Report: Clippers star Leonard out, more likely to miss Warriors house opener initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Bay Space
THE Los Angeles Clippers will probably be with out Kawhi Leonard, their finest participant, when their new area opens subsequent week, and may very well be with out him for the foreseeable future.
Leonard will probably be out indefinitely to start the 2024-25 NBA season as he continues to get better from proper knee irritation, ESPN’s Shams Charania and Ohm Youngmisuk reported Thursday, citing league sources.
The Clippers will open the season by internet hosting the Phoenix Suns within the first common season recreation at their new house, the Intuitive DomeWednesday. From there, they may go to the Denver Nuggets on October 26 and face the Warriors of the Golden State of their house opener on October 27.
The 2-time NBA Finals MVP has an extended damage historical past, together with a torn ACL that stored him sidelined for all the 2021-22 season and a torn meniscus suffered within the 2023 first spherical.
Leonard is coming off an All-Star season through which he performed in 68 common season video games, his most for the reason that 2016-17 marketing campaign. But the damage bug was again throughout crucial a part of the Clippers’ season final spring.
He first suffered knee irritation throughout a March 31 victory towards the Charlotte Hornets, and the ailment endured into the playoffs. He missed the ultimate eight video games of the common season and 4 video games of the Clippers’ first-round sequence towards the Dallas Maverickswhich the Mavericks gained in six video games.
Leonardo was additionally named to the American staff this summer time however was changed by Boston Celtics goalie Derrick White on the Olympic roster who gained gold in Paris. USA Basketball mentioned on the time that Leonard “respects the truth that USA Basketball and the Clippers have decided that it’s in his finest curiosity to spend the rest of the summer time making ready for the upcoming season slightly than collaborating within the Olympic Video games of Paris.
The 33-year-old ahead didn’t play for the Clippers this preseason and didn’t take part in any on-court contact actions throughout coaching camp.
