The Los Angeles Clippers were not opposed to Kawhi Leonard’s presence at the Olympics, their general manager, Lawrence Frank, said Monday.
The U.S. basketball team cut Leonard from the roster last week after a four-day camp, replacing him with Derrick White of the Boston Celtics.
USA Basketball cited a joint decision with the Clippers that it was best for him not to play this summer.
“Team USA made a decision and frankly, I was very disappointed,” Frank said in Las Vegas. “Kawhi wanted to play. We wanted him to be there (at the Olympics) too.”
Leonard missed 12 of the Clippers’ final 14 games last season because of inflammation in his right knee. Last week, he said he felt fine. He still played in 68 games, his most since 2016-17.
On the national team, coach Steve Kerr has among his assistants Tyronn Lue, who leads the Clippers.
Leonard has won the NBA championship twice, including in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors. He has been limited by injuries for the past seven seasons.
“I was there for the first two practices (with the United States). He looked great, he was fully participating in everything,” Frank said. “I wasn’t there for the third practice. That’s when they decided to cut him from the team.”
Kevin Durant is with the team, but he did not play in the United States’ first two preseason games.
If a player gets injured during the Olympics, no one can add another athlete to the roster. This is an important factor as nations finalize their rosters.
“I understand their point of view,” Frank said. “We have to move forward. We support (the Olympic team). I really want to see them win gold. I know Kawhi wants the same thing.”
2024-07-16 00:22:00
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