Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard to Sit Out Drills in Training Camp

The Los Angeles Clippers will hold veteran forward Kawhi Leonard out of drills during next week’s training camp after the six-time All-Star underwent treatments to control the inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee since the end of last season.

Although the inflammation has gone down, Leonard will be held out of drills in next week’s training camp to get him back to full strength, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk and Kris Rhim.

Clippers president Lawrence Frank said Tuesday that the swelling in Leonard’s knee had decreased “significantly.” However, Frank has not confirmed whether or not Leonard will be ready for the regular season.

Clippers star Kawhi Leonard underwent a procedure on his knee in the offseason, sources tell me and @LawMurrayTheNU. The franchise said today Leonard will be limited to strengthening his knee to start Clippers training camp, but team officials are optimistic about his progress. pic.twitter.com/VtCvlBEhPf

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 25, 2024

“I think that the timing’s all going to basically depend on how his knee responds to each phase,” Frank said. “No one has a crystal ball.”

In August, Frank said Leonard would “be ready for training camp.”

Nonetheless, Clippers coach Ty Lue said there isn’t a plan yet to include Leonard in any team practices. Los Angeles is currently relying on the medical staff’s guidance, per ESPN. The plan is to have the San Diego State product work on strength training for his knee before returning.

“We’re just really going to focus on strengthening and loading,” Frank said. “I think we learned some lessons. Just if you think about it, he desperately wanted to come back and play in that Dallas series. … Within a game and a half, the inflammation came where it wasn’t manageable, so we don’t want to put ourselves in that position.”

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will be held out of training camp in order to get him back to full strength

Leonard missed the final eight games of the regular season with inflammation in his right knee. He returned to the playoffs to play in Games 2 and 3 against the Dallas Mavericks before missing the remaining three games of the Clippers’ first-round loss.

When asked in July if Leonard underwent any type of procedures or treatment to his right knee before USA Basketball camp, Frank said he would not get into specifics.

“I think the encouraging thing is we’ve seen progress,” Frank said on Tuesday. “This was a real tricky thing in terms of the inflammation. We’re kind of searching for answers along the way.

“With time, we continue to learn more about what works, what hasn’t. It’s truly unfortunate that he’s had to deal with this, but I think we’re definitely trending in the right direction.”

Frank said Leonard is “encouraged now” with where the inflammation is. “We got the knee in a really, really good place,” Frank added. “[He came] back for Dallas [in the playoffs] and it has been manageable since. But we really, really spent the offseason trying to get this 100% and I think we’re getting closer and closer.”

Knee issues have plagued Leonard throughout his Clippers tenure. According to Basketball-Reference, he’s only played over 60 games in just one season since joining the team in 2019.

Leonard, 33, also missed the entire 2021-22 campaign due to a torn ACL. Los Angeles went 9-9 last season in total games (regular season and postseason) without the two-time Finals MVP.