The Los Angeles Clippers are practically assured to play the Dallas Mavericks within the first spherical of the NBA playoffs as both the fourth or fifth seed within the Western Convention, nevertheless it’s not clear if and when Kawhi Leonard shall be in uniform to affix them.

As of Friday, April 12, the Clippers star has missed seven straight video games on account of what the group is to this point solely calling “proper knee irritation,” however was sufficient of a difficulty to see him despatched residence from a highway journey after it occurred, and has had little or no concrete data offered on it since.

Leonard was formally dominated out of the group’s penultimate recreation of the season — Friday, April 12 vs the Utah Jazz — leaving him just one common season recreation on Sunday in opposition to the Houston Rockets wherein to theoretically return earlier than the Clippers open the postseason in opposition to the Dallas Mavericks somewhat greater than every week from now.

Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue didn’t precisely sound sure that might occur on Friday:

Through the matchup with Utah, Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank gave the most recent replace on Leonard, and (notably) stopped wanting giving any type of timeline or dedication that his star can be again this season:

And this was after Lue’s feedback previous to the group’s Wednesday recreation that raised some eyebrows:

Right here is remainder of the most recent we find out about what’s going on, and when he could possibly be again:

Kawhi received an MRI

Based on Tomer Azarly, who covers the Clippers as a credentialed reporter for Clutch Factors, Leonard “underwent a precautionary MRI upon returning to Los Angeles, which didn’t present something that might trigger the Clippers vital concern.”

Leonard left the group’s highway journey after the soreness flared up vs. the Charlotte Hornets on April 1, and went again to Los Angeles for therapy moderately than proceed on with the group to Sacramento to face the Kings.

Lue was initially hoping Leonard can be again final Thursday, April 4 in opposition to the Denver Nuggets… however he has as a substitute missed that recreation as effectively, and each recreation since:

Azarly moreover reported that his sources say Leonard is “not anticipated to be out lengthy sufficient to hazard his playoff availability, assuming the Clippers end with a top-six seed.” Nonetheless, Legislation Murray of The Athletic wrote that “whereas the Clippers stay unconcerned about his standing total, group sources preserve that they won’t rush him again.”

The group isn’t offering any substantial updates

The Clippers have largely been mum on any specifics concerning their perpetually mysterious star. Lue wouldn’t even affirm to the media whether or not or not Leonard received imaging achieved on his injured proper knee:

The rationale for burbling skepticism about Leonard’s availability — and in regards to the Clippers’ updates on it — is that this knee is similar one which Leonard tore his meniscus in throughout the 2023 NBA Playoffs, which the Clippers initially framed as a day-to-day “proper knee sprain” earlier than confirming the a lot worse harm after the postseason was over.

Leonard additionally partially tore his ACL in the identical proper knee throughout the 2021 NBA playoffs, later present process surgical procedure that value him all the 2021-22 season.

Leonard is the Clippers’ consensus greatest participant, and their possibilities of doing a lot — if something — within the postseason will hinge on how wholesome he can get for the primary spherical, which is why the group’s caginess on this example bears monitoring.

Will Leonard be again for the 2024 NBA playoffs?

Thus far, the phrase is that he’ll. Azarly reported on Friday, April 5 that Leonard “and the group are going by the rehab course of, managing the irritation in his knee, they usually’re hopeful he’ll return someday subsequent week, in time to play the ultimate two or three video games of the common season.”

Nonetheless, after being dominated out for Friday, that originally reported objective isn’t going to occur. Leonard can now solely seem in a most of 1 recreation earlier than the playoffs start, if he does return in any respect. And given the Clippers’ historic caginess about Leonard’s accidents, that continues to be to be seen:

Keep tuned and bookmark this web page, as we shall be offering reside updates as they arrive on Leonard’s standing if and when he returns, whether or not to ramp up for the common season, or for the 2024 playoffs.