In an unexpected revelation, it has surfaced how former Clippers head coach Doc Rivers went lengths to persuade two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard to perceive the dynamic potential in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
This astute endeavor took place amidst the summer frenzy of the NBA on July 10th, 2019.
The Clippers’ relentless pursuit for Leonard finally bore fruit, as the two-time Finals MVP committed to the franchise.
This monumental advance was further solidified by the Clippers acquiring Paul George, Leonard’s selected co-star, in a cringe-worthy exchange.
The Clippers were immediately catapulted as potential title contenders. Contrary to George’s description of his cross more as a “mutual decision”, Presti explained in a news conference that trading George wasn’t high on their off season priority list.
“That would infer that we were wanting to trade Paul George, which I think most people would agree that that probably wasn’t on the top of our offseason priority list,” Presti said during a news conference that week.
“But I would say that it was not adversarial at all, and I also fully respect the way that it was handled. And the fact that we were able to make it work in a way that benefited the franchise made it something that we could do.”
As the pieces fell into place, Doc Rivers, the Clippers’ coach at the time, reflected on his efforts to change Leonard’s perception of Gilgeous-Alexander.
Rivers stated, “I even brought it up to Kawhi: ‘Are you sure? I think Shai’s going to be an amazing player. It may take a year or two, but I think you’re underestimating how good Shai’s going to be.”
Doc Rivers revealed he attempted to influence Kawhi Leonard's perspective on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's potential
"I even brought it up to Kawhi: 'Are you sure? I think Shai's going to be an amazing player. It may take a year or two, but I think you're underestimating how good… pic.twitter.com/duPLYPv5Pv
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 21, 2024
“I didn’t argue the decision or anything, but I brought it up. I just thought, is there any way we can do this deal without putting Shai in it?”
Despite all the dramatic transactions, Clippers’ escalation to the finals was derailed due to injuries incurred by Leonard and George. A recent addition of James Harden to the lineup has given the team a renewed hope.
Fast forward to today, the impact of 2019’s daring actions still lingers. The Thunder, now owning an unparalleled array of first-round picks, continues to enjoy the fruits of those crucial decisions.
