Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers reacts in the third quarter during their game against the Charlotte Hornets. GETTY IMAGES.

The Los Angeles Clippers did not prevent Kawhi Leonard from representing the United States in the Paris Olympics this summer. However, the forward’s physical issues have forced him to step away from the ‘Avengers.’

“We wanted him to remain on the team,” said Lawrence Frank, the general manager of the California franchise, making a surprising but genuine statement this week.

The relationship between FIBA and the NBA is often more contentious than it appears. There are usually conflicts and disagreements regarding player call-ups. 


President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank, head coach Doc Rivers, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and owner Steve Ballmer of the Los Angeles Clippers attend the Paul George and Kawhi Leonard introductory press conference. GETTY IMAGES.
President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank, head coach Doc Rivers, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and owner Steve Ballmer of the Los Angeles Clippers attend the Paul George and Kawhi Leonard introductory press conference. GETTY IMAGES.


National teams ‘fight’ with European clubs and NBA franchises to utilize their stars, despite the potential injuries or external factors from international competitions that could impact player performance.

It’s noteworthy that despite Kawhi Leonard being a veteran (33 years old) with a somewhat concerning injury history, the Clippers had given him the green light to continue his Olympic adventure.Nevertheless, as revealed last week, he was removed by the USA Basketball staff due to pressure from the Clippers after Leonard had been dealing with physical problems.



The voice that has shaken the NBA and Team USA is that of executive Frank, who has directly blamed the national team for this crisis: “Kawhi wanted to play. We wanted him to play. I was there for the first two practices, and he seemed to be doing very well. He was a full participant.”

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the Clippers forward’s departure, the issue appears significant. However, many believe it won’t escalate much further, as Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue is an assistant on Steve Kerr’s national team staff, and his relationship with Kawhi Leonard is solid.

Therefore, the real reason for the two-time NBA champion and six-time All-Star’s departure remains unclear. The only certainty is that injury problems have been a recurring theme in Leonard’s career. Leonard has missed nearly 170 regular-season games in the last five seasons, representing about 40% of the games.