It’s going to be an interesting, unpredictable season for the Clippers: Brand new building to promote and make home, plus a lot of old-school James Harden with the ball in his hands (he shot eight free throws in 18 minutes of action in the Clippers first preseason game).
Kawhi Leonard addressed two of the big questions facing the Clippers this season: his knee and how his new teammates look.
Leonard had an offseason procedure on his knee, inflammation there kept him out of the Paris Olympics, and has been held out of a lot of training camp to work on getting his knee stronger and ready for the season. He said at halftime of the Clippers preseason game in Honolulu that things are looking good, but whether he will play in back-to-backs this season remains to be seen. Here’s his quote, via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
“I feel good. Just been taking my time, getting stronger and getting ready.
”... We’re just taking it slow, day by day and just trying to get me back on the floor. Once those conversations come, we’ll see what they’re talking about [on the best approach for back-to-backs].”
Leonard played in 68 games last season, the most he had played in a season since 2017, and he was an All-NBA performer. Then knee issues flared up in the playoffs, he only got into two games, and the Mavericks sent the Clippers home in the first round. The question this season is how to get Leonard through the regular season and have him healthy for the postseason.
The other thing the Clippers need to reach the postseason is for their new players — Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn, Kevin Porter Jr. — to step up and fill some of the gap left by Paul George going to Philadelphia. So far, can’t say Leonard is impressed.
Kawhi Leonard says that he has been watching the new guys in camp such as Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr., as well as observing everyone's progression, but adds "nobody stood out to me so far" pic.twitter.com/X6tMzFEqLS
— Law Murray 🏟️ (@LawMurrayTheNU) October 6, 2024
If Leonard’s knee isn’t right and he can’t be on the court for 60+ games this season, it may not matter how well those newcomers play.
It’s going to be an interesting season in Los Angeles.
