NBA insider Shams Charania has shared important news regarding Kawhi Leonard’s knee injury. Leonard will be sidelined for an extended period as the Los Angeles Clippers begin the season without him.
Charania indicated that the recovery timeline for Leonard is not measured in days or even weeks. “I’m told Kawhi Leonard will be missing weeks,” Charania said, emphasizing that this injury will keep Leonard out for several weeks, impacting the Clippers’ early-season plans.
The Clippers have a strategy in place to ensure that when Leonard returns, he can sustain his performance on the court. In the meantime, James Harden is expected to take on a leadership role for the team.
Harden expressed his understanding of Leonard’s desire to play every game. However, the organization recognizes the need for Leonard to be fully healthy and not risk being in and out of the lineup, as was the case last season.
“They know Kawhi Leonard can’t be in and out like he was in the playoffs, like he was late last season. They need him because that’s the only way that this team is going to compete for a championship,” Charania stated.
The Clippers opened their new arena, Intuit Dome, on Wednesday night against the Phoenix Suns. Despite a strong effort, the team suffered a narrow 116-113 overtime loss.
In that game, Kevin Durant led the Suns with 25 points, while Bradley Beal contributed 24 points. Harden had a standout performance for the Clippers, scoring 29 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.
Although Harden nearly forced a second overtime, he missed a critical free throw with 4.8 seconds left. This loss marks a challenging start to the season for the Clippers.
Leonard’s injury is a setback for a team with championship aspirations. The Clippers are looking to build on their recent success, but they will need their star forward healthy to compete at the highest level.
In the 2023-24 season, despite his strong showing, Leonard’s playoff run was cut short by a right knee injury. He was only able to play in two playoff games, and the Clippers were eliminated in the first round.
Last week, it was announced that Leonard would be ruled out indefinitely. The decision was made after Leonard experienced inflammation in his right knee, which was aggravated during training.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue noted that Leonard suffered a “setback” while participating in USA Basketball camp. This setback occurred shortly before he withdrew from the 2024 Summer Olympics.
