Kawhi Leonard Injury: What We Know About the Clipper's Latest Absence

During his time in the NBA, Kawhi Leonard has established himself as a unique talent. While he entered the league as a lanky role player, the forward's combination of length and athleticism make him a perfect fit for the modern game and helped him become an all-league star.

There has been one lingering issue, though. In recent years, Leonard just couldn't seem to escape the injury bug.

And while the 2023-24 campaign was going pretty smoothly, an issue has suddenly cropped up to rule the Clippers' star out of action. With that in mind, let's break down what we do (and do not) know about the Leonard's injury situation.

Why Isn't Leonard Playing Against Warriors?

The Golden State Warriors might not be the dynasty they once were, but a hot streak has pushed the club back into the postseason picture. That reality, plus the combined star power of the two California clubs, would make a nationally televised date with the Clippers an exciting prospect.

But, on Wednesday, there will be a notable absence: Leonard.

According to the NBA's official injury report, the forward is ruled out with a left adductor strain. And, as of Wednesday morning, that's the entirety of the information available.

When Will Leonard Return From Injury?

We don't have a definitive answer at this point, but it is worth noting how the NBA's schedule figures into play.

Wednesday night's game against the Warriors is L.A.'s last engagement prior to the All-Star break. Leonard and company aren't slated to return to action until Thursday, February 22, when they visit the Oklahoma City Thunder.

That hiatus should only help Leonard. While the All-Star Game could be a complicating factor, a week's rest could be enough time to recover from a minor tweak. If the strain is more serious, then at least Leonard will get that much recovery time without missing multiple games.

But What About Leonard's All-Star Status?

Given that he's missing Wednesday's game, it's certainly possible that Leonard won't take part in the weekend's All-Star festivities, despite earning a place in Indy. It would be a shame, after all, to exacerbate a problem in a meaningless exhibition. The forward's status also plays into that potential outcome. He's important to the Clippers and has somewhat of a checkered injury past, so the Clippers could have extra incentive to play it safe.

Is it possible that we'll learn that Wednesday's absence is precautionary and that a few minutes of low-intensity basketball won't be a problem? Sure, but muscle injuries are usually treated with an abundance of caution. The organization, after all, would certainly look foolish if Leonard took part in the All-Star Game and suffered a longer-term injury.

For what it's worth, Law Murray of The Athletic initially tweeted that about his skepticism that Leonard could participate in Indy. On Wednesday, though, he noted that team sources told him Leonard would at least travel to the All-Star Game.

Again, we'll have to wait to see how things unfold.

Kawhi Leonard's Injury History

As mentioned at the top of this piece, the Clippers star isn't a stranger to injuries. Going back to the 2017 postseason, he suffered a sprained ankle, a right quad injury, a partially torn ACL and a torn meniscus. Leonard also became one of the names commonly associated with load management, a practice that has irked fans and talking heads.

This season, though, he has been largely healthy and missed only four games in December with a left hip contusion.

Combine that relatively clean bill of health with the (presumably) minor status of an adductor strain and Murray's reporting, and it seems like this will only be a blimp on the radar. But, until we see Leonard return to the court, it's understandable if Clippers fans are a bit stressed.

Clippers Are Deep, But Leonard Leads Way

Like it or not, the modern NBA is all about star power. The Clippers seem to understand that, with a roster headlined by Leonard, Paul George, James Harden and Russell Westbrook.

And if Leonard is out for a brief stint, the three other talents could shoulder the load; perhaps Tyronn Lue would lean on a small-ball lineup and place Westbrook into the starting five. But if Leonard's absence becomes a longer-term issue, things could become trickier.

In terms of sheer counting numbers, the 32-year-old leads the club in points per game (24.9), and pitches in with the second-most rebounds (6.2 per contest) and third-most assists (3.7 per outing). He's also a key contributor on the defensive end, profiling well in steals and blocks among Clippers who play meaningful minutes.

The Clippers, who sit in third place in the Western Conference by a thin margin (they and the fourth-place Nuggets are both two games back, but L.A. boasts a better winning percentage by virtue of two fewer games played), can't afford to be without that production for long.

While a team can play small ball for a few games, the Clippers would ultimately miss Leonard's length. Center Mason Plumlee is more of a conventional post player and couldn't slot in on the wing. Beyond him, Amir Coffey and Terrance Mann remain options. Neither packs the same punch as Leonard, and Mann is already starting most contests, but they can both cover in a pinch.

But ultimately, that brings us back to not knowing much about the severity of the injury or what the future holds for Leonard. Until we get more clarity, we'll just have to wait and see how things unfold.