The Clippers long downplayed Leonard’s injury, never exactly specifying the severity of the matter. There had been reports that Kawhi was frustrated as a result of this, especially given how his days in San Antonio ended. We now know that the injury was indeed severe enough that even if the Clippers had advanced to the NBA Finals, they would have been without Leonard for that series as well. Kawhi has a player option for this summer, and should he decline it, he would enter free agency. The occurrence of this injury makes it a tad more likely that Kawhi would opt-in to the final year of his deal and either try to work out an extension or roll the dice on the free agent market next summer.
