close
close

Guiltandivy

Source for News

    • Clippers All-Star Kawhi Leonard is out indefinitely with a knee injury
    Update Information

    Clippers All-Star Kawhi Leonard is out indefinitely with a knee injury

    Kathleen William Posted on

    play

    The Los Angeles Clippers will be without All-Star Kawhi Leonard at the start of the season.

    Leonard will be sidelined indefinitely as he continues rehabilitation on his right knee, a person with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. There is no timetable for Leonard's return.

    In late September, Clippers president Lawrence Frank announced that the “swelling” in Leonard's knee had “decreased significantly” and the inflammation had “almost disappeared.” Although Leonard felt “great” heading into training camp, he said he and the team are taking it “day by day.”

    “Everything has been great for the last month, but they are being very cautious,” Leonard said at media day. “I wasn't able to finish some playoff runs, so I'm making sure I stay healthy for those important moments.”

    The two-time Finals MVP did not appear in any of the Clippers' preseason games and was held out of training camp to ensure he is at 100% for the regular season and postseason.

    Leonard underwent surgery in July 2021 to repair a partially torn ACL in his right knee. Due to an injury, Leonard missed the entire 2021–22 season. In April 2023, he suffered a torn meniscus in the same knee, causing Leonard to miss the final three games of the Clippers' first-round loss to the Phoenix Suns.

    Leonard played in 68 games last season – the most games he has played for the San Antonio Spurs since his career-high 74 games in the 2016-17 season – but he missed the final eight games of the regular season because of knee soreness. In the Clippers' first-round loss to the Dallas Mavericks, he was only able to play two games due to inflammation in his right knee.

    Leonard was selected for the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team, but ultimately withdrew from the squad before the 2024 Paris Games to prepare for the upcoming NBA season.

    “Kawhi has been preparing for the Olympics over the past few weeks, putting in some strong training sessions in Las Vegas,” USA Basketball said in July. “He felt ready to compete. However, he respects that USA Basketball and the Clippers have decided that it is in his best interest to spend the remainder of the summer preparing for the upcoming season rather than competing in the Paris Olympics.”

    The Clippers open the 2024-25 season against the Suns on Oct. 23 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., and are preparing without Leonard, who signed a three-year extension worth $152.3 million in January.

    “He wasn’t part of what we do on a daily basis,” Clippers assistant coach Brian Shaw said Wednesday after practice. “I know the company line is that we will be patient with him, so he is doing everything he can to rehabilitate the disease and strengthen the knee alone with our medical staff. And we just care about the guys we have (available).”

    Contributor: Jeff Zillgitt

    Tagged:

    LEAVE A RESPONSE

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Kathleen William
    View all posts

    You Might Also Like

    ads