Free-agent forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) agreed to a four-year, $176 million deal to remain in Los Angeles. Leonard recently opted out of a $36 million player option, so naturally, many would speculate where he would end up next. However, after tearing the ACL in his right knee during the postseason, requiring surgery, the Clippers managed to retain the superstar, although it is uncertain if the multi-time NBA Champion will play during the 2021-22 campaign. Of course, as a result of the injury, Leonard should no longer be considered a first-round option in redraft formats, primarily since he faces months of rehab moving ahead.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) has agreed to a new deal to remain with the team. In July, the two-time Finals MVP and multi-time All-Star had surgery to repair a partially torn ACL in his right knee. Although he declined his $36 million player option, the team still had its sights on him, despite potentially missing the entire 2021-22 campaign. Throughout 10 seasons in the league, Leonard averaged 19.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.8 steals. While he is worth a late-round stash this season, his fantasy outlook isn't promising by any means.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) is expected to miss time during the 2021-22 campaign. However, he may miss even more than anticipated, primarily after president of basketball operations, Lawrence Frank, indicated that the All-Star would "require a great deal of time" to recover. Leonard suffered a torn ACL during the postseason, requiring surgery, which was unfortunate considering the team was deep into the postseason when the injury occurred. He also holds a $36 million player option, and although he may opt-out, chances remain high that he stays in L.A. on a long-term agreement. The 30-year-old averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 boards, and 1.6 steals last season while shooting nearly 40 percent from deep. In normal circumstances, the multi-time NBA champ would be a top-10 fantasy pick. However, he doesn't have much value at the moment, although a stash is certainly warranted in redraft formats.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kawhi Leonard had surgery Tuesday to repair a partial tear of his right ACL, an injury the Los Angeles Clippers did not specify as he sat out the team's first-ever Western Conference finals appearance. The Clippers said there is no timetable for his return. Leonard averaged 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 11 playoff games. He first got hurt in Game 4 of the team's second-round series against the Utah Jazz. He was held out of the last eight postseason games, including the Clippers' 4-2 loss to the Phoenix Suns in the West finals. The Clippers only said Leonard had a knee sprain. They never offered further details and he was ruled out on a game-by-game basis the rest of the playoffs. Leonard has a player option for the 2021-22 season. He averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 52 regular-season games. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers’ season began in an empty arena with cardboard cutouts, COVID-19 tests, and protocols for everything. It ended with the team reaching the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history, even without injured superstar Kawhi Leonard. A masked Leonard watched from the bench as the Clippers lost to the Phoenix Suns in six games on Wednesday night. “Man, we just had a group of guys that loved playing with each other. Everyone was on the same page,” center Ivica Zubac said Thursday. The Clippers overcame 0-2 deficits in the first two rounds to beat Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks and Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz. Leonard sprained his right knee in Game 4 against the Jazz and didn't play again. Zubac also injured his knee and was forced to sit out the final two games against the Suns. The Clippers trailed that series 0-2 and 1-3 before closing to 3-2 and eventually running out of gas. Through the injuries, Paul George kept... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers have pulled off their share of comebacks during this year's postseason. They might have hit the wall during their marathon run. Los Angeles — playing its 17th game in 36 days — lost 84-80 to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. The Clippers have been down 2-0 in each of their series this postseason, but are staring at a 3-1 deficit for the first time with Game 5 set for Monday night in Phoenix. “We’ve been down before. It’s tough. We’ve had our backs against the wall and we’ve been in elimination games,” said Reggie Jackson, who scored 20 points. The Clippers rallied from a 16-point deficit in the third quarter to get within one, but couldn't complete the comeback. They went 0 for 12 from the floor with a chance to tie or take the lead, which is the worst shooting stretch over the past 25 postseasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information. LA got within 71-70 with 10:11 remaining on... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Paul started for the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night in Game 3 against the Los Angeles Clippers after missing the first two games of the Western Conference finals while in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Paul was upgraded to available from probable on the league’s injury report and participated in the team’s shootaround Thursday. He scored a game-high 37 points in final game of the second-round series against the Denver Nuggets on June 13. “To have him back on the bus and shootaround was pretty cool for everybody. You know, right after that everybody got right back to business,” coach Monty Williams said before the game. "We watched film and broke down some of the things we didn’t do well and got on the floor and had a good shootaround. Williams said less than two hours before tip off that there wouldn't be a minutes restriction on Paul. The 36-year-old point guard averaged 25.5 points, 10.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds in the Denver series. “He’s always been... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Paul is listed as probable to play for the Phoenix Suns in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. The Suns lead the Los Angeles Clippers 2-0. The series shifts to Staples Center on Thursday night. Paul missed the first two games while in the NBA's health and safety protocols since June 16. His status was updated in the league’s injury report Wednesday. The 36-year-old point guard, a former Clipper, averaged 25.5 points, 10.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds in the second round against Denver. The Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard. He has missed the series so far with a strained right knee. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard is officially out Friday night for Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz, but coach Tyronn Lue did not have any update on if it will be longer. Leonard sprained his right knee Monday night in a Game 4 win. He traveled with the Clippers to Salt Lake City, Lue said, then returned to Los Angeles for further testing. A sprain, by definition, is a ligament injury, but the Clippers have not said which of the four knee ligaments he injured. Despite missing Leonard, LA took a 3-2 series lead on Wednesday night with a 119-111 victory behind 37 points from Paul George. The Clippers are 12-9 without their All-Star forward this season, including 1-0 in the playoffs. Leonard — a two-time NBA Finals MVP — is averaging 30.4 points in the playoffs. The Clippers will be looking to close out the series and advance to the conference finals for the first time in the franchise’s 51-year history with a win. The Jazz need a victory... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — The NBA's top playoff seeds, Philadelphia and Utah, are on the brink of being eliminated. The 76ers have blown leads of 18 and 26 points in back-to-back losses to the Atlanta Hawks, who now lead the Eastern Conference semifinal series 3-2. Atlanta, the No. 5 seed, can clinch the series at home on Friday night after storming back for an improbable 109-106 win on Wednesday night in Philadelphia. “Our backs are against the wall right now and we have to play like it,” said Philadelphia's Tobias Harris. Seth Curry said the 76ers should not have psychological scars from losing big leads in back-to-back losses. “It shouldn’t,” Curry said. “We’re grown men over here. Watch the film and learn from it and bounce back.” Led by Trae Young, the Hawks are attempting to advance to a conference final for only the second time since moving to Atlanta in 1968. The Hawks were swept by Cleveland in the 2015 conference final. The Hawks won their only NBA championship in 1958, when the team was... [More]

