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Ty Lue Makes Kawhi Leonard Injury Announcement Before Clippers-Raptors

LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has not yet played this season.

Joey Linn

LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) addresses the media in a post game press conference following a game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena.
LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) addresses the media in a post game press conference following a game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
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LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has not appeared in a game yet this NBA season. The Clippers have continued to rule the two-time Finals MVP out on the injury report with right knee injury recovery, but the team has not said when he is expected to return.

Leonard missed the last eight games of the 2023-24 regular season before missing four of the six Clippers-Mavericks first round playoff series games. When the star forward was added to Team USA’s roster for the Paris Olympics, it seemed there was no chance his injury absence would extend into the NBA season, but a setback suffered during USA training camp still has him sidelined.

Speaking with reporters prior to Saturday night’s game against the Toronto Raptors, Clippers head coach Ty Lue said Leonard will not be traveling with the team on their upcoming three-game road trip.

This trip sends the Clippers to Oklahoma and Houston (two games).

This pushes Leonard’s earliest possible return to November 17 when the Clippers head home to face the Utah Jazz, but considering he will have not practiced with the team yet, that also feels very unlikely. The updates on Leonard have been limited, but the Clippers have been more open about ruling him out for entire stretches of games or road trips like Lue did on Saturday.

Currently 5-4, the Clippers will be without Leonard for at least the next four games, and likely several more after that.

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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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