Injured again! Leonard is exempt from the game, his glass attributes are unsolvable, and the Clippers ran aground at the beginning of the season

Today, the Los Angeles Clippers suffered a 4-game losing streak and were double-killed by the Suns. Although Harden returned in this game, it was difficult for him to lead the team to victory. Leonard, the team's other core player, has already rested for three games. Clippers coach Tyronn Lue revealed that the star star will have to miss several more games due to an ankle sprain. This is the third consecutive game that he has been on the bench.

It happened in the previous game against the Heat. Leonard came off with his foot sprained during an offense. Since joining the Clippers for seven seasons, he has missed a total of 209 games, with an absence rate as high as 43%. He has been recovering from injuries in almost one of the two seasons. In terms of strength, Leonard is really not bad. In the six games he played this season, he averaged nearly 24 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. He shot 50% from the field and 40% from the three-point range. But the real problem is that Leonard's attendance rate is really difficult to guarantee.

Looking back at the Clippers under Leonard's leadership, they have made the playoffs five times in seven years and made it as far as the Western Conference Finals. However, in the past three years, they have all been in the first round. When the team originally signed him, they expected to build a super battleship. However, in the past few years, they always ran into trouble as soon as they set sail. The outside world's expectations for this team are being wasted with unexpected suspensions one after another. The Clippers are currently ranked 13th in the Western Conference, with a dismal record of 3 wins and 6 losses at the start of the season. If they continue to lose like this, they may not even be able to reach the playoffs.

The Clippers' current lineup does lack vitality. There are a lot of veterans who are about to retire, and they have taken turns to rest at the beginning of the season. Both Leonard and Harden's contracts will expire in the summer of 2027, which means that the Clippers' current core lineup only has a two-year window left at most. If there is still no breakthrough by then, demolition and reconstruction will be almost inevitable. Of course, the team can also choose to trade in advance, but with Leonard's current attendance status and huge contract, which club dares to take over easily? The shrewd boss Ballmer may really have to make a loss-making deal this time.