Clippers say they needed Kawhi Leonard on US basketball group for Paris Olympics

The Los Angeles Clippers had no downside with Kawhi Leonard taking part in for the U.S. within the Paris Olympics this summer season and needed him to stay on the group, common supervisor Lawrence Frank stated Monday.

USA Basketball eliminated Leonard — whose NBA season was disrupted on the finish due to a knee downside — from its roster final week after a four-day, four-practice coaching camp and changed him with the Boston Celtics‘ Derrick White. USA Basketball stated that it and the Clippers decided that Leonard not taking part in this summer season was in his greatest curiosity.

“It was USAB’s name, and I used to be, fairly frankly, very disillusioned with the choice,” Frank informed reporters in Las Vegas. “Kawhi needed to play. We needed him to play.”

Leonard missed 12 of the Los Angeles Clippers’ last 14 video games this previous season with proper knee irritation, although he stated final week that he felt high-quality, and the knee was doing properly. However USA Basketball — which has Clippers coach Tyronn Lue as an assistant on head coach Steve Kerr’s employees — felt in another way.

Leonard is a two-time NBA champion, six-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA participant, however damage points have been a recurring theme over the previous seven seasons. USA Basketball had monitored him going into camp and USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill even watched a exercise earlier this summer season to verify on Leonard’s well being.

“I used to be there the primary two practices. He appeared superb, was a full participant in every little thing that they did,” Frank stated. “I wasn’t there for the third apply, the place in the end, that was the purpose the place they determined to go in a distinct path. I expressed then, I actually wished that they’d have given Kawhi extra time.”

The U.S. has been with out three-time gold medalist Kevin Durant because it convened in Las Vegas for camp earlier this month. Durant is with the group however didn’t play in both of its first two exhibitions — a win over Canada on July 10 and a win over Australia on Monday.

If a participant on the 12-man roster is damage through the Olympics, there is not any alternative possibility. That is a significant factor weighing on groups as they finalize their rosters earlier than play begins in France later this month.

“I perceive USAB’s perspective that they’ve to take a look at what they really feel is in the very best curiosity of the group, regardless of what I feel,” Frank stated. “They’re additionally managing another gamers who’re coping with accidents, so, I perceive that they must do what’s greatest. … You must transfer ahead. We assist USAB. Desperately wish to see them win the gold medal. I do know that is how Kawhi feels, too.”

Reporting by The Related Press.

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