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Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard can be sidelined for “an indefinite time frame to begin the NBA season” as he continues to rehab the irritation in his proper knee, ESPN’s Shams Charania and Ohm Youngmisuk reported on Thursday.
Leonard has not performed within the preseason or taken contact in preseason practices as a result of knee irritation.
Youngmisuk beforehand reported on NBA In the present day that Leonard was “uncertain” for the Clippers’ season opener on Oct. 23 towards the Phoenix Suns.
Malika Andrews @malika_andrews
From NBA In the present day: @NotoriousOHM reviews it’s “uncertain” Clippers star Kawhi Leonard performs on opening evening. pic.twitter.com/HKVjAPh2zA
The crew is prone to err “on the aspect of warning” whereas specializing in maintaining Leonard wholesome for later within the 2024-25 season, per Youngmisuk.
Leonard missed each the Clippers’ 2023-24 postseason finale and the 2024 Paris Olympics with the identical concern.
Previous to the harm, Leonard earned the sixth All-Star nod of his profession whereas averaging 23.7 factors, 6.1 rebounds and three.6 assists by way of 68 regular-season begins in 2023-24. He shot a career-best 52.5 % from the sphere whereas including 1.6 steals and 0.9 blocks per recreation.
For the third postseason in a row, nevertheless, Leonard was restricted by an harm by the point the playoffs rolled round.
After lacking the ultimate eight video games of the common season and the primary recreation of the playoffs, Leonard returned to common 12.0 factors in two postseason appearances earlier than he was sidelined once more by inflammation of the surgically repaired knee he injured in 2021 and 2023.
Leonard then sat out of the Olympics after attending three coaching camp practices with Crew USA. Crew USA govt director Grant Hill told reporters that the choice to sideline Leonard was in “the Clippers’ and Kawhi’s greatest curiosity.”
Leonard missed your entire 2021-22 season after tearing his proper ACL throughout the 2021 postseason.
His 2023 postseason was lower quick when he suffered a meniscus tear in his proper knee, adopted by his abbreviated 2024 postseason as a consequence of irritation.
Leonard’s harm historical past is a urgent concern for the Clippers, particularly contemplating the three-year extension he signed in January that locked him in with Los Angeles by way of the 2026-27 season.
Paul George’s offseason departure for the Philadelphia 76ers made Leonard extra vital to the Clippers than ever. James Harden, who signed a two-year extension over the summer season, can be known as on to guide the crew’s offense by way of a troublesome Western Convention because the Clippers work to get Leonard again on the ground as quickly as attainable.
