Clippers mocked for Kawhi Leonard-Paul George cost that will haunt them for years

As a result of the NBA’s investigation into the LA Clippers about possible salary cap circumvention in regards to Kawhi Leonard, the team will have to forfeit five first round draft picks, among other punishments. The Clippers were already paying a hefty price as far as draft picks go in the assets they gave up to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Paul George trade.

Predictably, NBA fans took to social media to amplify the Clippers’ misfortunes during the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George era, a timeframe in which all they had to show for it was a single Western Conference Finals appearance, with Leonard hurt no less, at the expense of now multiple draft picks.

The Clippers’ Kawhi/Paul George era cost them:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Danilo Gallinari
10 first-round picks
2 first-round swaps
A $30M fine.

What did they get?
3 playoff series wins.
1 conference finals appearance.
0 Finals.

And one of those picks became Jalen Williams.

— Joon Lee (@joonlee) September 2, 2026

Kawhi Leonard’s legacy with the Los Angeles Clippers:

– Demanded the front office trade for Paul George, forcing them to part with every asset they had including a young Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
– Missed 243 games in 7 seasons (equivalent of nearly 3 seasons)
– 2019-2020: Blew a…

— Damien Peters (@DamienPetersNBA) September 2, 2026

So since the Shai trade and now suspension….The Clippers lost a total of 10 or 11 first round picks ?
0 championship or finals appearances
Kawhi and Paul George now gone

all while current 2 time MVP SGA help the OKC thunder win their first championship..the worst lol

— Leonard T (@LTtwo) September 2, 2026

10 first round picks, SGA, all gone just for Kawhi and Paul George i don't think a franchise has self imploded on a level this high in sports history

— spida's asylum (@llspida) September 2, 2026

Imagine…they traded 5 first round picks to OKC to get Paul George…which is what got them Kawhi….so getting Kawhi cost the clippers 10 first round picks AND back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

— Tom Shaw (@TomShaw416244) September 2, 2026

That Paul George-Kawhi Leonard Clippers Era gotta be the worst era in ANY SPORT HISTORY. Based off the assets willing given up AND took from the NBA.

— Chelsea (@charmbabyx) September 2, 2026

In total, the Clippers will have lost 10 first round picks in signing Leonard. Five went to the Thunder and five were stripped by the NBA. They also gave up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the George trade, who has gone on to develop into no worse than a top-five player in the league.

From 2019 to 2024, the length of time that both Leonard and George were teammates on the Clippers, the team suffered three opening round playoff exits and had two years where they missed the postseason altogether. In what was originally viewed as a precursor to the Clippers becoming championship contenders, has been deemed by fans as arguably the worst set of moves in NBA history considering the outcome.

Also complicating matters during that period was both Leonard and George’s injury struggles. Both dealt with injury issues that sidelined them during multiple playoff runs.

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