INGLEWOOD — Clippers star Kawhi Leonard continues to experience swelling in his right knee and will not participate in certain drills when training camp begins next week in Hawaii, amid a report by The Athletic’s Shams Charania that he underwent an offseason procedure.
Lawrence Frank, the team’s president of basketball operations, did not mention any procedure but said Tuesday that the swelling has gone down “significantly” but has not subsided completely. Leonard, 33, is coming off yet another campaign that was cut short due to injury. Leonard appeared in 68 games for the Clippers during the 2023-24 regular season – his most since 2016-17 – but he missed 12 games down the stretch, including three during their first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks.
Frank said the six-time All-Star is in “great spirits” and is expected to be ready for the regular season, which begins Oct. 23 against the Phoenix Suns at the team’s new arena, the Intuit Dome.
“He wants to participate in everything at training camp, but we’re going to hold him out of drill work,” Frank said. “He’s super determined, super excited and can’t wait to get started.”
Frank said the team will focus on strengthening the knee “because the goal is to get him 100 percent, so he can have a great season, not just this season but the next few years.”
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Leonard, who played just two games in the Clippers’ playoff series against the Mavericks, was sent home from Team USA training camp ahead of the Paris Olympics when it was determined his knee wasn’t healthy.
Last season, Leonard averaged 23.7 points, 3.6 assists, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game while making the All-NBA second team.
On Jan. 10, the two-time NBA Finals MVP signed a three-year, $153 million contract extension.