Should Kawhi’s Offseason Surgery be a Concern?

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As the 2024-55 NBA season kicks off in just a few weeks, there are questions for the Los Angeles Clippers. Having a rough offseason losing Paul George to the Philadelphia 76ers for nothing, the Clippers lost one of their three stars. They would re-sign James Harden in free agency after extending Kawhi Leonard during the season.

Leonard was set to be a part of USA Basketball for the 2024 Olympics but would be removed from the team and replaced by Derrick White. It would later be reported that Leonard had withdrawn from the team due to knee issues.

As reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic, Leonard would have an offseason procedure on his knee and will be limited to knee strengthening when the Clippers training camp starts. Previously having surgery on his surgically repaired right knee, Leonard would miss the end of the 2023-24 season as well as several games of the Clippers first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks.

NBA Reporter Mark Medina would also report on the situation, noting that Clippers’ President Lawrence Frank is unknown if Leonard will be ready for the team’s opening night matchup against the Phoenix Suns. Since 2017, Leonard has missed double-digit games in six seasons in addition to missing the entire 2021-22 season as he recovered from an ACL injury.

For the Clippers, the team is already in a concerning spot following the loss of Paul George. With Kawhi’s return being unknown, the Clippers could have to play with James Harden as their focal point to start the season.

When healthy though, Leonard makes the argument of being one of the best in the league. In 68 games last season, Leonard averaged 23.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 3.6 APG while shooting a career-high from the field.

If Leonard misses significant time due to the knee procedure, it could have drastic consequences for the Clippers going forward. After winning 51 games last season will all three stars, Fox Sports has the Clippers winning 41 games, missing both the playoffs and Play-In Tournament. With Leonard possibly missing the start of the 2024-25 season, it’s possible the teams win projection could drop below 40 wins, resulting in one of their worst seasons since the 2011-12 season.

Despite the worry, Lawrence Frank did give Clipper fans some hope. When asked about Leonard’s progress Frank had the following to say:

“I think he’s encouraged now. We’re starting to see some light at the end of it.”

If Kawhi can successfully recover from his offseason knee procedure in a timely manner, the Clippers can still be a legitimate regular season and playoff threat. If not, the Clippers may have to dig themselves out of a hole by the time Kawhi is healthy and ready to play.