The L.A. Clippers haven’t even kicked off their regular season yet, and they’re already facing a familiar and frustrating challenge: the uncertainty surrounding Kawhi Leonard’s health. Over the past four seasons, Leonard’s injuries have derailed the Clippers’ NBA title aspirations, and the start of the 2024-25 campaign appears no different.
Leonard, the team’s franchise cornerstone, is entering the season with no clear timeline for his return due to ongoing complications with his right knee. Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue addressed the situation before the team’s 113-91 preseason win over the Sacramento Kings, providing little clarity on Leonard’s status.
“There’s no timeline,” Lue said. “It’s going to take some time. He’s progressing, doing all the right things. He’s working hard, and he’s looking good. But there’s no timetable.”
While the specifics of Leonard’s recovery remain a mystery, Lue was adamant that the forward will play this season, dismissing any concerns that Leonard might sit out the entire year. “I don’t see those chances,” Lue assured reporters. “I’m not a doctor, but I don’t see those chances.”
Despite Lue’s optimism, the uncertainty surrounding Leonard’s availability is eerily reminiscent of the past few seasons. The Clippers have become all too familiar with managing Leonard’s load due to various injuries and setbacks, including a season-ending right knee injury in 2021 and a torn meniscus that disrupted their playoff run in 2023.
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This time, Leonard is still dealing with inflammation in his right knee, the same injury that sidelined him for the final eight games of the 2023 regular season and four out of six games in the Clippers’ first-round playoff series. It also kept him out of the Paris Olympics. While Lue insists there have been “no setbacks” in Leonard’s recovery, he admitted the swelling in Leonard’s knee worsened during his brief stint with Team USA earlier this summer, forcing him to withdraw from the Olympic team after just a few practices.
“He felt good. He looked good. The swelling was down,” Lue said. “Everything was going in the right direction. He had worked hard to get to that point. But once you start playing, you never know what’s going to happen. Unfortunately, it was a setback.”
What’s even more concerning for the Clippers is that despite months of rehab, Leonard hasn’t fully recovered. He last played in an NBA game on April 26 in Game 3 of the Clippers’ first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks, and while he was “medically cleared” to practice with Team USA in the offseason, his knee regressed after just a few sessions. Nearly six months later, Leonard remains sidelined, and Lue admitted the team’s medical staff won’t clear him until he’s “100%.”
Adding to the Clippers’ challenges are the other question marks heading into the season. The team lost key players like Paul George to free agency, and while they added new faces like Derrick Jones Jr., Kevin Porter Jr., Kris Dunn, and Mo Bamba, integrating these players into the lineup will take time. Additionally, the Clippers’ new arena, Intuit Dome, is expected to generate buzz, but it remains to be seen whether the team can match that excitement with consistent performances, especially in a competitive Western Conference featuring elite teams like Denver, Dallas, Phoenix, and the Golden State Warriors.
Despite all these uncertainties, Lue expressed confidence in the team’s ability to manage without Leonard, at least for the time being. The Clippers plan to rely on players like James Harden to run the offense, Ivica Zubac to hold down the paint, and versatile players like Norman Powell and Nicolas Batum to step up. The addition of veteran coach Jeff Van Gundy to Lue’s staff could also bolster the team’s defensive strategies.
“I think the guys understand we’re going to compete,” Lue said. “We’re going to play hard. We’re going to win until Kawhi gets back. We’re going to hold it down until he gets back. That’s the mindset.”
But the looming question remains: when will Kawhi Leonard be back, and will he stay healthy enough to make a sustained impact? The Clippers’ hopes of contending for an NBA championship hinge on those answers, but as has been the case in recent seasons, the timeline for Leonard’s return is unknown.
Team president Lawrence Frank expressed optimism about Leonard’s long-term prospects, pointing out that he played in 68 games last season, which was an improvement over previous years. However, Leonard’s injury history is extensive. He missed significant time in both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons before tearing his ACL in the 2021 playoffs, sidelining him for the entirety of the 2021-22 season.
Even after returning last year, Leonard battled knee and ankle issues, ultimately tearing his meniscus during the 2023 playoffs against the Phoenix Suns, which ended his season prematurely.
The Clippers signed Leonard to a three-year, $153 million contract extension this offseason, banking on his ability to stay healthy and lead the team to a title. But with his availability still in question, the team faces an uphill battle to stay competitive in a stacked Western Conference.
As they prepare for their season opener against the Phoenix Suns, the Clippers will have to navigate an uncertain path without their franchise star. While Lue remains hopeful, the reality is that the team has no clear answer on when Leonard will return to full strength—or whether he can stay consistently healthy once he does.
“We have enough to win games,” Lue said. “We’re going to play hard. We’re going to compete every single night. We’re going to hold it down until Kawhi comes back.”
Unfortunately for the Clippers, as past seasons have shown, the timeline for Leonard’s return and his long-term health remain as uncertain as ever.
