Do Kawhi Leonard and Clippers Have New Window? Plus, TV Networks Want Charles Barkley

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I really hope Zach enjoyed his time off while the Clippers consider Kawhi Leonard’s total minutes this season.

A new start

New arena, new chapter for Kawhi, Clippers?

The LA Clippers are often seen as the team from Los Angeles with the deeper roster, but that hasn’t led to an NBA championship. We know that this is the only way the Clippers can truly make headlines in the city and keep them there for a long time.

This Clippers team will be different. It will be in its new arena, the state-of-the-art Intuit Dome. Paul George left for Philadelphia in free agency. Russell Westbrook was traded to Utah and is now a Denver Nugget.

The Athletics‘s Law Murray gave us a detailed breakdown of what the Clippers’ rotation could look like this season. Coach Ty Lue has had to get creative with the rotation over the years because his stars have so routinely been in and out of the lineup due to injuries.

That’s a problem Lue doesn’t want to take with the team to the Intuit Dome. And the biggest part of that concern lies with Kawhi Leonard.

• The debate in the NBA during Leonard’s 2019 free agency was whether he could be a player who plays 60-plus games each season. Leonard had just won an NBA championship with Toronto, but there were concerns about injuries.
• Leonard, 33, has played in more than 60 games just once as a Clipper — last season, when he appeared in 68 games before a right knee injury ended his playoff run after two games. The 34.3 minutes Leonard averaged also was his most with the Clippers.

Without a healthy Leonard, Los Angeles essentially has no chance of winning a championship. James Harden is 35 and it’s unrealistic to expect him to lead a team of non-stars to a title.

Cutting ribbon @IntuitDome photo.twitter.com/uNLBVqMqpG

— Law Murray 💡 (@LawMurrayTheNU) August 16, 2024

Murray’s analysis calls into question the depth of this season’s squad. Six rotation players will return, but filling the void left by George won’t be easy.

Derrick Jones Jr. is a nice addition, but he’s no George. Even if Harden and Leonard’s age is a factor, it’s not like the Clippers will be a lottery pick next season. A Harden-Leonard duo combined with Lue’s great coaching should enough to keep the Clippers in contention for a top-six finish in the West.

In reality, the Clippers will have a lot of fans at games in the new arena. Lakers fans will go out of curiosity if ticket prices are right. But when it comes to relevance, the only things that matter in Los Angeles are rings — and not the Intuit Dome rings given to fans.

The window for the Clippers to enter a season as title favorites may have closed. If Leonard misses significant time, there’s no point in trying to reopen it.

New frontiers

Adam Silver Talks Possible Expansion

Now that the NBA media rights are in place, is it time to move forward with expansion?

Not so fast, says commissioner Adam Silver. Selling stock in the league can be “complicated,” he said Tuesday during the NBA Board of Governors meeting. Here’s more of his explanation:

“What that means for existing television relationships, etc. (can be complicated). We said to interested parties: ‘Thank you for your interest, we will get back to you.’

Silver said a committee has not yet been formed to explore the expansion, but that it will come up later in the season.

We hear you, Commish. But that doesn’t mean the expansion talk hasn’t happened.

Seattle is waiting for a team since the Sonics moved to Oklahoma City in 2008 and rebranded as the Thunder. The city nearly struck a deal to move the Kings to the Pacific Northwest in 2013 before the late Commissioner David Stern, then-Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and the community rallied to find ownership (led by Vivek Ranadive) to keep the team in California.

FIBA’s Secretary General met with the NBA Board of Governors this week as the league continues to explore what it could do in Europe. One idea could be a league with existing European teams, and could include potential investment from Gulf states. https://t.co/fGVJLRXGgq https://t.co/P1fap9sGiZ

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) September 11, 2024

There’s just an assumption that Seattle will get a team. That makes sense. There would be community support, too. I remember Sonics fans scouting the Kings amid relocation rumors in 2013, preparing to see who they would be rooting for, when I was a Kings reporter.

The NBA’s fascination with Vegas is no secretAfter the summer competition, the In-Season Tournament also ends here.

Players love the city. Some NBA players already call Vegas their home during the off-season. They might love it even more if they could live there outside of the summer months. The NFL, NHL and WNBA also have a presence in the city (as does Seattle).

Those are the two cities that make the most sense, but who knows which cities will secure a spot in the competition once the process starts? Is going international (again) a realistic possibility?

I like Mexico and have covered an NBA game there. I’m not sure a team in Mexico would be a popular place for players, but fans there have enjoyed the NBA experience. Maybe another team in Canada would make sense? We’ll have to wait and see.

Networks Want Barkley

Will Chuck stay with TNT?

Manipulation does not apply to broadcasters.

Both ESPN and NBC have indicated they are interested in adding Hall of Fame player and broadcaster Charles Barkley, should he become available.

Barkley said last month that he is not leaving Turner Sports. Depending on the outcome of the lawsuit, this could be Turner’s final season carrying the NBA. That would mean the end of the iconic “Inside the NBA,” for which Barkley won an Emmy Award as an analyst.

I have spent time with Barkley and I can assure you that he is at home and happy with Turner. He does not believe that ESPN or any other network would let him be himself. Barkley pushes boundaries with his honesty. Even if you disagree with him, you cannot say that Barkley is not sincere in his opinions.

If Turner ultimately loses in court and loses the rights to broadcast the NBA, I would watch Barkley do whatever Turner asks of him. Turner will still have MLB, NHL, March Madness, and AEW wrestling. I don’t want to see a censored Barkley on another network.

Bouncing steps

DeMar DeRozan opens up about NBA players And mental health.

Is Lonzo Bal Ready to play again? Darnell Mayberry answers.

Most clicked in Monday’s newsletter: Caitlin Clark is given the opportunity to grow as a leader.

(Top photo: Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images )