Author: Monojit Mandal
Kawhi Leonard’s future in the NBA was thrown into doubt after an injury ended his season in the playoffs. The Clippers were beaten by the Phoenix Suns in the first round, and Leonard has missed the last three games due to a torn meniscus in his right knee.
The Clippers have yet to win an NBA title, and the loss to the Suns only added to their woes. While Leonard’s absence may make the defeat easier to bear for some fans, basketball analysts have not been kind to the superstar forward. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and the Lakers’ Paul Pierce criticized Leonard and questioned whether he could return to his peak performance level. Due to his frequent illnesses, Pierce even advised that Leonard should retire.
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Leonard has been plagued by injuries since signing with the Clippers in 2019 as a free agency. Due to quadriceps and knee problems, he has only taken part in 54% of possible regular season and post-season games since then. He will miss the entire 2021-22 NBA season while recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee, which he reinjured last month against the Suns. Despite these setbacks, Leonard has been a strong player when healthy.
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In two post-season games this season, he averaged 34.5 points in each game and almost 24 points and 7 crucial rebounds a night. Leonard’s contract with the Clippers expires in one year, and he has the option to leave in 2024, which could be a consolation for the team, which owes him around US$46 million next year. If he opts for the final year of his contract, the Clippers will have to pay an extra 49 million dollars.
The uncertainty over Leonard’s future is just another setback for the Clippers, who urgently need an NBA title. Despite having a great squad, the club has failed to get past the second round of the playoffs in either of the last two seasons. Given Leonard’s injury history and his current contract situation, it’s unclear what the future holds for him and the Clippers.