Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has yet to make his season debut due to inflammation in his right knee, but coach Ty Lue revealed positive news Tuesday, confirming that the six-time All-Star had returned to practice.
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard could make his season debut within the next two weeks
However, the 6-foot-7 Leonard has not been cleared for contact and will not return for Friday’s game against the Denver Nuggets. Until his return, Los Angeles will continue to rely on James Harden and Norman Powell.
Leonard could make his first regular-season appearance within the next two weeks, sources informed ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. This was the first time the 33-year-old had practiced with the team since last season.
During the summertime, his lingering knee injury also caused him to withdraw from the Paris Olympics after being selected to play for Team USA.
Jordan Miller said Kawhi Leonard snuck onto the court at Clippers practice today without many people noticing.
“I think it’s the energy he brings just being on the court. He kind of snuck on very Kawhi-like… We were doing a shooting drill at the beginning of practice and next… pic.twitter.com/RvtqOq3V8J
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) December 10, 2024
“He did offensive script, defensive work, and just no contact,” Lue said of Leonard. “But he did it pretty much everything else. … Really good sign, just seeing him out there moving, moving well. I think the biggest thing for him is just the confidence in it.
“Just having the confidence to keep doing it, not to feel the pain, and just continue to keep getting through it. So, it was good to see him on the floor and it gave us a little juice today just for our guys seeing him on the floor, it really picked up our energy.”
Leonard has missed 204 out of a possible 460 games since joining the Clippers in 2019
Additionally, Lue said the Clippers would continue to be patient with Leonard’s recovery process.
“He’s got to do a lot more things to really get back on the floor,” Lue said. “We just want to make sure he’s 100%. We don’t want to get him out there, 70%, 75%. Like, let’s just take our time, make sure we get it right. … We’re not going to let him skip steps, and so we want to do right by Kawhi.”
Leonard sat out the entire 2021-22 season because of a torn ACL in his right knee and has missed 204 of a possible 460 games since joining the Clippers in 2019.
Ty Lue on Kawhi Leonard being back on the court with the Clippers:
“It raised our energy. Just for our guys to see him on the floor brought a juice to our team. We needed that jolt.”
Lue said Kawhi is really intrigued by what the Clippers have done defensively. pic.twitter.com/oSHGFg9lyl
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) December 10, 2024
He played in 52 regular-season games in 2022-23 and made 68 regular-season appearances in 2023-24. Of course, Leonard hasn’t played more than 68 games since the 2016-17 season.
“I’m just happy he’s doing it again, he’s getting close and he’s really in a good space mentally,” Lue added. “So he’s just got to stay with it, stay with the program. Can’t get frustrated trying to rush back.”
Kawhi Leonard, Clippers agreed to a three-year, $153 million contract extension in January
Although Leonard is a six-time All-NBA member and two-time Finals MVP, the Clippers are not expecting the San Diego State product to immediately return to the lineup as that same level of player.
“At some point, not right away,” Lue said. “But at some point, we need him to be Kawhi Leonard. And I think he can do that. And just seeing the year he had last year — 68 games and how he played at a high level. He was really, really playing at a high level. So we just got to get him back to that.”
Leonard began to experience inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee following a win at Charlotte on March 31. He missed the final eight games of the 2023-24 regular season and was limited to two games in the postseason.
In January, Leonard and the Clippers agreed to a three-year, $153 million contract extension. He is making $49.2 million this season and is slated to earn about $50 million per season over the next two years.
