Kawhi Leonard Contract: USA men’s basketball Olympic,Stats

A roster spot on the U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team opened up on Wednesday after Kawhi Leonard was forced to withdraw due to a delay. Today we will discuss about Kawhi Leonard Contract: USA men’s basketball Olympic,Stats.

Kawhi Leonard Contract: USA men’s basketball Olympic,Stats

A roster spot on the U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team opened up on Wednesday as Kawhi Leonard was forced to withdraw due to injuries he suffered last season with the Clippers.

The team announced the move but did not disclose the length or financial terms of the contract.

Multiple news outlets reported it is a three-year, $152.4 million deal that runs through the 2026–27 season.
Leonard, born in Los Angeles, joined the Clippers as a free agent in 2019 and signed a four-year, $176.27 million extension on August 12, 2021, which included an opt-out clause after this season. Signing him to an extension now assures that Leonard will be on the roster when the team moves to its new arena in Inglewood, California next season.
President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said, “We are thrilled to continue our relationship with Kawhi. He is an elite player, a great teammate and a tireless worker who knows how to win and makes it his first priority.” “He elevated our franchise as soon as he arrived. We feel fortunate that Kawhi decided to join the Clippers five years ago, and are excited to continue building with him.”

“Kawhi has been preparing for the Olympics for the past several weeks and has done some strong workouts in Las Vegas. He felt ready to compete. “However, he respects that USA Basketball and the Clippers have determined that it is in their best interests to spend the remainder of the summer preparing for the upcoming season rather than attending the Olympic Games in Paris,” USA Basketball said in a statement. Said in the statement.

In his place, Endscape’s Mark J. Spears reports that Celtics point guard Derrick White will replace Leonard on the roster.
It appears White was chosen over Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, who made second-team All-NBA last season as one of the league’s top players.

The Knicks guard averaged 28.7 points per game on 40.1 percent from 3-point range on 6.8 attempts in 2023-24.
White averaged 15.2 ppg and shot 39.6 percent from 3-point range and the same 6.8 attempts per game.

While White may have been selected for his defensive performance, which helped the Celtics win the NBA Championship, it is also possible that Brunson may have been selected, but he is still recovering from a broken left hand suffered on May 17.

Leonard suffered a right knee injury late in the season for the Clippers, ending their playoff run before it even started.

The Clippers star previously said his knee is not 100 percent but he is hopeful he will be ready for the Olympics.

USA men’s basketball Olympic

USA Basketball announced Wednesday that Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard will no longer be on the men’s basketball Olympic roster.

“Kawhi has been preparing for the Olympics for the past several weeks and has had some strong workouts in Las Vegas,” a statement from USA Basketball said. “He felt ready to compete. However, he respects that USA Basketball and the Clippers have determined it is in their best interests to spend the remainder of the summer preparing for the upcoming season rather than attending the Olympic Games in Paris.

Leonard was one of many American basketball stars expected to take the court during the Paris Olympics, but he battled injuries throughout his career. Leonard has limited his playing time in recent seasons – commonly referred to as “load management” – to ensure that he remains healthy during the most important parts of the season.

Kawhi Leonard Contract: USA men’s basketball Olympic,Stats
He suffered a knee injury late in the 2023–24 season, causing him to miss several games in the Clippers’ playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks.

USA Basketball announced that Boston Celtics point guard Derrick White would replace Leonard on the team.

The 33-year-old Leonard is playing his 12th season in the NBA. He previously played for the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors. He is a two-time NBA champion, winning in 2014 with San Antonio and in 2019 with Toronto.

The news comes shortly after the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced Leonard as part of the 592-member U.S. Olympic team that will represent the United States in Paris. It would have been Leonard’s first Olympic Games appearance after being named a finalist for the 2016 and 2020 teams.

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