By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
What’s new? Another Kawhi Leonard health issue saga blooms.
On October 18, 2024, the Los Angeles Clippers management officially announced that their swingman superstar would be out indefinitely in the first phase of the upcoming NBA season due to knee inflammation.
It’s the same issue in his right knee that kept him out of the playing court during the past several months, including his sudden disappearance from the Team USA roster that competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Los Angeles already put Leonard on the sidelines during their entire NBA preseason campaign but didn’t disclose the knee inflammation that the small forward still endured.
Since getting booted out of the Team USA pool, Los Angeles said that Leonard will focus on rehabilitating his right knee so that he can play a full season with the Clippers.
According to USA Basketball, it was a mutual decision between them and the Clippers organization that it is best for him to prepare for the upcoming NBA season rather than flying to Paris.
“I want to thank Kawhi for his commitment to the U.S. men’s national team. He earned the opportunity to represent the United States, but USA Basketball and Clippers leadership felt it’s important to allow Kawhi to prepare for the NBA season,” said USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill.
During the recently concluded 2023-2024 NBA season, Leonard and the Clippers were bound for a great playoff run after the franchise signed James Harden in the first half of the regular season.
Leonard, who was criticized at the start of the season for his health issues, gave the Clippers fans optimism after suiting up for 68 regular season games, the first time he surpassed the 60-game mark in five years.
However, the Clippers’ hopes of advancing to the NBA Finals were shattered after Leonard only played two games in the playoffs during their first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks.
Leonard only suited up in Games 2 & 3 and was sidelined for the rest of the playoff series, resulting in a disappointing first-round series loss in just six games.
Can Leonard finally get healthy and pay back the trust that the Clippers franchise gave him?
