The Clippers’ All-In Bet on Kawhi Leonard Failed

Story byDominic ChiapponeSat, December 20, 2025 at 11:34 PM UTC·5 min readDec 5, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) reacts during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Heading into the 2020s, the Los Angeles Clippers seemed destined to finally break the franchise’s long-standing “curse.” Years of bad luck, injuries, and disappointing seasons appeared to be over when L. A. signed then-Toronto superstar Kawhi Leonard and traded for another in Paul George. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementA franchise that had never advanced past the second round suddenly looked like it was ready to compete with the NBA’s best for years to come. But now, the Clippers are anything but a contender.