Moving forward with our ongoing top 25 rankings we shift our focus to Kawhi Leonard. He is a talented two-way wing with a hall-of-fame resume. While Leonard is still playing at a star level he is a difficult player to rank due to his injury history. Let’s examine Kawhi’s game and place among the top 25.
Top 25 NBA Players 2024-25: No. 23 – Kawhi Leonard
An Aging Two-Way Star
Leonard was a consensus top 10 star for years with a stretch of being within the top five. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year is one of the most gifted and impactful wing defenders in league history. Additionally, Leonard is a talented and efficient isolation scorer capable of dropping 25-plus points on any given night. While much of this skill set remains with age and injuries Kawhi has clearly regressed. Kawhi still has all the tools to be a top-10 level player for a game or regular season stretch.
However, at 33 with an extensive injury history, Leonard doesn’t have the consistency to maintain this level of play throughout the regular season and playoffs. Furthermore, due to numerous injuries, most notably an ACL tear in 2021 Kawhi has taken a step back athletically which especially hurts him defensively. Notably, Kawhi’s Defensive Box Plus/Minus has been a career low for two consecutive two seasons. Regardless, this version of Kawhi is still an incredibly productive All-Star-level wing.
Season Recap
Kawhi is coming off a highly productive season in which he averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists on efficient 52.5/41.7/88.5 shooting splits. The Clippers acquired James Harden early on in the season who many saw as the missing piece next to Kawhi and Paul George. This trio saw some level of regular season success ultimately finishing as the fourth-seed in the West. Notably, Kawhi earned All-NBA second-team honors. Kawhi’s elite and efficient isolation scoring stood out throughout the year. Additionally, Kawhi appeared in 68 games, the most since his San Antonio days. Kawhi also got a three-year $153 million dollar extension in the middle of the season. However, the injury bug would strike Kawhi in the playoffs once again.
Creating in isolation is crucial when games are high intensity and bread & butter offense isn’t quite working. These guys are the top 50 in isolation possessions in ’23-’24…
⬆️ Efficient Isolation Possessions
➡️ A lot of Isolation PossessionsWhat stands out? pic.twitter.com/np506aKd9m
— NBA University (@NBA_University) August 30, 2024
Due to a knee injury, Leonard missed all but two games of the Clippers’ first-round series loss against the Mavericks. This injury would also keep him from playing in the 2024 Olympics. In the two playoff games he played Kawhi looked like a shell of himself averaging just 12 points a game. Kawhi also played in just two games during the 2023 playoffs. However, he was stellar in those playoffs averaging 34.5 points on highly efficient shooting splits. Historically Kawhi is a playoff riser but constant injuries have marked his time with the Clippers, especially in the playoffs. This upcoming season it will be crucial for Kawhi to stay healthy and show that he is still an elite star.
Season Outlook
The Clippers suffered one of the most significant offseason losses as Paul George signed with the 76ers. Derrick Jones Jr. was brought in as George’s replacement. Without George, the Clippers will be more dependent on Kawhi than ever before. Notably, Kawhi and George almost had identical usage rates last season 26.5 and 26.6 respectively. Kawhi’s usage rate will likely move closer to 30 without George. It’s unclear if Kawhi can handle these increased offensive responsibilities, especially with his injury history. If he can’t, the Clippers will have to depend more on Harden’s shot creation. This is a prove-it season for Kawhi it remains unclear if, at this stage of his career, he can carry a heavy offensive lead and lead a depleted Clippers squad to the playoffs.
The Last Word
Many people still view Kawhi as a top-15 player. However, his lack of consistent availability and declining athleticism hurt his case. This declining athleticism especially negatively impacts Kawhi’s defense which has been his career calling card. Kawhi is still a very good defender however, he’s not a top-five defender in the league like he used to be. While Kawhi can show flashes and stretches of being a top-15 or even top-10 level player it’s clear he can’t sustain this success for an 82-game regular season and the playoffs. Injuries have the story of Kawhi’s tenure with the Clippers. At this stage of his career on a title team, Kawhi has to be an elite lower-usage second or third option. There’s nothing wrong with that it just makes it hard for him to move outside of the top 20.
