Kendrick Perkins Takes Aim At Kawhi Leonard: "He Has Set The Clippers Back 10-15 Years"

Now that the Los Angeles Clippers have entered another era of mediocrity, pundits are tracing the roots of their struggles in the 2025–26 season. One analyst has pinned the blame on a major decision made by the Clippers organization surrounding their acquisition of two superstars a number of years ago.

In a recent episode of the “Road Trippin’ Show” podcast, ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins took aim at Kawhi Leonard, who has been at the center of one controversy after another in his seven seasons with the Clippers.

“Kawhi Leonard is one of the worst free agent signings in NBA history,” Perkins bluntly stated. “He has set the Clippers back 10 to 15 years.”

An accusation of that magnitude demands a ton of evidence. Perkins, who spent 14 seasons in the NBA before transitioning to his role as a TV personality, came prepared with a history lesson.

“Think about everything that was going on when he was making the decision [to leave], after he won the title with the Toronto Raptors,” Perkins said, referring to the noteworthy 2019 offseason. “Before he got to the Clippers, he demanded that they bring in another superstar, meaning Paul George.”

While “demanded” might be a strong word, it’s well documented that the Clippers viewed the acquisition of then-Oklahoma City Thunder star George as leverage to secure Leonard’s services. In a 2019 Los Angeles Times piece, writer Andrew Greif detailed how Leonard himself recruited his fellow California native George to join him on the Clippers roster.

Greif added that no less than Clippers owner Steve Ballmer “gave the green light” for the team to ship away multiple first-round picks and players, a hefty price that the franchise was willing to pay in order to acquire George (and, by extension, Leonard).

As it turned out, the Leonard-George pairing looked better on paper than on the hardcourt. During their time together with the Clippers, the team went only as far as one Western Conference Finals appearance. Since then, George has moved on to the Philadelphia 76ers, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, one of the players dealt to the Thunder in that fateful 2019 deal, has ascended to MVP status and led OKC to the 2025 NBA championship.

In Perkins’ view, the Clippers’ miserable state can be traced back to their decisions surrounding (and influenced by) one man. Leonard still sports a Clippers jersey to this day, but it may have come at the cost of the franchise’s future.