NBA: Clippers clear Kawhi Leonard for training camp | Inquirer Sports
NBA

NBA: Clippers clear Kawhi Leonard for training camp

/ 04:38 PM September 23, 2022

FILE–Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center on November 09, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

FILE–Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers during a game. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images/AFP 

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been cleared to fully participate in training camp, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said on Thursday.

Leonard missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a torn ACL in his right knee. The five-time All-Star sustained the injury more than 15 months ago in the second round of the 2021 playoffs against the Utah Jazz.

Article continues after this advertisement

Frank said the team will proceed slowly with the 31-year-old Leonard. Training camp begins Tuesday in Las Vegas.

FEATURED STORIES

“He feels great,” Frank said of Leonard. “His plan is, look, he wants to participate in everything. And I think organizationally, we’re going to be cautious. So it will be a step-by-step approach.”

The Clippers open the preseason with games in Seattle on Sept. 30 and Oct. 3. Frank wasn’t ready to forecast whether or not Leonard will play in Seattle.

Article continues after this advertisement

“When you’re dealing with a major injury, you can’t predict,” Frank said. “I know with him, he wants to do everything, but we’ll just kind of let’s see how he feels each day. We have an outstanding medical team, and we’re playing the long game with it. So we’re not going to get into predictions, what he will do or he won’t do.

Article continues after this advertisement

.”.. We’ll figure out, is that best for his body? One day it may be. The next day, we’ll have to reassess. We’ll rely on the feedback we get from Kawhi, obviously from the medical team. It’s too early to predict. We have time before we need to get there.”

Article continues after this advertisement
Paul George Clippers NBA

FILE–Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images/AFP 

Frank also stated that 32-year-old forward Paul George is 100 percent recovered from the elbow injury that limited him to 31 games last season.

“His elbow is 100 percent healthy,” Frank said of the seven-time All-Star. “Paul has had an extremely purposeful, driven, and very productive offseason, in that his consistency of training has been off the charts. Plus, he continues to take more and more of an ownership and leadership role.”

Article continues after this advertisement

The Clippers open the regular season against the host Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 20.

Field Level Media
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

TAGS: Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers, NBA

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.