LA Clippers head coach Ty Lue confirmed that Kawhi Leonard will not be playing during their preseason games. When asked by a reporter about what the plan is for Leonard going forward, Lue noted that Leonard wouldn't play, and would focus on his rehab and try and work on his health so that he can return to the team as soon as possible.
"He won't play Thursday... Continue to keep rehabbing, keep getting better, keep checking the boxes."
Leonard will miss the Clippers' final preseason game against the Kings ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season. Coach Lue did not give any update or indication about Leonard's status or potential consideration for the Clippers' season opener against the Phoenix Suns. But given that the two games are less than a week apart, expect Leonard to be out for it.
Kawhi Leonard's injury concerns have been present since the 2024 NBA playoffs, when he was ruled out of the Clippers' first round series against the Mavericks. He was then called back from Team USA ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics due to injury reasons, and he has yet to factor into the team's plans as of yet .
Leonard is undoubtedly one of the best players in the entire league. But his inability to stay healthy throughout the years has made him unreliable for the Clippers. Since joining the team, Leonard has missed 131 games for the Clippers since joining the team in 2019, and has had just one season with the franchise where he played more than 60 games.
The Clippers Need Kawhi Leonard To Win A Championship
The Clippers mortgaged their entire future to get Kawhi Leonard, including sending all of their draft capital to the Oklahoma City Thunder to land Paul George at his behest. With George now leaving for the 76ers, and Leonard only having James Harden available as an All-Star teammate, the Clippers' championship window may be closing before our very eyes.
The Clippers will hope that Leonard is able to make his return to the team early into the season, as they do not have the squad to help them win a lot of games with just James Harden leading the charge. But the Clippers also need Leonard to be healthy for the postseason, if they are able to make it.
Leonard is coming off a strong season with the Clippers last year, as he averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game. They will need similar production from Leonard as the first option if the Clippers are to reach the playoffs next year.
James Harden , who has been healthy coming into the new season, will also play his final preseason game tonight , and rest at the Clippers' final preseason game against the Kings. With the NBA season set to tip off next week, the Clippers need all hands on deck at full health to try and get off to a strong start.
Related: Kawhi Leonard Gets Honest On Playing With James Harden
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