Clippers’ HC Tyronn Lue Drops Major Update about Kawhi Leonard’s Return from Injury

If the murmurs in Los Angeles are to be trusted, the Klaw might make his debut at the Intuit Dome sooner than expected. Kawhi Leonard last played NBA minutes in April of this year, during the Clippers’ first-round loss against the Dallas Mavericks.

After 8 months, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year finally seems to be back in the LAC practice facility. Tyronn Lue was happy to share the positive update about the 33-year-old’s status following the win over Golden State last night.

He told Sports Illustrated reporter Joey Linn that Leonard is indeed participating in team practices. During his prolonged absence, the team has been significantly re-tooled and Lue wants to help Kawhi’s new teammates acclimatize to his presence in the lineup by running plays with Leonard in practice, he explained.

Paul George, Russell Westbrook, Mason Plumlee and Brando Boston Jr. were all Clippers when Kawhi last suited up. The additions Lue has made to take their place include Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr. and Nicolas Batum.

However, apart from Batum, none of the new additions to the team have any experience playing alongside the Klaw. The Clips’ head coach explained that the priority was to ensure that no team cohesion is lost while fitting Leonard into the starting lineup.

Few expected the LAC to be a formidable unit in Kawhi’s absence. But behind a strong defensive identity and a revitalized James Harden, the Clippers have secured the fifth seed in a competitive Western Conference. They are 18-13 on the season without any contribution from arguably the best player on their payroll. However, with the team now getting used to playing with Leonard, his return seems to be right around the corner.

Lue did clarify that the two-time NBA champion will not travel with the roster for their upcoming three-game road trip. Some have assumed that that means Kawhi will make his season debut on January 4th — the next time the Clippers play at the Intuit Dome. But there is still no confirmation about this date.

What we do know is that Leonard will remain in California and practice with the G-League team over the next week. As we inch closer to his season debut, it’s not just LAC fans who are expressing their excitement.

Steve Kerr, who has lost all three games against the Kawhi-less Clippers this season, was also positive about the six-time All-Star’s return.

“I just hope he gets healthy. Kawhi is a great player,” Kerr said after the loss last night. “Multi-time champion, incredible two-way force. The league is better when he’s playing. I hope he gets healthy soon and finishes out the rest of the season. He deserves that and the league deserves that.”