NBA Says Kawhi Leonard Is Injured, Clippers Aren't Breaking Load Management Rule
The Los Angeles Clippers aren't violating NBA rules with their load management policy for star Kawhi Leonard.
League spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement (via Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN):
"Kawhi Leonard is not a healthy player under the league's resting policy, and, as such, is listed as managing a knee injury in the LA Clippers injury report. The league office, in consultation with the NBA's director of sports medicine is comfortable with the team medical staff's determination that Leonard is not sufficiently healthy to play in back-to-back games at this time."
Wojnarowski provided further perspective on the situation:
The NBA approved a new policy in September 2017 that allowed Commissioner Adam Silver to fine teams a minimum of $100,000 if they chose to sit healthy players for nationally televised games.
Leonard was limited to nine games while dealing with a quad injury in 2017-18. The general mystery around the injury was a storyline for the San Antonio Spurs throughout the season. ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Michael C. Wright reported head coach Gregg Popovich had "repeatedly expressed frustration about a rehabilitation process from an injury they never expected would take this long to heal."
Leonard's relationship with the Spurs deteriorated to the point he requested a trade and was sent to the Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors were much more proactive regarding his workload, and he missed 22 games during the 2018-19 regular season. The strategy proved to be successful as Leonard averaged 30.5 points and 9.1 rebounds in the postseason as Toronto won its first title.
He told ESPN's Rachel Nichols the team's load management plan was instrumental in helping him play at a high level in the playoffs:
Most expected the Clippers to mirror the Raptors' approach when it came to the three-time All-Star, even if it means he's unavailable for marquee matchups.
The Clippers' next back-to-back begins Nov. 13 on the road with the Houston Rockets. They turn around and face off with the New Orleans Pelicans one night later. It would appear Leonard is guaranteed to miss one of those games.
