Admin September 24, 2024
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Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, who dealt with inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee last season, may not be ready in time for his team’s season opener against the Phoenix Suns at home on Oct. 23.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Law Murray, the 33-year-old underwent a procedure on his knee during the offseason.
Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard underwent a procedure on his knee in the offseason, sources tell me and @LawMurrayTheNU. The franchise said today Leonard will be limited to strengthening his knee to start Clippers training camp, but team officials are optimistic about his progress. pic.twitter.com/VtCvlBEhPf
Clippers president Lawrence Frank also revealed Tuesday that Leonard would be limited to strengthening his knee during training camp and that he doesn’t have a “crystal ball” on whether he’ll be ready for opening night, per NBA reporter Mark Medina.
Leonard dealt with swelling in the knee, and he missed the final eight regular-season games as well as Games 1, 4 and 5 of the Clips’ first-round playoff series loss to the Dallas Mavericks due to the ailment.
However, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.
The six-time All-Star averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals last season.
Leonard is a six-time All-NBA player, seven-time All-NBA Defensive Team member, two-time NBA Finals MVP and two-time NBA champion. He also made the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team.
Needless to say, he is an invaluable member of the team, especially after nine-time All-Star forward Paul George left in free agency for the Los Angeles Clippers.
Unfortunately, injuries have significantly hindered Leonard in the past, including a torn ACL that cost him the entire 2021-22 season and a right quad injury that led to him playing just nine contests in 2017-18. He has missed 14 or more regular-season games each year since that campaign.
Leonard was also set to play for Team USA in the Summer Olympics but was removed from the roster in favor of Boston Celtics guard Derrick White.
Basketball Hall of Famer and Team USA executive director Grant Hill said he wouldn’t get into “particulars,” but the implication was that it was related to the program’s concerns with his right knee.
“I think he wanted to be here, like all these guys want to be here, and we don’t take that lightly at all,” Hill said, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
“It speaks to the program and the opportunity, and so, personally speaking, I know what it’s like to want to do something and your body’s just not right. And I’ve lived that personally. And so I applaud him for coming here and being willing to sacrifice, give up his summer and represent our country and play for our program. … Ultimately, it didn’t work out.”
The Clippers didn’t agree with the move.
“No, it was USAB’s call and I was quite frankly very disappointed with the decision,” Frank said, per ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.
“Kawhi wanted to play. We wanted him to play. I was there the first two practices, he looked very good. Was a full participant in everything that they did. I wasn’t there for the third practice where ultimately that was the point where they decided to go in a different direction [last Wednesday].
“I expressed to them I really wish that they would’ve given Kawhi more time.”
When healthy, he’s one of the NBA’s best two-way players and a franchise cornerstone, as best evidenced by when he led the 2018-19 Toronto Raptors to the NBA championship.
The hope, obviously, is that Leonard can recover and enjoy a relatively healthy season. It’s possible Leonard misses the opener, but Frank at least offered a glimmer of hope that it’s not a long-term concern that would impact him all year.
