Los Angeles Clippers superstar small forward Kawhi Leonard did not travel with the team on Wednesday to Walt Disney World for the resumption of the 2019-20 season, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
Leonard was given permission by the Clippers to tend to a family matter. He is expected to join the team in Orlando in a few days.
The Clippers are in second place in the Western Conference standings. For the first time in franchise history, LAC is title contenders with Leonard and fellow California native Paul George leading the way. The team racked up 44 wins before the season was suspended in March.
Prior to Rudy Gobert's positive COVID-19 test, Leonard was averaging 26.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. The four-time All-Star and two-time Finals MVP was also shooting 46.9 percent from the field, 36.6 percent from beyond the arc and 88.9 percent from the free-throw line.
The Clippers, who have already clinched a spot in the 2020 playoffs, will face the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers, Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets, and Oklahoma City Thunder in the eight seeding games before the postseason starts. Most pundits expect the Clippers and Lakers to meet in the 2020 Western Conference Finals.
Leonard, who began his NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs, has career averages of 18.6 points, 6.4 boards and 2.7 assists in 518 regular-season games with the Spurs, Toronto Raptors and Clippers.
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