Report: Kawhi Leonard diagnosed with torn meniscus originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his right knee, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Wednesday.

The news comes one day after the Clippers were eliminated from the playoffs. Leonard led the team with 38 points in a Game 1 win over the Phoenix Suns and scored 31 in a Game 2 defeat before missing the final three games of the first-round series, culminating in a Game 5 loss in Phoenix Tuesday night.

Leonard tore his ACL in the same knee during the 2021 playoffs and missed the entire 2021-22 campaign. He played 50 games during the 2022-23 regular season, averaging 23.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.

On top of Leonard’s absence, the Clippers were also without Paul George during their brief playoff run. George suffered a knee sprain on March 21 and did not play the remainder of the season. He reportedly could have returned later in the postseason if the Clippers advanced, but now he and Leonard have a full offseason to recover from their respective knee injuries.

Leonard is on the books for $45,640,084 in 2023-24 and has a $48,787,676 player option for 2024-25 before his current contract expires. George is in a nearly identical boat with $45,640,165 in salary for 2023-24, a $48,787,763 player option for 2024-25 and unrestricted free agency in line for the summer of 2025.