Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard underwent a procedure on his right knee in the offseason, Shams Charania and Law Murray of The Athletic report (Twitter link).
It’s a troubling development as the Clippers head into training camp. Leonard will be limited in training camp, and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank isn’t sure if Leonard will be ready to play by the season opener. But Frank also indicated during a press conference on Tuesday that he expected Leonard to have a “great year” and his star forward feels he’s trending in the right direction (Twitter links here).
Leonard was sidelined at the end of the 2023/24 season due to right knee inflammation. He missed the last eight games of the regular season and first game of the playoffs due to the ailment, returned for Game 2 and Game 3 vs. Dallas, then sat out the final three contests of the Clippers’ first-round loss.
Leonard was on Team USA’s roster but was replaced shortly before the Paris Olympics due to health concerns.
Leonard averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 34.3 minutes per game last season. He started 68 regular-season games, the most he’s appeared in since he started 74 games for San Antonio in the 2016/17 season. He signed a three-year max extension with the Clippers in January.
The worst trade of all time.
Which trade was that? From the Spurs to the Raptors? I believe he signed with the Clippers as an unrestricted free agent? It was actually the Paul George trade where the Clippers got seriously screwed.
But maybe you mean the trade of all that cash via his annual salary for Kawhi Leonard’s services? Yeah pretty lousy exchange, you’re right.
Kawhi was essentially the only reason they pulled the trigger on that deal, so I stand by the statement. It was a package deal. SGA alone would be bad. Plus All those draft picks? Oof
Yup, agreed.
If the Clippers were smart they should have said bye-bye Kawhi.
But no, Leonard’s latest luck leaves LA likely languishing in last.
Kawhi misses games every season. Why should this year be any different?
George is gone. Kawhi will be limited. Clippers dropping to last place in a tough division.
Hoping they will do a desperation trade for LaVine
MB81 ,
1. Agreed, PG trade will go down as one of worst ever.
2. Even worse: Ballmer’s decision to extend the perennially injured Kahwi through 2026-27 (3 more seasons) at $50M/yr. Combine that with the Clips having no firsts for until 2030, and the future looks bleak.
The lack of FRPs is the reason they had no choice but to extend him.
They could have found better ways to spend that money
yomamaspimp ,
> The lack of FRPs is the reason they had no choice
> but to extend him.
Disagree. The decision should have been based ONLY on Kahwi’s likely future availability, not on desperation. Ballmer ignored 6 year’s of history.
Free agents like LA. That $50M should have been used on a star to replace Kahwi and on retaining Paul George. Ballmer blew every decision.