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LeBron James Shares Heartfelt Message for Kawhi Leonard

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James spoke on LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard

Joey Linn

Jul 2, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James watches at a press conference at the UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 2, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James watches at a press conference at the UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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USA basketball and LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard made the difficult decision to part ways before the Paris Olympics. After going through training camp with Team USA in Las Vegas, Leonard was ruled out for the Olympics, and replaced by Boston Celtics guard Derrick White. 

Leonard has been dealing with right knee inflammation that first popped up near the end of the 2023-24 regular season, and limited his availability in the playoffs. Seemingly not fully recovered from that knee issue, Leonard will continue to work on getting back to 100% healthy in preparation for next season. 

Speaking with reporters, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was asked about Leonard having to leave the team, saying he is still a brother, and his health is all that matters. 

"He's a brother of ours," James said. "He's part of the fraternity, no matter if he's here or not. He has to take care of himself and that's all that matters."

This is a frustrating development for Leonard, who has had a lot of basketball taken away from him due to injuries over the last several seasons. That said, the Clippers star has been one of the best players in basketball when available, and that availability is something he is trying to maximize next season with this decision to withdraw from the Olympics.

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Joey Linn

JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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