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Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will not travel with the Los Angeles Clippers on their upcoming road trip, according to coach Ty Lue. That means, at a bare minimum, his absence will extend to six games. Leonard has played just twice this season, scoring 25 points in 41 minutes off the bench.
Leonard is still recovering from the torn ACL he suffered in the 2021 playoffs. That injury kept him out of the entire 2021-22 season, and now that same right knee is still bothering him as this season has gotten underway. In addition to that knee, Leonard has been dealing with a quad condition for years now. The Clippers have been extremely conservative when it comes to managing his workload as a result, but this season it has cost them.
The Clippers, picked by many to win the NBA championship before the season, have started 2-4. The Clippers have built a deep roster, but with so many talented players, shifting roles depending on who is healthy and who isn’t could create some tension as the season wears on.
Ultimately the goal for the Clippers is going to be a healthy roster in April, May, and June. Those are the games that count. Leonard’s struggles now by no means guarantee issues in the spring. But Leonard just sat out for an entire season. For him to be dealing with knee issues after such a lengthy recovery is obviously concerning, and if the Clippers can’t figure things out around him, they might not be able to sustain many more games without him.
