Kawhi Leonard is set for another long-term stint on the sidelines with ESPN revealing that rehabilitating inflammation in his right knee has ruled out the LA Clippers star indefinitely.
The Clippers are reportedly taking no risks with the two-time NBA Finals MVP as they put him through a thorough rehabilitation process with an eye ensuring his long term fitness.
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The 33-year-old has not featured any of the Clippers pre-season games and he also not taken part in any on-court contact drills or scrimmages in training this off season.
Leonard was an All-Star last season as he suited up in 68 regular season games – his most in a season since 2016-17 – but missed the final eight games of the regular season before only playing two of the six games in the Clippers’ first round playoff loss to Dallas due to the inflammation in the knee.
He was also set to make his Olympic debut in Paris but the latest addition to his long history of injuries – which includes missing the entire 2021/22 season with an ACL injury as well as tearing his right meniscus last year – prevented that dream from becoming a reality.
“He has not been a part of what we’ve been doing on a daily basis,” Clippers assistant coach Brian Shaw said after practice on Wednesday.
“I know the company line has been that we’re going to be patient with him, so he’s doing everything that he can to rehab it and strengthen that knee on his own with our medical staff. And we’re just dealing with the guys that we have [available].”
Concerns for Leonard’s future in the NBA have been raised by many pundits with the future Hall of Famer admitting in the past that he may have to put up with the inflammation for the remainder of his career.
The Clippers’ medical staff are trying to make sure that is not the case but the uncertainty led ESPN NBA analyst and NBA champion Kendrick Perkins saying “I really think Kawhi Leonard should consider retiring”.
If Leonard was to be forced into retirement by his injuries concerns, it would leave the Clippers with a sizeable hole to fill for the infamously “cursed” LA outfit who move into their own brand new home at the Intuit Dome after previously sharing Crypto.com Arena with the Lakers.
James Harden is left to fill the void after the departures of Paul George to Philadelphia – who also happens to be injured at present – and Russell Westbrook to Denver.
The 35-year-old will have to strengthen his combinations with the likes of Ivica Zubac, Norman Powell and Terance Mann to have the Clippers once again in playoff contention.
The Clippers also do not have the incentive of bottoming out this season with their first-round pick in next year’s draft tied to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will be begging for a poor season from the Clippers to make them an even scarier proposition in an already stacked western conference.
The NBA season begins next week with the Intuit Dome hosting its first game when the Clippers welcome the Phoenix Suns to kick off their new era.
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