The 2024-25 season will mark Kawhi Leonard’s 13th year in the NBA and his fifth with the Clippers. Known for his dominance on both ends of the court, Leonard has struggled with injuries throughout his career.
Recently, NBA insider Shams Charania reported that Leonard underwent a knee procedure during the offseason. The Clippers confirmed that their star forward will have limited participation in training camp as he works on strengthening his knee for the upcoming season. This is a setback for the Clippers, who also lost Paul George to the 76ers in the offseason, leaving a void in star power.
LA Clippers Depend on Kawhi Leonard for Start of 2024 Season
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard underwent a knee procedure in the offseason, sources tell me and @LawMurrayTheNU. The team announced that Leonard will focus on knee strengthening at the beginning of training camp, with optimism from team officials about his progress. pic.twitter.com/VtCvlBEhPf
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 25, 2024
Kawhi Leonard has spent five seasons with the LA Clippers, appearing in four of them. Despite being a six-time all-star, Leonard missed the entire 2021-22 season due to an ACL injury. In his healthy seasons with the Clippers, Leonard has played over 60 games only once, achieving that milestone last season with 68 games. This summer, Leonard was slated to play for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics but had to withdraw due to a knee injury, allowing Derrick White to take his place.
Reports indicate that Leonard experienced knee swelling and inflammation last season, leading to his offseason procedure. While the team did not provide a timeline for his return to full health, Dr. Evan Jeffries suggested on X that it may take 4-8 weeks for the swelling to subside. In the worst-case scenario of an eight-week recovery, Leonard could miss the start of the 2024-25 season, commencing on Wednesday, October 23, against the Phoenix Suns.
