Los Angeles Clippers forward, Kawhi Leonard, will be ready to train on October 1 as he recovers from his knee. Leonard last appeared on the court in July at Team USA's Las Vegas camp before being waived by Boston Celtics guard Derrick White.
“I talk to him all the time,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said, per ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. “He will be ready for you [Clippers] training camp. He feels good and I know he will be ready for training.”
Leonard, 33, dealt with knee inflammation at the end of the 2023-24 season. The 13-year veteran was originally expected to join the US men's national team at the Paris Olympics.
Kawhi grabs a lock 🔒#NBAHandlesWeek pic.twitter.com/O6HoYUossd
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) August 27, 2024
However, his knee injury forced him out. Knee problems have plagued Leonard throughout his career in Los Angeles, as he has played more than 60 games in one season since joining the team in 2019. He also missed the entire 2021-22 campaign with a torn ACL.
The multi-sport international event would be the first Olympic trip for Leonard, who missed the last 12 of the Clippers' 14 games of the 2023-24 season with right knee inflammation.
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has missed 256 regular season games over the past seven years.
In 68 games (all starts) with the Clippers last season, Leonard averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 34.3 minutes per contest while shooting a career-best 52.5% from the floor, 41.7% from 3-point range. wide, and 88.5% at the free throw line.
In Los Angeles' 117–103 victory over the Utah Jazz on December 8, 2023, he recorded a season-high 41 points, five rebounds, five assists, and one block in 39 minutes of action.
The Clippers went 9-9 last season in complete games (regular season and postseason) without the two-time NBA champion. Los Angeles won Games 1 and 4 of their first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks without Leonard. However, the team still lost Games 5 and 6 without the six-time All-NBA member.
According to the Basketball-Reference website, Leonard has missed 256 regular-season games over the past seven years, including the entire 2021-22 campaign. His 68 games last season for the Clippers were the most since he played 74 games with the San Antonio Spurs in 2016-17.
In January, Leonard and the Clippers agreed to a three-year, $153 million contract extension. His new contract does not have a player option. However, it includes $52 million in the first year and $50 million per season for the next two years.
Leonard had until June 30 to sign an extension with a player option for $48.7 million through the 2024-25 season. The six-time All-Star earned $45.64 million last season. This is part of a four-year, $176.24 million deal he signed with Los Angeles in August 2021.
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