The Clippers smash through their closing championship window

Kawhi Leonard is locked up, with Paul George and James Harden likely to follow. Can they get one in before the young guns of the West take over?

Good morning. Let’s basketball.

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Starry Night Over the Rhone; Vincent van Gogh; 1888

The L.A. Clippers, experiencing their best stretch of basketball since the 2019-20 season, reached an extension agreement with Kawhi Leonard and are reportedly working on an extension with Paul George as well. James Harden is a free agent at season’s end, and it would appear that as the team prepares to christen their new arena, they will lock up an aging but effective core that keeps them in the title conversation.

Kawhi took less than the max — he’ll still make $50 million in each of the three new seasons — and stated he hopes it helps keep PG and Harden. PG’s comments appear very optimistic that something will get done on his contract soon. If things continue to go the way they’ve gone over the past two months, Harden would be crazy to leave.

And the question has never been whether Steve Ballmer is willing to pay for an enormous payroll: we know full well he’s all in on that side. The real question at this point is how new payroll rules will affect the Clippers’ flexibility having so much tied up in the two stars (with Harden’s future salary a total question mark).

In other words, will Lawrence Frank and the front office be able to retain key roleplayers to slot in with Kawhi, PG and Harden for the next three years, or will the new restrictions around the second apron limit who stays and who goes?

That reality plus Kawhi and PG’s injury history, plus Harden’s record of playoff failure — all that makes it imperative that the Clippers compete now for a title. The Suns are a ticking timebomb for financial reasons plus Kevin Durant’s age and his and Bradley Beal’s injury history. The Warriors are clearly teetering on the edge of a new era. The Lakers are led by a 39-year-old. These teams should not worry the Clippers beyond this season, if even that.

The old guard contenders are out of the way or heading in that direction. The question is whether the Clippers can claim a title before the young guard including the reigning champs take over fully.

The Nuggets are championship-proven and built in such a financial way that this core can remain together for the foreseeable future, even though the Kroenkes are not reputed to be interested in spending big. The Thunder, for all the handwringing about future payroll issues, can remain together for the foreseeable future and have plenty of draft assets to add what they need when they need it. The Timberwolves are a financial ticking timebomb — I don’t know how they possibly keep their four highest-paid players plus a couple of expensive rotation pieces beyond this season — but have plenty of young or youngish talent to continue to be a threat in the West. The Mavericks aren’t going anywhere so long as Kyrie Irving remains settled in. The Pelicans have the talent and miiight be putting it together. I am spiritually obligated to mention the No. 5 seed Sacramento Kings here. I suspect the Memphis Grizzlies will be back.

The Suns are No. 8, the Lakers are No. 9 and the Warriors are No. 12. The Clippers are far superior to the other old guard teams in the West. It’s everyone else they need to worry about. Can Kawhi’s legendary playoff production, PG’s gobs of experience and Harden’s spark overcome those rising and risen squads and get to the Finals for the first time in franchise history? With Kawhi locked up and PG likely to join him, they have a shot. The window is there. Bust it open.