LA Clippers DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Law Murray of The Athletic reports that Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) will not play in Tuesday's preseason game against Brooklyn. Leonard has yet to be cleared for 5-on-5 scrimmages after undergoing a procedure on his right knee in May. The Clippers are cautious as the 33-year-old's health has been an issue since joining the team in 2019. When Leonard is available, he is a fantasy force, averaging 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals across 68 contests one season ago.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann will slot into the starting lineup for the team's second preseason game on Tuesday. Head coach Ty Lue said that he will be taking Kris Dunn's spot in the starting lineup and they'll see how he meshes with some of the starters. Kawhi Leonard (knee) hasn't been cleared for game action yet, so the other starters based on the previous game look like James Harden, Norman Powell, Derrick Jones Jr., and Ivica Zubac. Mann will probably receive plenty of opportunities this season whether it's as a starter or bench player, but the Clippers have some room to experiment with lineups.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) underwent a procedure on his right knee in May after he was able to only play two games in their first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks. Leonard said that the knee is feeling "good" right now and "We're just taking it slow, day by day and just trying to get me back on the floor." The Clippers are understandably taking a cautious approach after trading away Paul George and putting the weight of the team on James Harden and Leonard's shoulders. His health has been the trickiest part of the situation ever since he joined the Clippers in 2019. This past season, Leonard played in 68 games, which is his highest mark since the 2016-17 season when he was still with the San Antonio Spurs. Every time he's on the floor, he proves why the Clippers wanted him in the first place, but his injury status is something to constantly monitor.

Los Angeles Clippers forward P.J. Tucker is away from the team right now as a mutually agreed situation while the team decides how to move forward with the former NBA Champ. Tucker expressed frustration with his role on the team last season and it looks like that hasn't been resolved heading into training camp and the preseason. Both sides agreed to take some time apart while the Clippers decide if they can trade him. Tucker has an $11.5 million price tag for this season after opting into the option, so teams haven't been very interested in his level of contribution for such a high price. The new tax aprons further complicate things, so it may be a while until we see Tucker on the court again.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) aims to play in the season opener on Oct. 23 against the Phoenix Suns. The multi-time Finals MVP is battling inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee, but speaking to the media on Monday, Leonard said the knee is "feeling a lot better than it was" and that the plan is for him to play against the Suns. While this is an encouraging update, Leonard also admitted he could be forced to deal with the inflammation for the rest of his career. This means that fantasy managers who plan on having Leonard on their team must be prepared to be without him for stretches across the season.