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Kawhi Leonard’s status revealed ahead of Clippers training camp

By
Updated  September 24, 2024 6:37pm PDT
Los Angeles Clippers
FOX 11

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:Kawhi Leonard signs $153M contract extension

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:The Los Angeles Clippers and star forward Kawhi Leonard have agreed to a reported three-year deal worth $153 million.

The Brief

    • Lawrence Frank, the Clippers President of Basketball Operations, held a press conference Tuesday afternoon at the Intuit Dome.
    • The update came six days ahead of NBA Media Day.
    • Frank revealed Kawhi Leonard's knee swelling has "gone down" but still, the team is opting to keep him from participating in drill work for now.
    • It's unclear if Leonard will be cleared to play by Opening Night on Oct. 23.
    • Given the news, James Harden will likely take on a larger role on the court and in the locker room, especially given Paul George and Russell Westbrook's departures. 

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Six days ahead of NBA Media Day, the Los Angeles Clippers provided an update about Kawhi Leonard’s status before the team goes into training camp for the 2024-25 season. 

Lawrence Frank, the Clippers President of Basketball Operations, said Leonard’s right knee swelling has "significantly gone down."

However, while Frank opened up with some optimism, he became more transparent about the health of the two-time NBA Finals MVP. 

"He wants to participate in everything in training camp, but we’re going to hold him back from drill work and really focus on strengthening because the goal is to get him to 100%, so he can have a great season, not just this year, but for many years," he explained. 

In January, Leonard signed a $153 million contract extension in the middle of what was a stellar season, and while he was arguably on the verge of entering the MVP conversation.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Kawhi Leonard signs massive $153M contract extension with LA Clippers

Leonard was then sidelined for the final eight games of the 2023-24 regular season with the injury and the Clippers persevered without him – notably in games against the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, and Cleveland Cavaliers.  

The 33-year-old wasn’t cleared to play Game 1 in the playoff series against Dallas and when he did take the floor in Game 2, he appeared to be a shell of himself.

Leonard earned the final slot on Team USA for the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, his spot went to Boston's Derrick White after some team officials expressed concerns.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Kawhi Leonard withdraws from Team USA amid health concerns

"I think the encouraging thing is we've seen progress. You know, this was a real tricky thing in terms of the inflammation. We're kind of searching for answers along the way. And I think with time, we continue to learn more and more what works, what hasn't. It’s truly unfortunate that he's had to deal with this. But I think we're definitely trending in the right direction," Frank added.

SUGGESTED COVERAGE: LA Clippers prevail in Game 1 over Mavericks without Kawhi Leonard: ‘We’ve still got more than enough’

It remains unclear if Leonard will suit up in time for the upcoming opening night at the Intuit Dome. 

More on the Clippers preseason

The Clippers' preseason begins Saturday, Oct. 5 in Honolulu with games also scheduled in Seattle and Inglewood. As far as the regular season, the Clippers host their Intuit Dome regular-season home opener on Wednesday, Oct. 23 against the Phoenix Suns. 

SUGGESTED COVERAGE: 

The Source

  • FOX 11 Digital Content Creator Kelli Johnson attended the Clippers update at the Intuit Dome on Tuesday, Sept. 24.