Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James spoke on LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard

Jul 2, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James watches at a press conference at the UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

USA basketball and LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard made the difficult decision to part ways before the Paris Olympics. After going through training camp with Team USA in Las Vegas, Leonard was ruled out for the Olympics, and replaced by Boston Celtics guard Derrick White.

Leonard has been dealing with right knee inflammation that first popped up near the end of the 2023-24 regular season, and limited his availability in the playoffs. Seemingly not fully recovered from that knee issue, Leonard will continue to work on getting back to 100% healthy in preparation for next season.

Speaking with reporters, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was asked about Leonard having to leave the team, saying he is still a brother, and his health is all that matters.

“He’s a brother of ours,” James said. “He’s part of the fraternity, no matter if he’s here or not. He has to take care of himself and that’s all that matters.”

This is a frustrating development for Leonard, who has had a lot of basketball taken away from him due to injuries over the last several seasons. That said, the Clippers star has been one of the best players in basketball when available, and that availability is something he is trying to maximize next season with this decision to withdraw from the Olympics.