The secret is finally out. Kawhi Leonard did suffer a major injury in the series against the Utah Jazz as the Los Angeles Clippers announced that the two-time Finals MVP underwent successful surgery to repair a partial tear of the ACL in his right knee on Tuesday.
Leonard got the injury during the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals. He came up limping after a strong drive to the basket against Utah forward Joe Ingles. Leonard initially thought the injury was nothing as he said after the game that "It's good, next question."
Leonard's injury more serious than previously thought
Further examinations on Leonard's right knee showed the injury was more serious than previously thought. The Clippers were forced to play their next eight playoff games without Leonard, who was diagnosed in the injury report with a right knee sprain.
The Clippers fought gallantly without their star player, beating the Jazz in Games 5 and 6 to advance to their first-ever Western Conference Finals. The loss of Leonard was too hard to overcome, though, in their next series against the Phoenix Suns as they eventually bowed out in six games.
Leonard was a vital cog in the Clips' postseason run, averaging 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.1 steals through 11 playoff games. He shot an incredible 57 percent from the field, including 39.3 percent from deep.
The question now for Clippers fans is when Leonard will return next season. For comparison's sake, Thomas Bryant and Spencer Dinwiddie each missed at least 60 games after undergoing the same surgery as Leonard's to repair partial tears on their ACL, according to injury expert Jeff Stotts.
Re: Kawhi: Thomas Bryant & Spencer Dinwiddie each missed 60+ games after undergoing surgery for Grade 2 (partial tear) ACL injuries earlier this season. Dinwiddie was cleared for basketball activities ~6 months after surgery. Look for Kawhi’s recovery to carryover into next year.
— Jeff Stotts (@InStreetClothes) July 14, 2021
He added that Dinwiddie was cleared for basketball activities six months after surgery, with reports indicating that he may have been able to return for the NBA Finals if Brooklyn made it that far. With the 2021-22 season starting on October 19, expect Kawhi to miss a significant chunk of time in the next campaign.
Related Article: Khris Middleton Erupts For 40 Points in Game 4, Leads Milwaukee Bucks To Tie NBA Finals Series Against Phoenix Suns at 2-2
Leonard's injury impacts contract negotiations
Leonard is widely expected to activate the player option in his contract given the uncertainty surrounding his injury situation, guaranteeing $36 million for the 2021-22 season. According to Bobby Marks of ESPN, if Leonard decides to opt in, he will then be eligible to sign a monster four-year, $181.5 million extension with the Clippers that would start in 2022-23.
The Clippers have no other option but to commit full-time to a player with a well-documented injury history, given that they have already gone all-in with the pairing of Leonard and Paul George. Clippers fans got a small glimpse of their potential in this year's playoffs, with George even saying that if Kawhi Leonard was healthy in the Suns series, the Clippers would be the ones going on to the NBA Finals.
George stepped up big time in Leonard's absence, averaging 29.6 points, 11 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in the eight playoff games that Kawhi missed. With Leonard sidelined for the foreseeable future, the Clippers will need George to produce that same kind of numbers next season.
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