“Consider retirement,” Kawhi Leonard implored to QUIT BASKETBALL by Paul Pierce
Paul Pierce says Kawhi Leonard should retire due to his injury problems and he is not the only one with this opinion.
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Kawhi Leonard (L) and Paul Pierce (R)
Kawhi Leonard is one of the most talented and accomplished players in the NBA. He has two championships, two Finals MVPs, and five All-Star selections under his belt. He is also one of the most injury-prone players in the league and has not played more than 60 games in a regular season since 2016-17, also missing most of the 2023 postseason with a knee injury that required surgery.
His health problems have cast doubt on his future in the NBA, and some former players have urged him to consider calling it quits. One of them is Paul Pierce, the Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtics star. Pierce, who hosts a YouTube show with his ex-teammate Kevin Garnett, said that Leonard should think about retirement because his body may not be able to handle the rigors of the game anymore.
“If I’m Kawhi Leonard, I would really consider retirement,” Pierce said on his show. “This has a lot to do with what his body has been through. If his body is not holding up, he has to think about that. I am more worried about him as a person though… Kawhi has probably been the most unreliable and unlucky player in the league. It is unlucky what he is dealt with injury wise.”
Pierce is not alone in his opinion. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith also suggested that Leonard should retire before Pierce did, and he doubled down on his take after the Clippers were eliminated from the playoffs.
“Kawhi Leonard’s injuries have been too much, and it’d be smart for him to retire,” Smith said on First Take. “Steve Ballmer should be the one telling Kawhi it’s time to step away. He’s paying him $35 million a year to sit on the bench.”
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What’s next for Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers?
Leonard’s retirement would be a huge setback for the Clippers, who had high hopes when they landed him and Paul George in 2019. The pair was supposed to lead the team to its first-ever NBA title, but they have fallen significantly short of that.
Leonard, however, has proven that he is still a force to be reckoned with when he is on the court. He averaged 23.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game this season. He also had some amazing performances in the playoffs before getting injured, such as dropping 45 points in Game 6 against the Mavericks last season and 38 points in Game 2 against the Phoenix Suns in the first round of Playoffs this season.
Leonard has a player option for next season worth $36 million, which means he can opt-out and become a free agent this summer. Leonard may still have some gas left in his tank, but he may also decide that it is time to say goodbye to the game he loves. Only he knows what is best for him and his future.
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Ankush Singh
(616 Articles Published)