Despite the Clippers' desire for Kawhi Leonard to play in the Paris Olympics, USA Basketball opted to remove him from the roster due to knee concerns.
Los Angeles Clippers general manager Lawrence Frank expressed disappointment over USA Basketball's decision to remove Kawhi Leonard from the Olympic roster last week. Frank stated that the team had wanted Leonard to remain on the squad.
USA Basketball cited Leonard's recent knee issues as the reason for his dismissal. The two-time NBA champion missed the final 12 of LA's regular season games due to right knee inflammation, although he has maintained that he is feeling well.
"It was USAB's call, and I was, quite frankly, very disappointed with the decision," Frank told reporters in Las Vegas. "Kawhi wanted to play. We wanted him to play."
Leonard's injury history has been a concern in recent seasons. However, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, who serves as an assistant on head coach Steve Kerr's USA Basketball staff, has monitored his progress.
USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill also observed Leonard's workout earlier this summer to assess his health. Frank attended the first two practices of the training camp and believes Leonard looked promising.
"He looked very good, was a full participant in everything that they did," Frank said. "I wasn't there for the third practice, where ultimately, that was the point where they decided to go in a different direction. I expressed then, I really wished that they would have given Kawhi more time."
Frank understands the difficulty faced by USA Basketball in managing player health. Team USA has already been without Kevin Durant during the Las Vegas camp, and no replacements are allowed for roster injuries during the Olympics.
"I understand USAB's perspective that they have to look at what they feel is in the best interest of the team, despite what I think," Frank said. "They're also managing some other players who are dealing with injuries, so, I understand that they have to do what's best. ... You have to move forward. We support USAB. Desperately want to see them win the gold medal. I know that's how Kawhi feels, too."
The Paris Olympics are scheduled to begin later this month.
