With just a week until the 2024-25 NBA season kicks off, Kawhi Leonard hasn’t practiced with the Clippers yet.
Leonard’s Recovery Journey:
Kawhi is still working on getting his knee back in shape after surgery during the offseason. Last year, swelling in that knee made him miss part of the playoffs and led to him stepping away from Team USA for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Initially, he was supposed to play some preseason games before facing the Suns on October 23. But Coach Ty Lue said Kawhi will skip their last preseason game against the Kings after missing three others.
Coach and Team’s Perspective:
Coach Lue mentioned, "Continue to keep rehabbing. Keep getting better. Keep checking the boxes," according to ESPN. During media day, Lawrence Frank from the Clippers’ front office shared that Kawhi wanted to join all training camp activities and games. Even though Kawhi sounded hopeful about being ready for the season start, his absence from practice is worrying for everyone involved.
Fans are starting to feel anxious about his return.
Kawhi himself said earlier this month via ESPN, "I feel good… Just been taking my time, getting stronger and getting ready." He added they’re being cautious and taking things one day at a time as they discuss how best to handle back-to-back games.
Injury Concerns Looming Large:
Worries grow because of Kawhi’s history with injuries and some mysterious past issues. In last year’s playoffs against the Suns, he seemed fine playing over 40 minutes per game initially but then missed out due to a torn meniscus revealed later on. The next year saw something similar when he played only two out of six playoff games against Dallas because of knee swelling again.
Injuries can be such a bummer!
