Clippers Titan Leonard right knee injury truce playoffs next season will not return

2023-04-27 14:17

Clippers Titan Leonard right knee injury truce playoffs next season will not return


The Los Angeles Clippers have suffered a heavy loss since their 31-year-old forward Kawhi Leonard was injured in Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs series in yesterday's 1-4 loss to the Phoenix Suns The team was eliminated from the playoffs.


Leonard has entered the 12th season of his NBA career. He was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 15th pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft. He was then traded to the San Antonio Spurs and played for 7 games. During the season, he helped the team win the 2014 NBA championship, and personally won the finals MVP, 2-time All-Star, 2-time First Team and 2-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and other achievements.


He was traded to the Toronto Raptors in the 2018-2019 season, won the 2019 NBA championship for the Raptors, and won the Finals MVP for the second time in his career. After that, he joined the Clippers and continued to hand over top players. Achievements, won the All-Defensive Team, All-Star and First Team of the Year. And Leonard was selected as one of the NBA's 75 superstars last year and won the highest honor in the NBA. He is definitely an important general who leads the Clippers to compete for the NBA championship.


History of right knee injury hampers future


However, the general averaged 34.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 0.5 blocks in the first 2 games of this season's playoffs in 40 minutes, and his three-point shooting percentage reached 60. %, after an efficient performance of 54.5% of the field goal percentage, suffered another injury and was unable to play. The Clippers also suffered a losing streak in the next 3 games without a core and exited the playoffs.


After the diagnosis, Leonard faced a torn meniscus in his right knee. And this general suffered the same injury in the 2021 playoffs, which finally led to him announcing his reimbursement for the entire season last season, and he was able to return to the game this season after nearly 2 years of injury.


Clippers Titan Leonard right knee injury truce playoffs next season will not return


After returning this season, Leonard played in 52 regular-season games, averaging 23.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. The overall shooting rate is 51.2%. This is also his fifth season after joining the Clippers, but he only played in 161 games in total, during which he suffered serious injuries in the playoffs.


The Clippers may be reimbursed again next season, and the prospect is confused


Now Leonard's meniscus injury and previous cruciate ligament tear both injured his right knee, which will greatly increase the risk of Leonard's slow recovery after undergoing surgery, and the main player will most likely be reimbursed for the season , unable to play in the 2023-2024 season.


Considering the four-year maximum salary contract worth $176 million signed by the team and Leonard, but this core has not had more than half of the regular season attendance since joining the Clippers, and there is also a serious injury history And age and other issues, the current team management has not yet determined whether to allow Leonard to undergo surgery, because this will allow the Clippers to fulfill the maximum salary contract without Leonard, which will cause the team to lose money. Fold soldiers.