The Los Angeles Clippers’ decision to give Kawhi Leonard a three-year extension earlier this year continues to look like a massive blunder after an update on his current injury.
Over the last decade, Leonard has been one of the best all-around players in the NBA. The San Antonio Spurs product helped them win their more recent NBA title. Then a few seasons later he was able to help lead the Toronto Raptors to their only championship.
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When healthy, he is one of the best in the game. However, over the last seven years that has been difficult for him to do. And it has been a major part of his five-year stint in LA. However, after missing all of the 2022-23 season, Leonard’s 68 games played last season was his most since 2016-2017. It worked out perfectly for him because the Clippers saw that progress and decided to give him a massive three-year, $152 million extension in January.
Kawhi Leonard rewarded them by getting injured late in the season and again missing the playoffs. That injury has been a problem throughout the summer and cost him a spot on this year’s Olympic team. Now it is set to sideline him for the start of the new NBA season.
Kawhi Leonard set to miss significant time to start Los Angeles Clippers 2024-25 season
On Thursday afternoon, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania that “Kawhi Leonard is expected to be sidelined for an indefinite period of time to start the NBA season as he rehabilitates the inflammation in his right knee.”
He has not suited up for the Los Angeles Clippers in preseason due to inflammation in his problematic knee. The six-time All-Star is set to make $49 million this season, followed by a pair of seasons where he will earn $50 million a piece.
The injury is all the more debilitating for the team since both Paul George and Russell Westbrook departed in the offseason. Leaving an aging James Harden as the best player on the roster without Leonard.
Related: Where does Kawhi Leonard land in our ranking of the 50 best NBA players in 2024-25