Kawhi Leonard doesn’t want to miss games. Well, that’s the case with all players in the NBA. No one is complacent enough to want to actively miss playing 48 minutes of basketball.
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Unfortunately, injuries are a part of basketball, and Leonard hasn’t been dealt a steady hand in that department. His injury history dates back to his final season with the Spurs. He had dealt with injuries before that, too, but his strained quad in the 2017-18 season seems to have been the first domino to fall in terms of his declining lower extremities’ health.
Fast-forward seven years, and he’s still dealing with knee issues. He missed the first 34 games of the 2024-25 season due to knee inflammation and swelling. He appeared in just 37 games, averaging 21.5 points on 41.1% shooting from 3. Clippers bench boss, Ty Lue, has cleared the air on some misguided rumors about Leonard’s injuries and game availability.
A key detail was Leonard playing just a single set of back-to-backs last season. He’s been advised not to do so for several years now, depending on the severity of his injuries.
Lue let it be known that this isn’t an indictment on Leonard’s commitment to playing but rather a reinforcement of just how much he desires to consistently get back on the NBA hardwood.
“I feel sorry for him. It’s because of all the work he puts in. We see it every day. It’s not like he’s wanting to sit out and miss games. A lot of times, it’s coming from us, it’s coming from Lawrence Frank, the medical staff. We gotta protect him from himself,” said Lue.
Kawhi has been vocal about his journey back to playing meaningful basketball. Ahead of the 2025 Playoffs, he said, “I love the game, and I have a passion for it still. I love to compete out there, so that’s pretty much what drives me back.”
The forward did go on to play all 7 games of the Clippers’ Playoff outing this past season, averaging 25 points on 53.7% shooting from the field. Leonard’s resilience when it comes to working on his body is incredibly commendable, given the extent to which he gets sidelined.
Leonard is currently in China on tour and seems to be healthy both physically and mentally. Given the Clippers’ roster upgrades with Bradley Beal and John Collins, it would be interesting to see if a healthy Kawhi at the start of the season could lead to a different outcome come postseason time.
