Kawhi Leonard situation gets murkier as Clippers soldier on

With a week left for the start of the 2024-25 NBA season, Kawhi Leonard has yet to practice with the Clippers.

The superstar forward continues to rehab his knee after undergoing a procedure in the offseason. A swelling in the same knee forced him to miss a chunk of the playoffs last season and reportedly played a part in his withdrawal from Team USA's squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Leonard was originally slated to play a few preseason games ahead of his team's opening-night fixture against the Suns on Oct. 23. However, Clippers head coach Ty Lue confirmed Monday that the defensive ace will not suit up for their preseason finale against the Kings on Thursday after skipping the first three exhibition contests.

"Continue to keep rehabbing. Keep getting better. Keep checking the boxes," Lue said of the Clippers' plans for Leonard, via ESPN. 

During media day, Clippers front-office head Lawrence Frank said that Leonard wanted to participate in "everything in training camp," including preseason games and scrimmages.  

Subsequently, Leonard sounded too optimistic about returning to full fitness in time for the start of the season. However, his continued absence from on-court action — let alone his inability to practice in scrimmages — is a cause for concern for the Clippers. 

"I feel good," Leonard said earlier this month, via ESPN. "Just been taking my time, getting stronger and getting ready. "We're just taking it slow, day by day and just trying to get me back on the floor. Once those conversations come, we'll see what they're talking about [on the best approach for back-to-backs]."

The concern is amplified due to Leonard's injury history and the mystery surrounding some of his past setbacks. During the 2023 playoffs, Leonard appeared healthy in the first two games against the Suns, averaging 40.2 minutes. He would skip the rest of the series after it was later revealed he suffered a torn meniscus. 

A similar sequence of events transpired in 2024 as Leonard played in only two of the Clippers' six postseason games against the Mavs due to a swelling in his knee.