there? Has Kawhi ever won a title without Danny Green?
...the answer is no...so just think about that