LOS ANGELES — On July 24, 2019, the Los Angeles Clippers held a news conference with big fanfare to announce the arrival of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, two of the best two-way players in the NBA, who had joined forces.

The Clippers were considered an elite team at that time, a team with championship-level potential with the pairing of Leonard and George.

On June 30, 2024, the Clippers announced they and George couldn't come to an agreement on a contract extension and that they were going their separate ways, ending a partnership that didn't lead to a title.

The Clippers are not considered a championship-level team now with their current roster, the departure of George to the Philadelphia 76ers for a four-year, $212-million deal is a big loss to overcome in the uber-competitive Western Conference.

"We traded a lot to pair Paul and Kawhi, and in exchange, we had five seasons of contention," Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in a statement Sunday evening. "Even though we fell short of our ultimate objective, we appreciate the chances we had with Paul."

The health of Leonard will be paramount for the Clippers going forward. He signed a three-year extension for $152 million during the past season, signifying his commitment to the Clippers and them to him.

Though he played 68 games during the 2023-24 season, the most since playing 72 games during the 2015-16 season in San Antonio, Leonard missed the final eight regular-season games and four of the six first-round playoff games against the Dallas Mavericks because of inflammation in his right knee.

When Leonard played, he was a force. He averaged 23.7 points per game, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists. He shot a career-best 52.5% from the field and 41.7% from three-point range.

Leonard will be aided in this endeavor by James Harden, who signed a two-year extension for $70 million.

And the two of them will play for Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, who is considered one of the best in the NBA at his job.

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