Clippers' Kawhi Leonard-Paul George Deal Completes Pacific Division Arms Race

For the last five years, the Warriors have ruled the NBA's Pacific Division.

With Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson blossoming into All-Stars groomed by coach Mark Jackson, perfected by Steve Kerr and solidified by Kevin Durant's signing in 2016, the Warriors put together the best five-year run in NBA history, capturing the last five division crowns.

Over the last month, the pendulum may have shifted. With Kevin Durant leaving the Bay for the Brooklyn Nets, Anthony Davis teaming up with LeBron James and the Lakers and the Sacramento Kings starting an upward trajectory last season, winning the Pacific no longer can be seen as a given for the Dubs.

Then it happened.

Late Friday evening, the arms race was complete, as the LA Clippers - who took the Warriors to six games in the first round of the NBA playoffs two months ago - acquired star free agent Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

The deal to sign Leonard completes the two-time NBA Finals MVP's journey to the West Coast after more than a year of speculation. Eleven months ago, following a trade that sent him from the San Antonio Spurs to the Toronto Raptors, reports circulated that Leonard had plans of joining the Lakers following the 2018-19 season. Despite leading Toronto to its first title in franchise history three weeks ago, Leonard declined his player option, with the Raptors and both of Los Angeles' teams authorized to make a pitch.

Over the next two weeks, rumors of Leonard's decision led every sports talk show in America, as analysts and even former players attempted to get into the mind of one of the most silent players in league history. On Friday night, he chose the Clippers, bringing along George - who was traded from the Thunder in exchange for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and a bevy of picks, helping form the latest power in the Western Conference.

Leonard's decision is just the latest in the Pacific Division arms race. Two weeks after Davis joined the Lakers, the Warriors secured All-Star guard D'Angelo Russell via sign-and-trade with Brooklyn, putting him alongside Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson - who is expected to return to the team at the midway point of next season after suffering a torn ACL in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. In the last week, the Kings - who finished last season with their best record in a decade - signed Dewayne Dedmon and retained Harrison Barnes in an effort to make their first playoff berth since 2006.

But Friday evening belonged to the Clippers - LA's historically ridiculed 'other' team - more known for their cheap, racist former owner Donald Sterling than a quality product. While the Clippers remained at the bottom of the standings - winning 50 games in a season just twice from 1984 to 2014 - Sterling continued to fight housing discrimination lawsuits. One case, which was settled for $4.9 million, alleged Sterling said "black people smell and attract vermin" and "Hispanics just smoke and hang around the building," and that he would only rent to Koreans because "they will pay the rent and live in whatever conditions I give them."

Sterling's actions lost him the Clippers in 2014 when tapes emerged of him using racist remarks towards African-Americans to his mistress.

Following a change in ownership, the team worked hard to rebrand itself, stockpiling talent, while hiring basketball luminaries like Jerry West to help guide its front office, acquiring assets like Patrick Beverley, Montrezl Harrell and super-sub Lou Williams.

[RELATED: How Warriors have been put on notice by other Western Conference teams]

Last season, without a clear star, they took the Warriors - despite being the eighth seed - to six games in the first round of the postseason. Now, three months later, they've collected enough firepower to put hopes of Golden State's sixth straight division title in peril.

Copyright CSNBY - CSN BAY
Contact Us