LA Clippers already made some big changes to address the disappointing 2019/20 campaign, including parting ways with longtime head coach Doc Rivers. But according to Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, this won’t be enough.
Speaking on his The Big Podcast Shaq, O’Neal said that the Clippers also need to trade All-Star Paul George and make superstar Kawhi Leonard the undisputed focal point of the team.
“You gotta use [George] to get two good solid players because I need Kawhi to be the man,” said O’Neal.
O’Neal explained that Leonard now feels the need to defer to George, preventing the Clippers from getting the best of him.
“See Kawhi, I don’t want Kawhi to delegate… when Kawhi was with Toronto he knew he was the man, everybody knew he was the man.” – he added. “Now you got one guy that thinks he’s the man, one guy that is the man.”
The issue with O’Neal’s suggestion is that Kawhi Leonard was the one that asked the Clippers to get Paul George. If the organization decides to trade George, they risk angering Leonard and losing him in free agency next year.
Also, it is unclear whether George would fetch “two good solid players” at the moment. While he had an All-NBA campaign in 2018/19, the 30-year-old struggled this past season. He averaged 21.5 points in the regular season, his lowest since 2012, while seeing the number go further down in the playoffs.
The most likely outcome is that the Clippers bring back both George and Kawhi next season, hoping that they can rediscover their form under a new coach in Ty Lue.
