NBA Rumors: Kawhi Leonard Doubtful for Clippers' Opener amid Knee Injury Rehab

Tim Heitman/NBAE via Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is "doubtful" for next Wednesday's regular-season opener against the visiting Phoenix Suns as he continues to recover from right knee inflammation, per ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk.

Leonard has not played in the preseason or taken contact in preseason practices due to the knee issue, Youngmisuk reported on ESPN's

He was previously ruled out for the Clippers' preseason finale on Thursday night against the Sacramento Kings.

The team is likely to err "on the side of caution" while focusing on keeping Leonard healthy for later in the 2024-25 season, per Youngmisuk.

Leonard missed both the Clippers' 2023-24 postseason finale and the 2024 Paris Olympics with the same issue.

Prior to the injury, Leonard earned the sixth All-Star nod of his career while averaging 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists through 68 regular-season starts in 2023-24.

He shot a career-best 52.5 percent from the field while adding 1.6 steals and 0.9 blocks per game.

For the third Clippers postseason in a row, however, Leonard was limited by injury by the time the playoffs rolled around.

After missing the final eight games of the regular season and the first contest of the playoffs, Leonard returned to average 12.0 points in two postseason appearances before he was sidelined again by inflammation of the surgically repaired knee he injured in 2021 and 2023.

Leonard then sat out the Olympics after attending three training camp practices with Team USA.

Team USA executive director Grant Hill told reporters that the decision to sideline Leonard was in "the Clippers' and Kawhi's best interest."

Leonard missed the entire 2021-22 season after tearing his right ACL during the 2021 postseason.

His 2023 postseason was cut short when he suffered a meniscus tear in his right knee, followed by his abbreviated 2024 postseason due to inflammation.

Leonard's injury history is a pressing concern for the Clippers, especially considering the three-year extension he signed in January that locked him in with Los Angeles through the 2026-27 season.

Paul George's offseason departure for the Philadelphia 76ers made Leonard more important to the Clippers than ever. James Harden, who signed a two-year extension over the summer, will be called on to lead the team's offense through a tough Western Conference as the Clippers work to get Leonard back on the floor as soon as possible.