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Tim Bontemps, ESPN
LAS VEGAS — Team USA executive director Grant Hill said the decision to send Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard home from training camp from the upcoming Paris Olympic Games roster and replace him with Boston Celtics guard Derrick White ultimately rested with Team USA itself.
“We just felt we had to change direction. I won’t go into detail about how we arrived at the decision, but we just felt that going in a different direction was what was best for us and what was best for the Clippers and Kawhi,” Hill said at a news conference Wednesday night before the U.S. national team’s first friendly against Canada at T-Mobile Arena. “We tried. I think everybody tried and made a courageous effort, but unfortunately we have to move forward.”
When asked directly if it was Hill’s, and ultimately the U.S. national team’s, decision to send Leonard home, he said, “Yes, that’s true. He was ultimately sent home, but we had discussions about it with the Clippers.”
Leonard’s status was unclear going into camp after he missed the Clippers’ final three games of the first round of the playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks because of knee inflammation. Leonard said over the weekend that he wasn’t able to fully return to the court and train normally until about two weeks before training camp began, at which point he finally began to believe he could play in this year’s Olympics.
He has been daily for the past four days of training camp but was wearing a sleeve on his right foot and appeared to be limping slightly at the start of camp.
“I think he wanted to come here, just like all the other guys wanted to come here. We don’t take that lightly in any way,” Hill said. “It has to do with the program and the opportunity. So, speaking personally, I know what it’s like to want to do something and your body isn’t in good shape. I’ve been through that myself. So I commend him for being willing to come here and make the sacrifices and give up his summer to represent his country and play for our program. And, ultimately, it just didn’t work out.”
Leonard’s knee injury during the playoffs marked the third consecutive time Leonard’s playoff run has ended early due to injury, and that doesn’t include the time he tore his ACL in the same right knee during the 2021 playoffs, causing him to miss the entire 2021-22 season.
Now he will not be competing in the upcoming Olympics, with White taking his place.
White’s selection overshadowed Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown, who won both the Eastern Conference Finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP en route to winning the title with Boston. After White’s selection was announced, Brown first tweeted a series of emojis and then directed a tweet at Nike saying, “Is this what we do?”, an apparent reference to Nike’s sponsorship of the U.S. national team.
Asked about Brown’s tweet, Hill denied the idea that the shoe company had anything to do with the decision to select White, adding that cutting someone from the team is the hardest part of his job.
“You have to build a team at 12 positions,” Hill said, “and one of the toughest parts is taking away from your roster the guys that fans have looked forward to watching all season and all playoff time — guys that have been Finals MVPs, guys that have been part of your program, guys that have won gold medals, guys that you respect and admire and enjoy watching. But my responsibility is to build a team, a team that fits the team that complements each other, the team that gives us the best chance to be successful.”
“So whatever theories are out there, they’re just that – theories. But that’s my responsibility. And that’s a tough one. It’s a tough one to have the conversation and tell people that you’re not part of the team.”
“I’m looking to win and put the right pieces together to give us a chance to win.”
Ultimately, the U.S. team ended up selecting White, and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported last month that White would be selected to replace Leonard if he was unable to make the trip to Paris.
Hill said White won’t be in Las Vegas because he needs to get his life together before a surprise break next month, but he hopes White will be ready in time for the team’s first practice on Saturday in Abu Dhabi.
“Obviously, it’s bittersweet, but we’re excited to have Derrick White join our team,” Hill said.
“Obviously, I’m a big fan of Derrick. He just won a championship. One of the things I really like about Derrick and especially his team is I don’t feel like his role has changed much from what he had with the Celtics to what he has with our team. He’s playing with two great young guys in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. It’s tough being the focal point of a team, but now you’ve got to establish your role and it might be different than what you have to do with the team. So it’s nice to have a guy that can come in and compete with other guys, complement other guys and at the same time be a standout, strong defensive player, make shots and impact winning.”
As for the other lingering injury question – Kevin Durant, who has yet to practice and missed Wednesday night’s game against Canada after straining his calf about 10 days before the start of training camp – Hill said Durant will fly to Abu Dhabi and remain with the team.
“Unless there’s any information, Durant is on the plane,” Hill said. “He’s continuing to train and rehab and is feeling great. I think we’re just being cautious and conservative. You’re going to see him on the court when we’re in Abu Dhabi.”
