Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard undergoes knee process in Could, held out of drills to open coaching camp: Sources

LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard underwent a process on his knee in Could, in response to league sources. The franchise stated Tuesday that Leonard can be restricted to strengthening his knee to begin Clippers coaching camp, however staff officers are optimistic about his progress.

Leonard will even be held out of drills when the staff begins coaching camp subsequent week, in response to president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, because the 2024 All-Star and All-NBA second-team choice continues to handle swelling in his surgically repaired proper knee.

“His proper knee, the swelling has considerably gone down,” Frank stated Tuesday. “It’s nearly gone. He desires to take part in every little thing in coaching camp. However we’re going to carry him again from drill work and actually concentrate on strengthening, as a result of the purpose is to get him 100% so he can have an important season. Not simply this 12 months, however for a few years. We’ll have an in depth plan step-by-step type of measure, simply having goal measures to go from one section to the subsequent. However he’s tremendous decided, tremendous excited and may’t wait to get began.”

Leonard, who turned 33 years previous this summer season, signed a three-year contract extension in January that kicks on this season. However he has had a tumultuous 2024 because it pertains to a knee that he tore the ACL of throughout the 2021 postseason and the meniscus within the 2023 playoffs.

Clippers star Kawhi Leonard underwent a process on his knee within the offseason, sources inform me and @LawMurrayTheNU. The franchise stated at present Leonard can be restricted to strengthening his knee to begin Clippers coaching camp, however staff officers are optimistic about his progress. pic.twitter.com/VtCvlBEhPf

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 25, 2024

Whereas 2023-24 was an award-winning season for Leonard that noticed him play extra video games (68) than he had since his final wholesome San Antonio Spurs season in 2017 and set a profession excessive in minutes per recreation (34.3), he was unable to play the final eight video games of the common season attributable to what the staff referred to as proper knee irritation. The Clippers expressed optimism that his knee would enable him to play in some unspecified time in the future within the postseason. However Leonard didn’t play in Sport 1 towards the Dallas Mavericks, and after a restricted efficiency in Video games 2 and three, Leonard was unable to complete the postseason for the fourth straight 12 months.

Leonard’s knee was operated on once more in Could after the Clippers had been eradicated, shortly after he was chosen to be on the US males’s Olympic staff. When the U.S. staff arrived in July for coaching camp earlier than touring for the Olympics, Leonard had a sleeve on his proper leg. Although Leonard was capable of take part in observe, he was withdrawn from the staff and changed by Boston Celtics guard Derrick White.

Frank stated Tuesday that the staff was inspired by Leonard’s progress and that Leonard desires to take part in every little thing at camp, however the staff is concentrated on having Leonard be 100% forward of the season. When requested if Leonard could be prepared for the common season opener towards the Phoenix Suns within the new Intuit Dome, Frank hedged.

“I feel that the timing is all going to mainly depend upon how his knee responds to every section,” Frank stated. “Nobody has a crystal ball. We’re trending in a very, actually good path. I do know he’s tremendous decided to have an important 12 months. However the timing, I feel on the subject of your physique and your well being, I don’t suppose you place time frames on it. I feel you simply have to answer how he responds.”

Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue is tasked with managing a roster that not has Paul George on it, along with Leonard’s murky standing coming into the autumn. Lue stated the Clippers simply must go “step-by-step” with reference to getting ready for the season whereas Leonard continues to strengthen his knee.

“Simply ensure that he’s checking all of the bins and, , the medical workers goes to inform us when he’s, , able to do every little thing and what he can do. So our focus is simply, , the blokes training. We’ve received to ensure we’re doing it laborious, we’re doing it the precise approach, and no shortcuts. And so it’s received to be our mentality, that each evening we’ve received to return out and play laborious. Compete at a excessive stage with no shortcuts. In order that’s received to be our primary focus.”

Required studying

(Picture: Jacob Kupferman / Getty Pictures)