It has been an unusual offseason for the LA Clippers' best player. Kawhi Leonard was set to join Team USA at the Olympics and help the American national squad try to win their fifth consecutive gold medal in Paris. But a few weeks ago, he was ultimately sent home by Team USA due to their opinion that he was not healthy enough to handle Olympic-level competition.
What we found out later is that the Clippers and their medical staff actually disagreed with the decision made by the Olympic team, even saying they were disappointed with the way things happened. Clearly, there was some kind of problem we still do not know about in totality.
Of course, many Clippers fans were rightfully concerned upon first hearing the news of Kawhi dropping out. He had been dealing with significant swelling in his knee leading up to the end of the regular season in 2023-24, and missed four of LA's first-round playoff games because of it. There were legitimate questions about whether he would be ready to go when the Clippers open the new season at Intuit Dome in October.
Kawhi Leonard worked out at USC on Tuesday
But ever since then, every piece of information that has come out is pointing to Team USA's perception of the situation being misguided. On Tuesday, a photo was released that revealed Kawhi had taken part in workouts at USC's Galen Center in Los Angeles.
As far as we can tell, it seems Kawhi is continuing with his normal basketball activities and does not appear to be physically limited the way the Olympic team staff seemed to think. Of course, for those who have followed the entirety of Leonard's NBA career, this is far from the first time we have seen a medical disagreement on this level before.
Kawhi's difference in opinion with the San Antonio Spurs' medical staff about a quadriceps injury back in the 2017-18 season led to him seeking outside advice from a doctor in New York that he frequented during that time. He has obviously dealt with a myriad of frustrating injuries over the course of his career, which has led him to getting reliable information from as many sources as possible.
In terms of expectations for next season, this recent workout photo of Leonard is of course a good sign. But when it comes to his relationship with the Olympic team and the reasoning behind him being ousted, it only serves to further the frustration among Clippers fans. Perhaps one day we will find out why exactly Team USA decided not to have Kawhi join them in Paris this year.