Report: Kawhi Leonard stepping away from Clippers amid Los Angeles wildfires

Wildfires are raging in Los Angeles at the moment, with certain areas being particularly affected and many being forced to evacuate.

Some family members of Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard have reportedly been impacted by the emergency and had to evacuate. Leonard is reportedly stepping away to be with his loved ones during what must be a trying time for them.

“Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is stepping away from the team, sources told me,” said NBA insider Chris Haynes. “He is going to tend to family in the L.A. area who were forced to evacuate due to the wildfires that’s going on over there. So, thoughts and prayers with Kawhi and his family and thoughts and prayers with everyone out there that is affected.”

The fires have caused mass destruction, evacuations and two reported deaths. Areas like Pacific Palisades, Altadena, Pasadena and Sylmar are among those being impacted.

Leonard is a Los Angeles native. His decision to step away from the Clippers comes after he just recently made his season debut with the team. After sitting out for Los Angeles’ first 30-plus contests of the 2024-25 regular season due to a knee injury, he played in the Clippers’ win over the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 4.

In his long-awaited return to the court, he dropped 12 points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal. He shot 4-of-11 from the floor and 3-of-5 from 3-point range.

Leonard suited up against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Jan. 6 as well. That outing was less memorable, as he scored eight points in a loss.

For as much as the Clippers need Leonard at full strength to be at their best, the team has proven this season at the very least that it can compete without him in the lineup. The organization surely also understands that he’s stepping away for a very valid reason.

Los Angeles has a 19-15 record in games sans Leonard since the beginning of the campaign, and the team (20-16 overall) is very much in the postseason picture as the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference.

It’s unclear at this time exactly how long Leonard’s absence will be, but the Clippers can move up in the standings with a victory over Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night. The Nuggets might not have big man Nikola Jokic for that contest, as the Serbian superstar sat out Denver’s recent loss to the Boston Celtics thanks to an illness.