Clippers head coach Doc Rivers didn鈥檛 really reveal anything new in his interview with the Los Angeles Times early last week. Certainly, he was forthright and candid as he recounted to columnist Arash Markazi details behind Kawhi Leonard鈥檚 decision to head to 鈥渢he other tenant鈥 of Staples Center last July. Then again, he disclosed nothing of substance. Even casual observers knew the season-long courtship that occurred between franchise and primary target, and to a point, he said, where 鈥渨e were warned that no more Clippers players, coaches, or employees could go to games in Toronto. We were sending guys to go sit in the stands.鈥
True, Leonard kept the entire National Basketball Association guessing until the end of the first week of free agency. Was he going to the Lakers or staying with the Raptors? Then again, it didn鈥檛 take long before all and sundry understood the extent of his desire to latch on to the Clippers — so much so that he even got Paul George to leave the Thunder. That said, Rivers succeeded in shining the light on one thing: the reigning Finals Most Valuable Player鈥檚 ruthless determination to carve his own destiny. He knew what he wanted, and did everything he could to get it.
Under the circumstances, it鈥檚 fair to argue that Rivers engaged in embellishment for effect. All the same, Leonard鈥檚 capacity to negotiate from a position of strength was clear. Quiet and reticent on the outside, but completely unreserved and unrestrained in private. 鈥淗e said, 鈥業 want to play for you鈥 and he pointed at me. He said, 鈥楳r. [Steve] Ballmer (Clippers owner), I love the things you do and what you stand for, but your team is not good enough and if you don鈥檛 change your team, I鈥檓 not coming.鈥欌 Which got them around to talking about his ideal partner: 鈥淲e just showed him guys that we thought would match him and when he saw Paul George鈥檚 name he said, 鈥業 want to play with him.鈥欌
In any case, Rivers is right. Winning Leonard over was one thing. Winning the championship is another. If nothing else, though, they鈥檙e favorites to emerge with the Larry O鈥橞rien Trophy for a reason: They have the three-time All-Star leading their cause — on paper for at least the next two years, in reality until he doesn鈥檛 want to anymore. The stage is set, the spotlight鈥檚 on him, and time will tell if the fifth franchise whose future he has directly altered will be all the better as a result.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since 大象传媒 introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
