Stephen Smith believes Kawhi Leonard should be forced to retire

Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard’s future with the team is being questioned after missing a significant portion of games since his arrival in 2019.

Sports analyst Stephen A. Smith believes that Leonard, 31, who has been hit by another knee injury, should hang his shoes.

His statement comes hours after Leonard was diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his right knee.

The two-time NBA champion missed the last three playoff series due to the injury. However, the diagnostic report wasn’t public until late Tuesday.

Leonard, currently in the second to last year of a 4-year, $176 million contract, played only 161 of 338 regular season games for the Clippers.

Last season, he missed the entire year due to an injury.

On the television program First Take, commentator Smith suggested that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer should force Leonard to retire.

Smith cited concerns about Leonard’s health, stating that he has heard “alarming stories” about the player’s condition, including reports of limping.

Despite these concerns, Smith clearly did not question Leonard’s commitment or courage as a player.

Smith also criticized Leonard’s performance off the court, stating that he does not promote or market the Clippers franchise.

Given Leonard’s injury history, he argued that the team should consider moving on from the player.

Smith claimed to have spoken to league officials about how the team could “get rid of” Leonard while ensuring he receives the total amount of his contract.

Leonard averaged 23.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 33.6 minutes over 52 games this season.

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