After months of speculation and scrutiny regarding his fitness, Kawhi Leonard was finally withdrawn from the USAB roster. This led to a lot of controversies regarding his replacement. Bringing the focus back to the Clippers ace, former NBA Star Paul Pierce shared his take on the matter.
Discussing the swingman’s departure from the national team on “Undisputed,” Piece said, “Knowing Kawhi’s history of injuries, I like that move. He probably has that itch, but I think it’s probably best for both parts that he gets ready for the team that just paid him a boatload of money.”
According to the former Celtics star, if Kawhi played in the Olympics and picked up an injury, then that might have cost him the next season games with the Clippers. Kawhi already missed a majority of the playoff games against the Mavericks that ended up in the Clippers’ elimination.
The LA-based franchise recently re-signed Kawhi for a three-year, $150million contract despite him missing a chunk of games due to injury. With Paul George’s absence now, they would expect the 33-year-old to step up for the team and take up a bigger role. However, George suggests a different plan for Kawhi.
Paul George Feels Kawhi Leonard Should Consider Retirement
The Clippers brought Kawhi with high hopes that he would bring his championship experience to help the franchise get the championship title. However, they haven’t got the results yet. Now that they have spent a lump sum amount on his deal, Paul George feels that the 2-time NBA champion should think about hanging his boots.
Speaking on the show, Pierce said, “Kawhi should really start thinking about retirement. I really do believe that. This is just for the guy’s health. He’s missed 44% of the games… You really got to think about the long run for yourself.”
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This piece of advice has certainly reached Kawhi by now. To redeem himself, the 6-time All-Star can either do as Pierce suggested or can prove his doubters wrong by coming back strong in the following season.
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