Clippers’ Ty Lue Confident Kawhi Leonard Will Play This Season Despite Injury Setback
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The L.A. Clippers haven’t even played a regular-season game yet, and they already face questions about an issue that has derailed their NBA title chances in the past four seasons. The subject involves Kawhi Leonard, the team’s franchise leader who enters the 2024-25 campaign with uncertainty about when he will play because of yet another injury. “No timeline,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said before the team’s 113-91 preseason win over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night at Intuit Dome. “It’s going to take some time. He’s going to progress. He’s doing all of the right things. He’s working hard and he’s looking good. So there’s no timetable.” At least Lue spoke with more conviction on whether Leonard may not play at all this season. “I don’t see those chances,” Lue said. “I’m not a doctor, either. But I don’t see those chances.” Yet, the Clippers lack firm answers on nearly everything else regarding Leonard’s health. Sound familiar? The Clippers have painfully dealt with this reality in four seasons filled with evolving strategies about Leonard’s load management, a season-ending right knee injury that shut their NBA championship window (2021, ’22) and other ailments that disrupted the team’s playoff runs in other seasons (2020, ’23, ’24). This time, the Clippers have not seen Leonard fully recover from inflammation in his right knee. This exact injury sidelined Leonard for the Clippers’ final eight regular-season games last season, four of their six playoff games and the entire Paris Olympics. Just like in past seasons, the Clippers did provide many answers about Leonard’s health. The Clippers have ruled out Leonard for their season opener against the Phoenix Suns at Intuit Dome on Wednesday, but they have not projected when Leonard might return. Lue expressed hope that Leonard will practice “soon.” But with Leonard missing all five of the Clippers’ preseason games and on-court drills with the team during training camp, Lue conceded the team’s medical staff has not offered clarity on when Leonard can advance beyond individual skill work. Lue insisted that Leonard experienced “no setbacks” during training camp. Lue conceded, however, that Leonard’s right knee regressed during practices with the U.S. Olympic team. Team USA officials soon sent Leonard home because of that development. “He felt good. He looked good. The swelling was down,” said Lue, a Team USA assistant coach. “Everything was going in the right direction. He had worked hard to get to that point. Then once you start playing, you never know what’s going to happen. But he was in the right position to go forward. It was a setback. That was unfortunate.” Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard talks with team owner Steve Ballmer during media day at Intuit Dome on Sept. 30. Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Imagn Images What else is unfortunate? Leonard’s health has regressed despite having plenty of time to rehab. Leonard hasn’t played in an NBA game since Game 3 of the Clippers’ first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks on April 26. Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, said before training camp that Leonard had been “medically cleared” to participate in Team USA practices. But Leonard practiced only three times before team officials announced his departure.
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