Kawhi Leonard dropped out of Team USA’s training camp after the first few days in Las Vegas due to undisclosed reasons many believe is to do with the knee injury that left him incapable of participating in the Playoffs. Stephen Curry reacted to Leonard dropping out, appreciating the Clippers forward for his effort.
“Kawhi gave it everything he had when we were preparing the last few days of camp. There were conversations between USAB leadership, Kawhi, and his team to make sure he was set up for success.”
Curry said that Kawhi wished the remaining group good luck while hoping that Kawhi is healthy by the time the season starts.
“Obviously, these are tough decisions, and I know he wanted to play, but it’s one of those things where he wished us luck and wanted us to go win Gold. Hopefully, for the long term, he’s in a good place because the game needs him. When he’s not out there, you miss an all-time great player. We hope he’s ready for this season.”
Steph Curry on Kawhi Leonard withdrawing from Team USA before the Olympics: “I know he wanted to play… Hopefully, for the long term, he’s in a good place because the game needs him. When he’s not out there, you miss an all-time great player. We hope he’s ready for this season.” pic.twitter.com/0M3S5UfLtD
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 11, 2024
Leonard has been replaced on the team by Derrick White, with USA Basketball prioritizing getting a low-maintenance replacement who can just fit into the system instead of a star player who would need to be featured within the flow of the offense. That could be the reason why Jaylen Brown, Kyrie Irving, Jalen Brunson, and Damian Lillard, among others, were snubbed from the replacement spot.
Kawhi played just two games of the six-game first-round series against the Mavericks, with the Clippers losing both as Kawhi looked like a ghost of his best self. He needs the time off to get his knee working, as the Clippers won’t stand a chance of competing without him on the court, especially in light of Paul George’s departure.
Paul Pierce Thinks Kawhi Leonard Should Consider Retirement
Kawhi Leonard’s inability to stay healthy has prompted people to push him toward retirement. We’ve seen Stephen A. Smith do it at various points, but former NBA Finals MVP Paul Pierce has weighed in with a similar thought.
“Knowing Kawhi’s history of injuries, I like that move. He probably has that itch, but I think it’s probably best for both parts that he pays that team that’s paying him money,” said Pierce. “Kawhi should really start thinking about retirement. I really do believe that. This is just for the guy’s health. He’s missed 44% of the games… You really got to think about the long run for yourself.”
Leonard averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists last season, getting an All-NBA nod for his performances. But if he has another season where he’s dominating in the regular season but unable to play in the postseason, the Clippers will need to evaluate how much longer they can wait for Leonard to put together a healthy postseason before moving on.
Retirement has been floated around by many who don’t know Leonard personally. He signed a three-year, $149.5 million contract which takes him through till 2028, so unless he’s completely incapable of playing again, Leonard will likely return to the court.
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