After missing Games 3-5 with what the Clippers initially called a right knee sprain, Kawhi Leonard has officially been diagnosed with a torn meniscus.
Leonard — who missed the entire 2021-22 with a partially torn ACL — now adds a second significant knee injury to a checkered injury timeline that keeps piling up.
Even if fully healthy, the Clippers already faced an uncertain future entering an offseason full of major questions. The long-term status of both Leonard and Paul George — who did not play in the five-game loss to the Suns while recovering from a knee injury — remains in doubt, though neither are free agents.
With yet another major injury for Leonard now on the table, another perilous question now looms.
MORE: Latest updates on Kawhi Leonard's injury
Will Kawhi Leonard retire?
That remains to be seen, though speculation was already starting to circulate even prior to the latest injury update.
After news came out that he would miss Game 3, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith suggested that he should retire, citing a long injury history that continues to keep him sidelined.
I am SICK of Kawhi Leonard.
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) April 21, 2023
At this point, Kawhi Leonard should just retire!
Full episode of @KnowMercyPod https://t.co/2J3JxAx5QI pic.twitter.com/ax8PAeVkZG
Of course, speculation about will he retire is different than whether or not he should retire. With the Clippers now in full offseason mode with only exit interviews remaining and the notoriously mum Leonard likely to recede from the public spotlight, the silence will only fan the flames of retirement speculation.
How old is Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard is 31 years old and turns 32 on June 29.
The 15th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Leonard just completed his 11th season, which does not include the entire 2021-22 season which he missed due to an ACL injury.
Kawhi Leonard injuries and missed games
Since signing with the Clipper in 2019, Leonard ranks just eighth in total games played behind Ivica Zubac, Terance Mann, Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris, Nicolas Batum, Paul George and Amir Coffey.
Leonard has appeared in 161 of a possible 308 regular season games and 26 of a possible 39 postseason games, which includes the two Play-In Tournament games LA lost in 2022.
Here's a quick run-down of Leonard's major recent injury and load management history dating back to his time with the San Antonio Spurs.
- 2017 NBA Playoffs with Spurs: Sprained ankle
- 2017-18 with Spurs: Right quadriceps injury (played nine games entire season)
- 2018-19 with Raptors: Right quad management and load management (missed 22 games)
- 2019-21 with Clippers: Knee and back (missed 35 games)
- 2021-22 with Clippers: Torn ACL (missed entire season)
- 2022-23 with Clippers: Knee recovery, sprained ankle and load management (missed 33 games)
Kawhi Leonard contract details
Leonard signed a three-year, $103.1 million contract with the Clippers in 2019. He then declined his player option for the 2021-22 season to sign a four-year, $176.3 million contract with the franchise in 2021.
Leonard's contract includes a $48.8 million player option for the 2024-25 season, giving him the choice of being an unrestricted free agent following next season.
| Season | Salary |
| 2019-20 | $30,695,625 |
| 2020-21 | $34,379,100 |
| 2021-22 | $39,344,900 |
| 2022-23 | $42,492,492 |
| 2023-24 | $45,640,084 |
| 2024-25 | $48,787,676 (PO) |
| 2025-26 | UFA |
Kawhi Leonard career earnings
According to Spotrac, Leonard has earned a total of $62.8 million from the Clippers in the games he's missed due to injury, rest or personal reasons. That includes over $12 million this past season.
Though it's too early to definitively say if or when Leonard will miss time in the 2023-24 season, he's on the hook for over $45 million, which works out to roughly $550,000 for every missed game.
Through the 2022-23 season, Leonard has earned $230.9 million in his NBA career. If he picks up his player option for the 2024-25 season, his career earnings will surpass $300 million.
