The Los Angeles Clippers have not picked up their third-year option on the contract of Mfiondu Kabengele.

Kabengele was the only 2019 first round pick not to have his option picked up for 21-22. Kabengele was set to earn $2.1 million.

The Clippers traded a 2020 first-round pick to Brooklyn to move up and take Kabengele 27th overall in 2019.

“He’s very versatile, can shoot the basketball, talks a lot on the defensive end, which we need to get better at and improve at,” Tyronn Lue said this month. “Just having him around, the way he talks and the way he gets along with everybody on the floor, it’s contagious.”

Kawhi Leonard missed his second straight game on Tuesday night due to a mouth laceration.

Leonard received eight stitches in his mouth during the Clippers' game against the Nuggets on Christmas.

Ty Lue said that Leonard was day-to-day.

"I am not sure when he's getting the stitches out. But he's right now just day-to-day and recovery," said Lue.

Kawhi Leonard received eight stiches to treat a mouth laceration following a collision with Serge Ibaka on Friday night.

The collision took place in the fourth quarter of the Clippers' win over the Nuggets.

Ty Lue said afterwards that Leonard will be fine going forward.

"I didn't even see it ... He's going to be fine. He got up and walked off the floor, so he's good," said Lue.

The allowances afforded to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George last season with the Los Angeles Clippers impacted chemistry and also angered many teammates. Doc Rivers says he was against the practice.

"A lot of it is true," Rivers concedes. "There was special treatment, but what people don't understand is I was the guy who didn't like it and was fighting it."

Rivers said he underestimated how disjointed the Clippers' locker room had become.

"The goal on every team is to find a group of guys who have figured out how to win -- or at least some of them," Rivers says. "If they are the right ones, they don't give a s--- what anyone else does. They don't get caught up in all the crap.

"The Lakers are a great example. Clearly LeBron and AD got different treatment, but the guys around them said, 'Who cares? As long as we win.'"

Tyronn Lue was a candidate to become head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason, but he was never a serious candidate.

Lue had an ally in Philadelphia's search in Rich Paul, who represents LeBron James and Ben Simmons.

Sources tell the Athletic that Joel Embiid was opposed to Lue for basketball reasons and also "for the optics of Simmons' 'guy' getting the job."

The 76ers eventually hired Doc Rivers, who was coincidentally fired while Lue was in Philadelphia getting ready for his interview. 

Before Tyronn Lue and the Los Angeles Lakers were unable to agree to a contract to become head coach in 2019, Frank Vogel had agreed to become a top assistant on Lue's staff.

Vogel was offered the job of head coach, but he reached out to Lue for his blessing.

“Someone is going to take the job,” Lue said to Vogel, according to a source familiar with the call that spoke with The Athletic. “Why not you?”

Vogel interviewed on May 9, one day after Lue withdrew. Vogel had not yet interviewed with the Lakers in any capacity as he only had been in communication with Lue for the assistant job.

Lue became an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers under Doc Rivers and is now head coach.

Vogel won a title with the Lakers in his first season.

The Los Angeles Clippers and Luke Kennard have agreed to a four-year, $64 million extension. Kennard's deal includes $56 million in guaranteed money with a majority of the incentives considered reachable.

Kennard was traded by the Detroit Pistons to the Clippers this offseason.

Kennard has battled injury issues and only played in 28 games last season.

The Los Angeles Clippers will use the triangle offense under Ty Lue after Kawhi Leonard expressed a desire to use the offense in a few sets this season.

Lue ran the triangle offense while with the Los Angeles Lakers early in his playing career. Leonard has long studied Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, who thrived in the triangle. 

“We have put in two or three sets of the triangle and let Kawhi play in those spaces where Kobe and Jordan played in those spots as well,” Lue said before Sunday’s practice. “He loves those two players and he really respects and looks up to those guys. So, we just try to put him in position. I was able to play with both those guys and I also played in the triangle, so just trying to teach him that as well … teach our team as well.”

Kawhi Leonard plans to test free agency in 2021, though he said he is "just focused on this season."

Leonard has a player option for 21-22 with the Los Angeles Clippers worth $36 million.

"If I stay healthy, the best decision is to decline the player option but it doesn't mean I'm staying or leaving."

Leonard commented on the Clippers' expectations this season.

"I don't see anyone pretty much focused on themselves," said Leonard. "Everyone trying to buy in on the team concepts. ... We want to make an emphasis of everybody being a winner in their role."

The Clippers recently signed Paul George to an extension.

Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and Arturo Galletti (@AmericanNumbers) break down the over/unders for the Western Conference.

They discuss the win total, division, conference and title odds as well as any pertinent individual award lines for the Thunder (3:12), Kings (9:53), Timberwolves (16:43), Spurs (25:44), Grizzlies (32:48), Pelicans (38:36), Rockets (43:43), Suns (51:17), Warriors (57:16), Trail Blazers (1:11:11), Jazz (1:19:53), Mavericks (1:27:25), Nuggets (1:32:47), Clippers (1:45:05) and Lakers (1:54:52).

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