Clippers President Frank: Plans to retain Kawhi and Coach Ty Lue long-term, team remains in championship contention window.

On April 18 Beijing time, Clippers basketball operations president Lawrence Frank reiterated at today's season wrap-up press conference: the team plans to keep Kawhi Leonard and Tyronn Lue long-term.

“Our plan is to compete for championships alongside Kawhi (Leonard),” Frank stated. “The club has already demonstrated through actions that we desire to sustain competitiveness and are focused on pursuing victories. Therefore, at the appropriate time, we will sit down with Kawhi for in-depth discussions, following the communication approach of 2024, to jointly plan the future. As long as both sides share the same goals, the Clippers will choose to continue building around Kawhi Leonard to chase the championship.”

Kawhi Leonard, who will turn 35 this June, just completed arguably his most offensive productive season statistically, yet for the first time in his career missed the playoffs while being healthy. (The Clippers missed the playoffs in the 2021-22 season, but Leonard was sidelined the entire year due to an ACL tear.) This season he averaged a career-high 27.9 points per game, played 65 regular-season games, marking his second full season with over 60 games played since the 2018-19 season.

Around this season's trade deadline, the Clippers completed several significant trades, leading to external doubts about Kawhi's future with the team and the franchise's long-term championship-building direction. However, Frank emphasized that the Clippers have maintained competitiveness for 15 consecutive seasons, the current roster balances youthful energy and veteran experience, and the team is still in a championship contention window, not a rebuilding phase.

“I am hopeful and confident about the team's future,” he said. “During the transition from a strong team to a top-tier championship contender, we have accumulated emerging young players, draft assets, and salary cap space, laying an excellent foundation for future moves.”

Additionally, Frank emphasized that Tyronn Lue will coach this team long-term and remain for many years ahead. “Even during the difficult period when the team's record hit a low point at 6-21, we never, never, never considered firing Tyronn Lue. I believe Tyronn Lue and his coaching staff have performed exceptionally well, maintaining high morale and persevering day after day.”

“He is inherently positive and optimistic, and his coaching work has been impeccable. I also understand that after the team's disastrous start, external criticism inevitably arises: ‘With a 6-21 record, should management and the coaching staff be changed?’ That's the reality of survival in the NBA, the reality we in this profession must face. But I believe that strong teams that endure and withstand tests choose to trust their own teams and work together to overcome difficulties. Many teams with chronically poor records see the only solution as endlessly changing coaches, swapping rosters, and undergoing major rebuilds. We are different: we dare to take full responsibility for all mistakes, focus entirely on solving problems, and unite to address weaknesses and emerge from困境.”

The Clippers this season at their peak were three games above a .500 winning percentage, becoming the first team in NBA history to start 15 games below .500 and ultimately finish above .500. The team ended the regular season with a 42-40 record, achieving a winning percentage above .500 for the 15th consecutive season. Under Tyronn Lue's six-season tenure as coach, the Clippers have played 522 regular-season games total, with a record of 292 wins and 230 losses, a 55.9% winning rate. Among those 522 games, Kawhi Leonard played only 297, an attendance rate of just 57%.

“Tyronn Lue is a top-tier coach and a trustworthy partner. Whether for the coaching staff or players, one of the traits we value most is the drive for continuous improvement, and everyone here is fully committed to getting better.”

This summer, the Clippers hold multiple options to strengthen the roster, including through the draft, free agent signings, and trade operations.