Kawhi Leonard had the entire NBA world's attention during the summer of 2019 as he looked to sign a new contract. At the time, there were three options that Kawhi was considering. Those options were the Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Los Angeles Lakers. While many wanted to see him team up with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Kawhi decided to go his own way and joined up with Paul George on the Clippers.
Leonard's first year with the team was largely a disappointment as they lost to the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs, despite having a 3-1 lead in the series. While speaking to Jimmy Kimmel last night, Leonard was asked if he had any regrets about choosing the Clippers, and as you would expect, he gave a diplomatic answer. In fact, Leonard even gave some praise to the Lakers for their championship win.
“No, not at all,” Leonard explained. “I’m happy with my decision. They did a great job last year. They did their thing.”
Had Leonard joined the Lakers, the purple and gold would have been an overpowered superteam that couldn't be stopped. Luckily, Kawhi's decision helped give some balance to the rest of the league, and now, we have a great little rivalry between the Lakers and the Clippers. Only time will tell which of these L.A. teams will come out on top this season.
