The wait is over. After a year-long pursuit of the 2019 NBA Finals MVP, the Clippers have won the grand prize of free agency. Kawhi Leonard is signing with the Clippers.
Leonard had narrowed down his decision to three teams: his incumbent team, the defending champion Toronto Raptors; the Los Angeles Lakers; and the Clippers. Ultimately, the Clippers’ pitch proved most compelling for Leonard.
The coup of signing arguably the best player in the league is tremendous validation for this organization. The Clippers front office believed it was building something great, and multiple executives (Michael Winger and Trent Redden) chose to stay in Los Angeles on lesser roles to be part of this team’s future.