The Los Angeles Clippers have announced that Kawhi Leonard will not play in Game 4 against the Dallas Mavericks. And that might only be the start.
President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank told the media Sunday that Leonard would be out for the critical Game 4 with right knee inflammation. Frank said that it was an organizational decision. Leonard’s inflamed knee is the same one he had surgically repaired a few years ago, which makes this whole process complicated, Frank said. Leonard has played through it up until now, but since the pain has now forced him to sit, Frank has no idea when Leonard will be back.
Lawrence Frank says he doesn’t know when Kawhi Leonard will be back. He says until he shows all the movements he needs to make, that will be the timeline.
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) April 28, 2024
The Mavericks lead the Clippers 2-1 in this first-round series. Sunday’s game gives the Clippers the opportunity to tie it 2-2, meaning they’d essentially starting fresh in Game 5. But it will be difficult to get to that point without Leonard, even if he hasn’t been playing like himself lately.
Lawrence Frank calls the inflammation in Kawhi Leonard’s surgically-repaired right knee “tricky.” “When you watch him play, it was very obvious that is not Kawhi Leonard.”
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) April 28, 2024
From what Frank was saying, it seems like there’s a legitimate chance Leonard could be out for more than just this series.
Asked Lawrence Frank if Kawhi Leonard can return this series if he shows he can move like normal again, Frank said there’s no timetable. He said Leonard has to show he can move without restrictions to have a shot to play.
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) April 28, 2024
But the Clippers have to make it past the Mavericks before they need to worry about anything beyond that. They face Dallas at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
