Leonard suffered from chronic knee pain and did not play for Team USA at the Paris Olympics after attending training camp in Las Vegas.
“I talk to him all the time,” Lue told ESPN last week. “He’ll be ready for [Clippers] training camp. He feels good and I know he will be ready for training camp.
Leonard has chronic inflammation from multiple surgeries. He played in just two playoff games in 2023 due to a torn right meniscus and missed the entire 2021-22 season after tearing his right ACL during the 2021 playoffs.
Leonard, one of the best players in NBA history, averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.9 blocks in 2023-24 for the Clippers in 68 games, shooting 52.5% from the field, 41.7% from three-point range and 88.5% from the free throw line. He was selected to the All-Star team and the All-NBA Second Team.
The Clippers won 51 games in the regular season but lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs in six games. Leonard played only Games 2 and 3.
LAKE LOST Paul George Leonard and George signed free agency with the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason. Leonard and George failed to lead the Clippers to the NBA Finals as a duo.
“When you lose a guy from Paul GeorgeThe stature of , instantly people [think] “Oh, they can’t win or they’re not going to be competitive,” Lue told ESPN last week. “But it just challenges me even more. OK, people are writing us off or people don’t think we’re going to be good. It just gives me an extra dose of [motivation]. I can’t wait to prove everyone wrong.
Leonard has career averages of 20.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.7 blocks with the San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors and Clippers.
