Clips’ Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely to start season while rehabbing knee

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard shall be sidelined indefinitely to start the NBA season as he rehabilitates from irritation in his proper knee, head coach Ty Lue confirmed forward of Thursday’s recreation.

The Clippers and Leonard are within the midst of a rehab course of for the two-time NBA Finals MVP that’s geared toward bringing sustainability for him on the court docket via the season, and the franchise shall be diligent and cautious to make sure his health long run.

“[There is] no timeline,” Lue stated of Leonard’s timetable to return earlier than the Clippers confronted the Kings at Intuit Dome. “Like we stated from day one, it’s going take a while. He’ll progress, he is doing all the proper issues, he is working arduous and he is wanting good.”

Leonard, 33, has neither performed through the Clippers’ whole preseason — which concludes Thursday towards the Sacramento Kings — nor participated in any exercise involving on-court contact throughout coaching camp.

Lue stated Leonard suffered a “setback” after taking part in USA Basketball camp in Las Vegas again in July.

“He felt good,” Lue, who additionally was an assistant coach on the gold-medal-winning USA Basketball crew, stated earlier than the Clippers confronted the Kings. “He appeared good. The swelling was down, every part was entering into the proper path. He had labored arduous to get to that time, after which when you begin taking part in, you by no means know what is going on to occur.

“However he was in place, we thought in the proper place to go ahead, and it was a setback, in order that was unlucky.”

Lue stated Leonard has not suffered any new setbacks throughout coaching camp or this preseason. He stated Leonard is feeling good and progressing.

In Leonard’s absence, James Harden, who stated he feels extra comfy this season after having a full coaching camp, shall be relied upon to shoulder a lot of the offensive load and be the crew chief. He joined the franchise final 12 months throughout an early-season commerce from Philadelphia and needed to adapt alongside Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook.

With George now in Philadelphia and Westbrook in Denver, Harden will attempt to be a playmaker for the likes of Ivica Zubac, Norman Powell and Terance Mann.

Harden has stated Leonard must take on a regular basis he must return and be wholesome for late within the season.

Leonard started to expertise irritation in his surgically repaired proper knee following a win at Charlotte on March 31. He missed the ultimate eight video games of the common season and was restricted to 2 video games within the six-game loss to Dallas within the first spherical of the playoffs.

Leonard and the Clippers have gone via a wide range of medical remedies to regulate the irritation because the finish of final season. Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations, stated in the beginning of coaching camp that the irritation had gone down considerably since final postseason however that the crew wished to get the franchise star’s knee to 100% and would take each precaution.

When requested whether or not he might should take care of the irritation arising for the remainder of his profession, Leonard stated that that could be a chance however that the medical workers has acquired a greater deal with on it and is making an attempt to make sure that is not the case.

Leonard, who sat out your entire 2021-22 season due to a torn ACL in his proper knee, has missed 179 of a potential 435 video games since becoming a member of the Clippers in 2019.

He performed in 52 regular-season video games in 2022-23. After he tore his proper meniscus through the 2023 first-round playoff collection towards Phoenix, Leonard performed in 68 regular-season video games final season — his most because the 2016-17 season — and averaged 23.7 factors, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals whereas incomes his sixth All-Star nod.

The Clippers play the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 23 within the Intuit Dome’s first regular-season basketball recreation.