The NBA champion this season will be the last team standing. Perhaps literally. Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers missed Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals with a knee sprain and amid concerns that it could be a far more significant injury. Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving has been sidelined by a badly sprained ankle. Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid is playing through a meniscus tear. Atlanta’s Trae Young is putting heat packs on his shoulder that appear to be roughly the size of a small vehicle. Brooklyn’s James Harden came back despite an ailing hamstring. Those are big names, All-Star names, all nowhere near their best right now because of injuries, and there were plenty of other top players — the Lakers’ duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Denver’s Jamal Murray and Miami’s Victor Oladipo among them — that also either limped to the finish of their seasons or saw them end prematurely because of serious injury. “This is the best time of the year for our league and fans but missing... [More]

The NBA champion this season will be the last team standing. Perhaps literally. Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers missed Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals with a knee sprain and amid concerns that it could be a far more significant injury. Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving has been sidelined by a badly sprained ankle. Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid is playing through a meniscus tear. Atlanta’s Trae Young is putting heat packs on his shoulder that appear to be roughly the size of a small vehicle. Brooklyn’s James Harden came back despite an ailing hamstring. Those are big names, All-Star names, all nowhere near their best right now because of injuries, and there were plenty of other top players — the Lakers’ duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Denver’s Jamal Murray and Miami’s Victor Oladipo among them — that also either limped to the finish of their seasons or saw them end prematurely because of serious injury. “This is the best time of the year for our league and fans but missing... [More]

Kawhi Leonard's right knee is now a major concern for the Los Angeles Clippers. The All-NBA forward sat out Los Angeles' 119-111 Game 5 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night with what the Clippers are calling a sprain. A person with knowledge of the matter said Leonard will need more testing and evaluation, raising questions about his availability going forward. The structural integrity of Leonard's knee has yet to be fully determined, the person said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team has not offered any specific diagnosis other than sprain. A sprain, by definition, is a ligament injury, though the Clippers have not said which of the four knee ligaments is the cause for concern. “He’s a little down because he wants to be here," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said before the game in Salt Lake City. “But that’s part of the game. He understands that. He wants to be there for his teammates. We understand what’s going on right now, so he’s going... [More]

Kawhi Leonard's right knee is now a major concern for the Los Angeles Clippers. The All-NBA forward was ruled out of Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday with what the Clippers are calling a sprain. A person with knowledge of the matter said Leonard will need more testing and evaluation, raising questions about his availability going forward. The structural integrity of Leonard's knee has yet to be fully determined, the person said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team has not offered any specific diagnosis other than sprain. A sprain, by definition, is a ligament injury, though the Clippers have not said which of the four knee ligaments is the cause for concern. “He’s a little down because he wants to be here," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said before Game 5 in Salt Lake City. “But that’s part of the game. He understands that. He wants to be there for his teammates. We understand what’s going on right now, so... [More]

