Kawhi Leonard to Miss Start of New Season Indefinitely Due to Right Knee Inflammation

According to NBA insider Shams, Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will be out indefinitely at the start of the new season as he undergoes treatment for inflammation in his right knee.

The 33-year-old Leonard missed the entire preseason for the Clippers and did not participate in any on-court activities during training camp. Reports indicate that Leonard’s surgically repaired right knee has developed inflammation, and the Clippers are providing him with rehabilitation treatment. The team is taking a cautious approach to ensure his long-term health.

During the offseason, several Clippers players left the team: Paul George moved to the Philadelphia 76ers, and Russell Westbrook joined the Denver Nuggets. James Harden, one of the main players still with the team, stated that Leonard needs to take as much time as necessary to recover so he can return later in the season.

Last season, Leonard missed the final eight games of the regular season and played only two games in the playoffs. Earlier, he had missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a torn right ACL. Since joining the Clippers in 2019, Leonard has missed 179 of the team's 435 games. In the 2022-23 season, he played 52 regular-season games.

During the first round of the 2023 playoffs against the Phoenix Suns, Leonard suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee. Last season, he played 68 regular-season games — the most since the 2016-17 season — averaging 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, earning his sixth All-Star selection.