Clippers state they desired Kawhi Leonard on UnitedStates basketball group for Paris Olympics

The Los Angeles Clippers had no issue with Kawhi Leonard playing for the U.S. in the Paris Olympics this summertime and desired him to stay on the group, basic supervisor Lawrence Frank stated Monday.

USA Basketball eliminated Leonard — whose NBA season was interrupted at the end since of a knee issue — from its lineup last week after a four-day, four-practice training camp and changed him with the Boston Celtics’ Derrick White. USA Basketball stated that it and the Clippers figuredout that Leonard not playing this summertime was in his finest interest.

“It was USAB’s call, and I was, rather honestly, really dissatisfied with the choice,” Frank informed pressreporters in Las Vegas. “Kawhi desired to play. We desired him to play.”

Leonard missedouton 12 of the Los Angeles Clippers’ last 14 videogames this past season with right knee swelling, though he stated last week that he felt great, and the knee was doing well. But USA Basketball — which has Clippers coach Tyronn Lue as an assistant on head coach Steve Kerr’s personnel — felt inadifferentway.

Leonard is a two-time NBA champion, six-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA gamer, however injury problems haveactually been a repeating style over the past 7 seasons. USA Basketball had kepttrackof him going into camp and USA Basketball handling director Grant Hill even enjoyed a exercise earlier this summerseason to check on Leonard’s health.

“I was there the veryfirst 2 practices. He looked extremely great, was a complete individual in whatever that they did,” Frank stated. “I wasn’t there for the 3rd practice, where eventually, that was the point where they chose to go in a various instructions. I revealed then, I truly wanted that they would haveactually offered Kawhi more time.”

The U.S. hasactually been without three-time gold medalist Kevin Durant giventhat it assembled in Las Vegas for camp earlier this month. Durant is with the group however did not play in either of its veryfirst 2 exhibits — a win over Canada on July 10 and a win over Australia on Monday.

If a gamer on the 12-man lineup is hurt throughout the Olympics, there’s no replacement alternative. That’s a significant element weighing on groups as they complete their lineups before play begins in France lateron this month.

“I comprehend USAB’s viewpoint that they have to appearance at what they feel is in the finest interest of the group, regardlessof what I believe,” Frank stated. “They’re likewise handling some other gamers who are dealing with injuries, so, I comprehend that they have to do what’s finest. … You have to relocation forward. We assistance USAB. Desperately desire to see them win the gold medal. I understand that’s how Kawhi feels, too.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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