Miami Heat Could Be Kawhi Leonard's Next Destination, Says Colin Cowherd

ParallelDesk 01:40:23 PM, 27 April 2023

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Kawhi Leonard is one of the biggest stars in the NBA but he has not been available for most of the LA Clippers' games this season due to a string of injuries. Despite this, analyst Colin Cowherd thinks Leonard could excel at the Miami Heat. Cowherd made the suggestion during a recent segment where he talked about how the Heat's established culture could benefit the two-time Finals MVP. "Jimmy Butler plays hurt all the time and is available," Cowherd said. "So is Bam [Adebayo]. So, if you have an established culture and an established star – preferably one that plays 70 games a year – he’s fine." Leonard played in just 52 games in the regular season, as he was on a constant minutes restriction to monitor his previous injuries. He missed all of last season due to injury but with him on the court this season, the Clippers clinched the fifth spot in the Western Conference and even posed a threat to the Suns early on in the playoffs. During his time on the court, Leonard saw some impressive achievements, with an average of 23.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, while shooting 51.2%, including 41.6% from 3-point range. Despite his good performances, the Clippers were eliminated from the playoffs after five tough games against the Phoenix Suns. Leonard played in the first two games but then missed the final three with a torn meniscus. As the Clippers' exit from the playoffs became official on Tuesday night, there are now questions about Kawhi's future with the team. It's possible he could go to a different team in the near future. His absence from a string of games due to injuries is a growing concern, but Cowherd believes that culture and structure could be the key for his success. Recently, Kawhi's injury led to a discussion on ESPN's sports talk show, First Take, where commentator Steven A. Smith suggested that the All-Star should retire from basketball following his meniscus tear. Others, like former athlete and ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson, disagreed, calling out Smith and saying that it was not anyone's place to tell a player when to retire. "The man has a torn meniscus, and there's nothing you can do," Jefferson said. "I don't like hearing people say that the Clippers should make him retire. I don't like hearing people say that Kawhi should retire. Because it's nobody's place to tell a player when to retire." Despite these opinions, it remains to be seen what Kawhi's future holds, as he weighs his options and considers what's best for his career. It's clear that his talents on the court are still unparalleled, and any team that signs him will likely reap the benefits of his skills.