Clippers' Kawhi Leonard Undergoes Surgery to Repair Right ACL

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard underwent surgery to repair a partial tear in his right anterior cruciate ligament, the team announced on Tuesday.

However, there is no timetable for Leonard's return. 

Leonard sprained his right knee in Game 4 win of the Western Conference semifinals against Utah when he collided with Jazz forward Joe Ingles.

Leonard, 30, played in 52 of 72 games in the regular season, averaging 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists. In 11 playoffs games, Leonard averaged 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 39.3 minutes per game.

The Suns defeated the Clippers 4-2 in the 2021 Western Conference Finals.

The two-time NBA champion and 10-year veteran has a $36 million player option for the 2021-22 season. If Leonard picks up the option, he will remain with the Clippers and become an unrestricted free agent in 2022.The deadline to accept the player option is Aug. 1.

John Hollinger of The Athletic reported that if Leonard opts out of his contract this summer and wants to stay with the Clippers long term, he could potentially sign a four-year $175 million contract, the eighth largest NBA contract in terms of cash. 

If Leonard opts into his deal for 2021-22 season, he could sign a four-year extension that would be worth $181.5 million. According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, if the extension is combined with Leonard's $36 million option for next season, it would be similar to him signing a five-year, $217 million contract. 

The Clippers do not have the full Bird Rights to Leonard because he has only been with the organization for two seasons. Without the Clippers having full Bird Rights, he cannot sign a five-year contract with the team.