The Los Angeles Clippers entered the season surrounded by uncertainty. Accidents, age considerations, and long-term flexibility made it simple to imagine main commerce strikes have been inevitable. That assumption now not feels secure.
The Clippers are taking part in a few of their finest basketball of the season, and the resurgence of Kawhi Leonard has modified the entrance workplace’s calculus. As a substitute of getting ready to promote, Los Angeles immediately seems to be like a crew with causes to carry. Particularly the win in opposition to the Pistons, who’re first within the East, didn’t really feel like a crew that plans to tank.
Kawhi Leonard modifications the Clippers’ route
Leonard’s current stretch has been dominant. He seems to be wholesome, engaged, and decisive on each ends of the ground. When Kawhi is taking part in at this stage, the Eleventh-place Clippers are positively within the playin image, particularly because the Tenth-place Grizzlies will most definitely commerce Ja Morant, and the Ninth-place Path Blazers haven’t any star help.
With Kawhi setting the tone, the locker room has stabilized. The crew’s defensive id has sharpened, and late-game execution has improved. These usually are not indicators of a bunch getting ready to tear issues down.
Ivica Zubac and James Harden have stabilized the Clippers’ core
Ivica Zubac has quietly change into indispensable. His inside protection, rebounding, and screening anchor lineups that constantly win minutes. Buying and selling him now would create extra issues than it solves, particularly for a crew lastly discovering stability.
The identical applies to James Harden. After early skepticism, Harden has settled right into a managed playmaking function that enhances Leonard slightly than competes with him. He organizes the offense, limits errors, and provides the Clippers a gentle presence late in video games.
Collectively, Leonard, Harden, and Zubac type a practical core that’s profitable now. That actuality considerably lowers the inducement to make disruptive strikes on the deadline.
Commerce talks surrounding the Clippers could cool off
Taking part in nicely on the proper time modifications all the pieces. The Clippers are now not working from a place of desperation. They’re working from confidence.
That doesn’t imply the entrance workplace will ignore alternatives. Minor upgrades or depth strikes may nonetheless be explored. However the concept of transferring a core piece merely to reshape the longer term has misplaced momentum. When a veteran-heavy crew is profitable and wholesome, continuity turns into an asset.
For now, the Clippers’ newest growth just isn’t a rumor or a quote. It’s efficiency. So long as Kawhi continues to seem like himself and the supporting forged holds, Los Angeles has little cause to gamble.
The commerce deadline as soon as felt like a crossroads. With the best way the Clippers are taking part in, it now seems to be extra like a checkpoint.
