Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers anticipates persistent knee problem

Despite ongoing right knee inflammation, Kawhi Leonard, the star forward for the Los Angeles Clippers, is determined to play in the team's first game of the season against the Phoenix Suns on October 23rd.

During the Clippers' media day on Monday, Leonard acknowledged that his knee problems will likely persist and could affect him for the rest of his career. However, the 33-year-old remains hopeful that he can manage the injury with the assistance of the Los Angeles medical staff.

\"There are some things we can try to do to help me stay on the court,\" Leonard stated. \"We'll see how it goes.\"

Since the 2021 playoffs, Leonard has undergone three surgeries on his right knee, with the most recent one taking place during the offseason. He did not participate in the Paris Olympics with Team USA, and if he does play against the Suns on opening night, it will be his first live game since Game 3 of the first-round Western Conference playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks in April.

\"Yes, that's the plan,\" Leonard confirmed when asked about playing against the Suns. \"I never plan on missing games. It's just a matter of my body. I'm a human being, and we're playing basketball. So it all depends on what we want and what we figure out and how my body is feeling.

\"Right now, I'm optimistic that I will play. But we're taking it one day at a time.\"

The troublesome knee limited Leonard to only two games in the series against Dallas, and he missed the final eight regular-season games in 2023-24.

In the previous season, Leonard played in 68 games (all starts) and averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals.

The season before that, he appeared in just 52 games (50 starts) after sitting out the entire 2021-22 season.