The Los Angeles Clippers have to feel like the dog in that meme where the house is on fire. On the surface, they’ve played it cool, as if they’re all but impervious to being downtrodden. Nonetheless, with All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard undergoing another knee surgery (h/t The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Law Murray), their confidence must be waning.
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
Leonard, now 33, has played 60 or fewer games in six of the last seven seasons. He sat out the entire 2021-22 season after tearing his right ACL in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. It’s the second time in his career that’s he’s played fewer than 10 games in a season. The first was in 2017-18, primarily due to a right quadriceps tendinopathy.
Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard News May Lead To Bearded Complication
As it relates to the Clippers specifically, the time he missed from the 2021 NBA Playoffs to the start of the 2022-23 season was problematic, a year of the Leonard era essentially wasted. The fact that he then tore his right meniscus in the 2023 NBA Playoffs is tragic.
It’s also when Los Angeles should’ve been considering Plan B.
Had the Clippers not signed Leonard to a three-year, $152.4 million contract extension in January, it wouldn’t be so devastating that he also sat out for a substantial portion of their run in the 2024 NBA Playoffs due to knee inflammation. However, they now have tied themselves to a player whose last three postseason runs ended prematurely due to injury. To make matters worse, they were all right leg injuries.
Though Leonard could be ready for the start of the 2024-25 season, how much faith can they have in his durability?
Will James Harden Request Trade?
If Leonard’s availability can’t be counted on, the Clippers have a couple of players who can step up to try to fill the void. However, they already have to make it through next season with Paul George, who left them for the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason. The burden of replacing two potential Hall of Famers may be too much for their supporting cast to bear.
Unfortunately for Los Angeles, they might have trouble landing another All-Star. Leonard and James Harden are their only players making a star-level salary. In order to remodel the top of their roster, they would most likely have to trade one of the two.
The thing about that? Harden may already be considering leaving. In search of an NBA championship, he’s played for four teams since 2020. Without George or Leonard, that may be virtually impossible.
Ultimately, Harden’s history leads to the real possibility that he’ll request a trade if Leonard’s injury concerns persist. It could be during the season if Leonard misses extended time. It could be after the season if Leonard misses games at the wrong time (i.e. the playoffs).
