Kawhi Leonard injury update: Clippers star plays five-on-five in practice, inches toward return
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard appears to be making progress in his bid to return to action, and Friday's news was the best indication that he's closer although there is still no official timetable for when he'll see game action next, the team said.
Leonard returned to the floor last month after missing the entire 2021-22 season due to a torn ACL, but he's appeared in just two of Clippers' first three games, coming off of the bench in both contests, before again missing time due to a knee injury. Leonard has not played since Oct. 23, and while the Clippers have offered no definitive timeline yet for his return, coach Ty Lue acknowledged that he is getting closer on Friday.
"He played five-on-five this morning with some of our guys, some of the players and some of our coaches," Lue said. "It was the first time he was able to get on the floor and play five-on-five. He looked pretty good. Still has a ways to go but that was the first sign of positivity playing five-on-five."
The Clippers have thus far been vague about the exact nature of Leonard's injury. His teams have taken that approach since he played for the San Antonio Spurs. In addition to knee injuries, Leonard has also dealt with an ongoing groin condition that contributed to his frayed relationship with the Spurs. He has not played 70 games in a season since 2017.
Thus far, the Clippers have survived without him. At 7-5, they hold the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference, but their ambitions are far greater. The Clippers are trying to win the first championship in team history, and that won't happen without a fully healthy Leonard. If having that player in May and June means missing games in the regular season, the Clippers will sit him out as long as it takes.
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