A week before the Clippers begin training camp in Hawaii, Frank declared the swelling in Leonard’s right knee “has significantly gone down” and that the team would hold Leonard out of drills to “really focus on strengthening” the joint to “get him at 100 percent so he can have a great season — not just this year, but for many years.”

When Leonard is healthy, his impact on the Clippers and on basketball cannot be disputed. He is a two-time league champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP, six-time All-NBA, seven-time All-Defensive team, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary team.

Amid reports the forward underwent an offseason procedure on his right knee, team president Lawrence Frank says the six-time All-Star is in “great spirits” and he expects him to be ready in time