Speaking of Leonard, I believe that NBA fans who like to watch are familiar with him. As a former superstar, Leonard once led the Toronto Raptors to win the first championship in the team's history in 2019. It's a pity that after coming to the Clippers later, he often got injured and played intermittently. After 253 days of hard work to return to the NBA court, he had to leave the team again after playing only a few games. So what exactly is going on?
Since last season when he suffered an injury and felt unwell, the Clippers announced that Leonard would be out for the season. It wasn't until recently this season that there was news that he would make a comeback, and this wait lasted 253 days. After his return, Leonard's condition was average, and out of protection, the Clippers only let him play for about 20 minutes. In the first game against the Hawks, he played 19 minutes, shooting 4 out of 11 for 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist, helping the team win big with a score of 131:105; in the second game against the Timberwolves, Leonard played 20 minutes, shooting 3 out of 11 for 8 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists, but the team eventually lost 106:108.
From these two games, it can be seen that Leonard's state is very average and obviously not as good as his peak period. Especially in the game against the Timberwolves, although he only played for about 20 minutes, his on-court plus-minus value was -17, the lowest of the game, basically losing points whenever he came on the court. This indicates that his physical condition is not ideal and he has not fully recovered. He also lacks the feel of playing for too long. In an interview, Leonard himself also expressed this, saying: "My knee is still under daily observation. The last time I woke up from an injury, my knee became inflamed and the pain was unbearable."
Leonard actually has a history of injuries, especially with his right leg. In the Western Conference Finals of 2017, Leonard was stepped on by Zaza Pachulia, later missing all the games, and the team was unfortunately eliminated. Later, in the Clippers, which was 2021, Leonard suffered another anterior cruciate ligament tear in his right knee during the playoffs against the Jazz, ending his season. In 2023, Leonard finally returned to form, but then suffered another meniscus tear in his right knee during the playoffs against the Suns. In May 2024, Leonard missed the last 8 regular-season games and 3 playoff games against the Mavericks due to knee inflammation.
It must be said that Leonard's right leg has really been through a lot, suffering from too many injuries, and each time it was the same leg, which also brought significant problems to his recovery. At the peak of his career, Leonard was undoubtedly one of the top stars in the league, but after the injuries, it's unknown how much of his strength remains. Surprisingly, after just returning and playing 2 games, there was news that he would leave the team again. According to famous reporter Haynes, Clippers star Leonard temporarily left the team due to personal reasons.
It is reported that the reason for Leonard's departure is to accompany his family members who were forced to evacuate due to wildfires in Southern California. It turns out that strong winds caused wildfires to sweep through the Palisades area of Los Angeles, forcing 30,000 people to evacuate, and Leonard's family was among them. Seeing this reason, many fans expressed: This time leaving the team is understandable, and it is indeed reasonable.