When the 2024-25 NBA season begins, Kawhi Leonard will not be available for the LA Clippers.
After he was pulled from participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Leonard has been working to get back to the floor while dealing with a lingering knee injury. That injury is now impacting his status for the regular season.
How much time will Leonard miss and what does it mean for the Clippers? Here is the latest on his setback.
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What is Kawhi Leonard’s injury?
Leonard is dealing with inflammation in his right knee, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Ohm Youngmisuk.
The issue plagued Leonard to close the 2023-24 season, limited him during the 2024 NBA Playoffs, prevented him from playing in the Olympics, and kept him from participating during training camp and the preseason.
Leonard last played in an NBA game on April 26, 2024, Game 3 of LA’s first-round playoff loss to Dallas.
Before the injury setback, the 2023-24 season was a big one for Leonard. Over 68 games, he averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 52.5 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from 3-point range.
POSITIONAL RANKINGS: PG | SG | SF | PF | C
How long is Kawhi Leonard out?
Leonard is out indefinitely, per Charania and Youngmisuk.
“Kawhi Leonard is expected to be sidelined for the start of the NBA season, starting next week,” Charania said on ESPN’s “NBA Today.”
.@ShamsCharania joins NBA Today with the latest on Kawhi Leonard’s status for the start of the regular season. pic.twitter.com/ei9um1PHHB
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 17, 2024
“He’s continuing to rehab inflammation in his right knee, going through a rehab process with the Clippers … they’re working together to make sure whenever he’s back on the floor, he’s gonna be able to sustain and stay on the court and that they’re doing their due diligence.”
LA opens the season on Wednesday, Oct. 23 when it hosts the Phoenix Suns in the first-ever game played at the Intuit Dome. His availability moving forward will depend on his response to rehab, but Charania adds that the players and coaches are expecting Leonard to be unavailable for a “period of time.”
LA Clippers upcoming schedule 2024
The Clippers begin the season by hosting the Suns on Oct. 23. LA then plays two sets of back-to-backs to complete its first five games.
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| Oct. 23 | vs. Suns | 10 p.m. | ESPN |
| Oct. 26 | at Nuggets | 5 p.m. | NBA TV |
| Oct. 27 | at Warriors | 8:30 p.m. | — |
| Oct. 30 | vs. Trail Blazers | 10:30 p.m. | — |
| Oct. 31 | vs. Suns | 10:30 p.m. | NBA TV |
This story will be updated.
