Doctors: Kawhi Leonard Likely To Miss Entire Season

July 14, 2021 ,



The Los Angeles Clippers dropped the news unexpectedly Tuesday night, Kawhi Leonard had surgery to repair a partially torn ACL. Now medical experts are weighing in with the opinion that, based on the injury, Leonard could likely be expected to miss the entire 2021-22 season.

Law Murray of The Athletic reports that the best-case scenario is for Leonard to come back in 6 months, which would cost him at least the first half of next season. 

But "a more likely" scenario would see him missing nine months, which would keep him out until just before the playoffs. Murray suggests that in that kind of scenario, given Kawhi's history with leg problems, he could choose to just sit out the entire campaign. 

Dr. Alan Beyer, an orthopedic specialist at the Hoag Orthopedic Institute outside of LA, confirms this analysis, and told the Orange County Register that "even with a partial tear, the disruption of the blood flow can make it so the injury “might as well be a full ACL tear," and will most likely take at least nine months to recover from. 

Complicating matters even more for Leonard, is the fact that he must decide on a $36 million dollar player option with the Clippers for the upcoming season. Before the injury, it was a foregone conclusion that Kawhi would not pick up that player option, and look to sign a large new multi-year deal as a free agent. 

Now, Kawhi's future on and off the court is in question. 

Photo Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports




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