Doctor weighs in on what Kawhi Leonard knee procedure means for Clippers' season

Tuesday's breaking news sent shockwaves through the LA Clippers fanbase. For those that are unaware, an update was provided on Kawhi Leonard's knee injury that was concerning to say the least. According to top NBA Insider Shams Charania, Kawhi underwent a procedure on his knee during the offseason, and the recovery from said procedure will limit his participation in the Clippers' upcoming training camp.

Now, there is still optimism from within the organization that Leonard is in a good place. ClutchPoints writer Tomer Azarly reported that Clippers President Lawrence Frank said Kawhi "has been encouraged" by the progress he has seen on his knee, and that whether he plays on opening night will simply be determined by his progression over the next four weeks.

Even still, these reports alone are reasons for concern among Clippers fans. Generally, any news concerning Kawhi's health other than "he is doing well and has no concerns" has historically been cause for hesitancy given his extensive injury troubles in his career.

After the news broke, a specialist decided to weigh in with his opinion on Leonard's injury. Dr. Evan Jeffries, a doctor of physical therapy and a sports injury analyst, wrote a post on X to give fans a greater understanding of what is going on here.

A sports injury analyst weighed in on Kawhi's ailment

Jeffries reiterated many of the thoughts that have probably been running through the minds of Clippers fans. "Once he was pulled from the Olympic team you knew something was wrong with his knee," Evan said. "This is the same knee that had the quad tendon issue followed by ACL tear and meniscus tear."

Indeed, the right knee is the same one that gave Kawhi trouble way back in the 2017-18 season. It was his final year with the San Antonio Spurs, and the injury kept him out for the vast majority of that season. Jeffries is also dead-on in saying that Leonard's departure from the Olympic team was a bit of a red flag more than two months ago.

Evan continues. "The big question is how limited will Kawhi be this year and what does that look like moving forward. If he is just strengthening his knee this more than likely means he will need 4-8 weeks of really ramping up NBA conditioning."

These are all very valid points from the injury expert. Kawhi could play on opening night against Phoenix or he could not, and yes of course it would be nice to have him play in the Intuit Dome's inagural game. But ultimately, the long-term fallout is far more important here.

Whether Leonard suits up on October 23 is not in direct correlation to how healthy he will be for the entire season. Like Jeffries says, if Kawhi's knee is still in need of strengthening, it could be a longer road back to playing at a high level again than Clippers fans would hope.