Kawhi Leonard's right knee is now a major concern for the Los Angeles Clippers. The All-NBA forward was ruled out of Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals on Wednesday with what the Clippers are calling a sprain. A person with knowledge of the matter said Leonard will need more testing and evaluation, raising questions about his availability going forward. The structural integrity of Leonard's knee has yet to be fully determined, the person said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team has not offered any specific diagnosis other than sprain. A sprain, by definition, is a ligament injury, though the Clippers have not said which of the four knee ligaments is the cause for concern. “There is no timetable for his return," the Clippers said. After Wednesday's game in Salt Lake City, the series resumes with Game 6 on Friday in Los Angeles. Game 7, if necessary, is back in Salt Lake City on Sunday. Even in the short term, it is a massive blow for the... [More]

All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard has a right knee sprain that will keep him out of the Los Angeles Clippers' lineup for Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night and raises questions about his availability going forward. The Clippers said Wednesday that there is “no timetable for his return." Game 5 is Wednedsday in Salt Lake City; Game 6 of the series is Friday in Los Angeles. It is a massive blow for the Clippers, who have split the first four games of their series with the top-seeded Jazz and are trying to reach the West finals for the first time in franchise history. Leonard is a two-time NBA Finals MVP, and is averaging 30.4 points on 57% shooting in the playoffs. The Clippers were 11-9 without Leonard during the regular season. They're 6-1 so far in the playoffs when he scores at least 28 points, 0-4 otherwise. “I don’t care about the Western Conference Finals," Leonard said after Game 4 of the series against the Jazz. “I’m trying to win a championship.... [More]

All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard has a right knee injury that may keep him out of the Los Angeles Clippers' lineup for Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals on Wednesday night, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Leonard's status hinges on what he and the Clippers learn after additional examination and treatment, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team had not divulged the injury. Leonard was not listed on the injury report that the Clippers filed with the league Tuesday night. That report is scheduled to be updated Wednesday. ESPN first reported that Leonard is dealing with the knee injury. Leonard, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, is averaging 30.4 points on 57% shooting in the playoffs. The injury appeared to occur with about 5:20 left in Game 4 of the series against Utah on Monday night, when he was fouled on a drive by Utah's Bojan Bogdanovic. Leonard was dribbling into the lane when he was bumped, and his right knee... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid and the 76ers barely have a leg to stand on. Embiid can’t jump. He can’t get any lift in his shots -- notable in a blown layup that should have won Game 4 -- and couldn’t make any buckets in the second half. Embiid is day to day. So, now, are the top-seeded Sixers. Embiid continues to suit up and play through torn cartilage in his right knee -- admirably, perhaps -- but at the point of diminishing returns for the Sixers. The big man is hurting as the Sixers return home Wednesday for Game 5 against the Atlanta Hawks. Embiid and Ben Simmons’ failures in Game 4 keyed the Sixers collapse down the stretch and let the Hawks pull away with the win and tie the series 2-2. The Western Conference semifinals between the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers. The Jazz return to Salt Lake City with their young star Donovan Mitchell playing with a sore right ankle and all the momentum in the series now with the Clippers. Los Angeles dominated Utah in in Game 3 and Game 4... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Doc Rivers isn't revealing his plan for replacing Danny Green in the Philadelphia 76ers' lineup. Rivers said Sunday “some of the unintended good consequences of having injuries during the regular season” are having options for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night. Green's injury is a big loss for Rivers, but the coach has a deep bench. Green is expected to miss at least two weeks after straining his right calf early Friday in a 127-111 win over the Hawks. The 76ers took a 2-1 lead in the series, putting Atlanta behind in a series for the first time in this postseason. Hawks coach Nate McMillan is trying to avoid putting added pressure on his players. “I think all games are must-wins,” McMillan said Sunday. “If we don’t get tomorrow night we still have another chance in Philly, but you want to take advantage of your home court.” Matisse Thybulle was Rivers' first choice to replace Green in Friday night's game. Thybulle... [More]

The Los Angeles Clippers find themselves in familiar territory — down 2-0 in their second straight playoff series and seeing one player outplay their two superstars. While the Clippers proved they could work their way out of a deep hole before, the challenges are steeper as they prepare to face the Utah Jazz on Saturday as the scene shifts to Staples Center for Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinal series. The downtown Los Angeles court, which has been the franchise's home since 1999, has not given them any advantages when it comes to the postseason. They have lost nine of their last 11 home playoff games. Last Sunday's 126-111 victory over Dallas in Game 7 snapped a eight-game home playoff losing streak. Paul George said after Thursday night's 117-111 loss that they are approaching this two-game deficit the same way they approached being down to Dallas. “We still feel we have a lot of possessions that we can clean up and a lot of possessions that are hurting us that’s our fault,”... [More]