The Clippers and Kawhi Leonard are targeting next Saturday, January 4, for the star forward’s return from the knee issue that has sidelined him for the entire 2024/25 season so far, reports Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Leonard dealt with inflammation in his right knee at the end of last season and battled the issue again during the summer, necessitating his removal from the U.S. Olympic team. He underwent a procedure on the troublesome knee during the offseason and continued to work his way back to full strength this fall, delaying his season debut.
As we relayed earlier today, Leonard isn’t traveling with the Clippers on their three-game road trip, which begins on Monday in New Orleans and runs through next Thursday in Oklahoma City.
However, he participated in a 5-on-5 scrimmage on Thursday and the plan is for him to practice with the San Diego Clippers in the G League while the NBA squad is on the road.
The January 4 game vs. the Hawks is the Clippers’ first contest back at home following their road trip. Murray cautions (via Twitter) that there are still a number of boxes for Leonard to check within the next week, but if all goes well, it sounds as if the plan is for him to suit up vs. Atlanta.
Despite losing star forward Paul George during the offseason and missing Leonard for their first 30 games this season, the Clippers have remained highly competitive. They currently hold a 17-13 record, which technically makes them the No. 7 seed in the West, though they trail the No. 6 Lakers (17-13) in the standings by only a tiebreaker and the No. 5 Nuggets (16-12) by just percentage points.
Leonard’s return should make the Clippers an even greater threat in the Western Conference playoff race, assuming he can stay on the court. The two-time Finals MVP has missed 191 of 420 regular season games and 15 of 43 postseason contests since signing with L.A. in 2019.
When healthy, Leonard has continued to consistently play at an All-Star level. Last season, he averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game with a .525/.417/.885 shooting line in 68 outings, earning a spot on the All-NBA Second Team.