According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard underwent knee surgery this offseason and will therefore be unable to participate in training camp with the team.
Details of the procedure and Leonard’s recovery timeline are not yet known. He will be limited to “strengthening his knee” at the start of training camp this fall, the team said, but the Clippers are “optimistic” about his progress. It’s unclear whether he will miss playing time or be ready for their season opener against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 23.
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard underwent knee surgery in the offseason, sources tell me and @LawMurrayTheNUThe franchise said today that Leonard will be limited to strengthening his knee to start the Clippers’ training camp, but team officials are optimistic about his progress. photo.twitter.com/VtCvlBEhPf
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 25, 2024
Leonard missed the Clippers’ final three playoff games last season with a knee injury. He was initially selected to play for Team USA at the Paris Olympics and began training camp with the team as scheduled this summer before being deselected. That decision, Team USA’s statement said, was made in his “best interest” despite him feeling “ready to compete.” Leonard was replaced by Boston Celtics guard Derrick White.
The Clippers insisted they had nothing to do with the decision, and Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, said he was “very disappointed” with it.
Leonard has dealt with several notable knee injuries throughout his career. He missed the entire 2021-22 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and played in just two games of the 2023 playoffs with a torn meniscus. He parted ways with the Spurs in 2018 after a long battle over a series of injuries.
Leonard played in 68 games last season, the most he’s played in all but two of his career seasons. He averaged 23.7 points and 6.1 rebounds while earning his sixth All-Star nomination.
While Leonard insisted he was healthy and ready to go this summer, the Clippers will now have to prepare for the season with the possibility that their star player isn’t ready to go right away. The Clippers, who lost Paul George to free agency last offseason, have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.
