Report: Kawhi Leonard steps away from Clippers to help family members forced to flee fires
Los Angeles Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard has stepped away from the team in order to help members of his family who were forced to evacuate due to the Southern California wildfires, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.
Tens of thousands of people in the Los Angeles area have been forced to evacuate due to the fires.
Leonard — who reportedly purchased a home in the hard-hit Pacific Palisades area in 2021 — will miss the Clippers' Wednesday night contest in Denver, and it is unclear when he will return to the team.
NBA reactions to the fires
"I just want to acknowledge and send thoughts and prayers to everyone in (the) Palisades right now," Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick said Tuesday. "My family, and my wife's family, my wife's twin sister, they've evacuated.
"I know that a lot of people are freaking out right now, including my family. I know a lot of people are scared, so I just want to acknowledge that."
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr also spoke about the tragedy. "With everything I'm seeing and reading, it's just terrifying what is happening," Kerr said.
Has the NBA postponed any games?
The NBA has yet to postpone any games due to the fires, but that could be coming soon. Already, the NHL has postponed Wednesday night's game between the Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames. The NFL, meanwhile, is monitoring the fire to determine whether or not it needs to postpone or move the playoff contest between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings, which is set for Monday.
The Clippers host games against the Denver Nuggets and Charlotte Hornets this Thursday and Saturday respectively. The Lakers will host the Hornets on Thursday, then the Spurs on both Saturday and Monday.
Kawhi Leonard's 2024 season
Leonard had just recently returned to NBA action after a long rehab process for his injured right knee. He's played in two games this year and the team has attempted to ease him back into his feature role. Currently, he's played only 20 minutes per game.
The Clippers currently have a 20-16 record and sit in seventh in the Western Conference.