Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard (knee) uncertain for season opener

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out for the remainder of the LA Clippers’ preseason, and his status for their season opener Oct. 23 remains uncertain.

Leonard has not suited up this preseason, missing the first three games and Monday night’s 110-96 win against the Dallas Mavericks because of inflammation in his right knee.

“Continue to keep rehabbing,” Clippers coach Ty Lue said when asked about the plan for Leonard this week. “Keep getting better. Keep checking the boxes.”

Lue said Leonard will not play in LA’s preseason finale against the Kings on Thursday.

Leonard has not participated in contact drills in training camp, as the team has been cautious with its franchise star. Lue has said that Leonard has spent practices strengthening his knee.

Leonard missed the final eight games of last regular season and was limited to two games in the six-game, first-round loss to Dallas in the postseason because of inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee.

Leonard and the Clippers have gone through a variety of medical treatments to control the inflammation since the end of last season. The All-Star said at the start of camp that he was much more confident that he and the medical staff have a better handle on the condition.

While Leonard said he is feeling much better now, the two-time Finals MVP said he wants to make sure that he is available late in the season and doesn’t have to deal with the troublesome inflammation in his knee, which has had surgeries on his ACL and meniscus.

Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations, said before the start of camp that Leonard still had some inflammation in his knee and that the team wanted to be as safe as possible and would hold Leonard out of contact drills.

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Source: espn.com