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Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, driving past Mavericks forward P.J. Washington, missed part of the playoff series because of inflammation in his right knee. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
With Clippers training camp approaching, questions continue to swirl around the health of star Kawhi Leonard following the inflammation in his right knee that sidelined him late last season and in the first round of the playoffs.
Leonard is dealing with swelling but is progressing toward full health, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Tuesday.
At the start of last season, Leonard was the healthiest he had been in years and he appeared in 68 games. However, it was the third straight season he failed to finish, not counting the 2021-22 season, which he missed entirely.
Leonard has struggled with an extensive injury history during his Clippers tenure, including a partial tear of an anterior cruciate ligament that sidelined him for 2021-22, a meniscus tear during the 2023 playoffs and this current case of knee inflammation.
“It’s truly unfortunate that he’s had to deal with this, but we’re trending in the right direction,” Frank said. “The goal is to get him to 100% so he can have a great season, not just this year, but for many years.”
The team has developed a detailed plan to guide Leonard’s recovery that will focus on strengthening and gradually increasing the load on Leonard’s knee. While Frank said the swelling has significantly decreased, the Clippers plan to take a cautious approach and limit Leonard’s activity during training camp.
Leonard tried to return for the Olympic Games this summer but was sent home from Team USA camp.
Read more: NBA schedule news: Clippers to open Intuit Dome on Oct. 23 against the Suns
“It’s almost gone,” Frank said of the swelling. “He wants to participate in everything during training camp, but we’re going to hold him back from drill work and really focus on strengthening.”
The question is whether Leonard will be ready for the season opener against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 23 at Intuit Dome. Training camp opens Monday and the preseason opener is Oct. 5 against the Golden…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/clippers-limit-kawhi-leonards-training-022701400.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2024-09-25 02:27:01
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