Kawhi Leonard has slowly become less talked about over the past few seasons as injuries piled up and expectations around the Los Angeles Clippers cooled. His current run, though, is reminding people that Leonard can still command the spotlight when he finds his rhythm.
A recent 45-point performance from Leonard against the Minnesota Timberwolves reminded everyone what he is still capable of. He added five rebounds and five assists while shooting 75% from the field. Even Anthony Edwards acknowledged the feat, calling Kawhi one of the best players to ever play the game.
Praise for Kawhi did not stop with Edwards. Renowned NBA analyst Bill Simmons jumped into the conversation, pushing it toward a larger debate about where Leonard stands among his peers. This led Simmons to revisit the long-running Kawhi vs. Kevin Durant discussion, stating he would take Kawhi over KD, peak for peak.
“If you’re talking pure talent for forwards this century. It’s LeBron first. Then it’s Kawhi or KD. If I could have the peak version of those two guys for one season, I would lean Kawhi 55-45.”
