Kawhi Leonard underwent a “cleanup” surgical procedure on the torn meniscus in his right knee, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
The operation carries an eight-week recovery period, but Clippers president Lawrence Frank said the surgery took place in early June so there are no concerns that Leonard won’t be ready for the start of training camp. Leonard is feeling “terrific,” Frank adds (Twitter link).
Leonard suffered the injury in L.A.’s playoff opener against the Suns and aggravated it by playing in Game 2. The Clippers split the first two games of the series with Leonard scoring 38 and 31 points, but they lost three straight once he was unable to play.
The five-time All-Star has been hampered by injuries since he signed with the Clippers in 2019. The team was extremely careful with him this season as he returned after missing a full year with an ACL tear. Leonard appeared in 52 games, averaging 23.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 33.6 minutes per night.
Leonard, who turned 32 this month, will earn $45.64MM in what could be his final season with the Clippers. He has a $48.78MM player option for the 2024/25 season and could elect to become a free agent next summer.
Fantastic example that seating healthy players to keep them from injury for the playoffs ain’t working… guys must play if they are healthy!
Load management is the biggest nonsense in the world of sports…
You understand that that he has chronic knee pain. He isn’t sitting out because he doesn’t feel like playing. If he doesn’t load manage then he wouldn’t even get past the first month of the season.
Dude is injured so frequently that he doesn’t even garner comments at this point. Sad.
Clippers, you know what you have to do. This isn’t going to get better.
Idk. If I’m the Clippers, I’m playing Kawhi the first 21 games of the season, shutting him down the next 20, then playing him the next 12, then sitting him 14 games, and then playing him the next 12. Then I would sit him the last 3 games. So 45 games total and having him ready for the playoffs.
Maybe they have a low seed in the playoffs and maybe he doesn’t have as much continuity but I’d rather try pacing him than just constant shut downs and not being healthy for the playoffs.
Expected to see the timetable for return as “should be back around mid-season..of 2025-26.”
Kawhi the f- ing claw deserves some respect !
I’m a diehard knicks fan and know if the claw was healthy, the champs might look different
Plus he wanted to come to LA and LA wanted him don’t s**t on the man he gave his all
# there is only 1 claw in the nba