Report: Kawhi Leonard will miss the start of the season because he needs to rehab his right knee

Kawhi Leonard was limited to just two postseason games for the Clippers in the 2023-24 season due to inflammation in the right knee.

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INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard will not play for the Los Angeles Clippers at the start of the season as he is still undergoing rehabilitation for inflammation in his right knee, according to a report on per Shams Charania from ESPN.

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is expected to be sidelined indefinitely at the start of the NBA season as he rehabs inflammation in his right knee, league sources tell me @NotoriousOHM. pic.twitter.com/M5wFYIWGiv

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 17, 2024

Citing unidentified sources, ESPN reported Thursday that Leonard will be sidelined indefinitely. He did not play during the preseason, which ends Thursday night at home against Sacramento. The two-time Finals MVP also had no on-court contact during training camp.

The Clippers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Leonard said at the start of training camp that he would be a starter on opening night if his knee cooperated.

“I never plan on missing games, but it's all about my body,” he said late last month. “I’m human and we play basketball.”

Leonard has been working to stabilize his knee enough to be available for possible postseason play. He missed the final eight games of last season and was limited to two games in a first-round loss to Dallas in the playoffs.

“There are some things we can do or try to do to help me persevere,” Leonard said last month. “We’ll see what happens.”

Leonard played in 68 games during the regular season, most of them as a Clipper, before missing the final eight games because of his knee. On March 31, the 33-year-old suffered inflammation in his surgically repaired knee for the first time.

In January, he signed a three-year extension worth $52 million. But his health condition has limited his postseason availability for four years.

Leonard did not play for the United States at the Paris Olympics and was replaced on the team in mid-July. USA Basketball concluded that it was in his best interest to focus on preparing for the upcoming NBA season, although the Clippers later said they had no problem with him playing in Paris. Leonard had been training with the US team in Las Vegas when he was replaced by Boston Celtics guard Derrick White. The USA then won the gold medal.

Leonard missed the entire 2021-22 season with a torn ACL in his right knee. Since joining the Clippers in 2019, he has missed 179 of a possible 435 games.

The Clippers open the season on October 23 against Phoenix at their new arena in Inglewood.