NBA Rumors: Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely to begin 2024-25 season with knee injury | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will be sidelined “indefinitely at the start of the NBA season” as he continues to rehab from inflammation in his right knee, ESPN's Shams Charania and Ohm Youngmisuk reported Thursday.

Due to the knee inflammation, Leonard did not play in preseason or make contact at practice.

Youngmisuk previously reported on this NBA today that Leonard is “doubtful” for the Clippers’ season opener on Oct. 23 against the Phoenix Suns.

According to Youngmisuk, the team will likely “play it safe” and focus on keeping Leonard healthy for later in the 2024-25 season.

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

Prior to the injury, Leonard earned the sixth All-Star nomination of his career and averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 68 regular season starts during the 2023-24 season. He shot a career-best 52.5 percent from the field and had 1.6 steals and 0.9 blocks per game.

However, for the third straight year, Leonard was limited by injury until the playoffs.

After missing the final eight games of the regular season and the first game of the playoffs, Leonard returned to averaging 12.0 points in two postseason appearances before being sidelined due to inflammation in the surgically repaired knee he suffered in 2021 and 2023 had to take another break.

Leonard then did not compete in the Olympics after attending three training camps with Team USA. Team USA general manager Grant Hill told reporters that the decision to cut Leonard was “in the best interest of the Clippers and Kawhi.”

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

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

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

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