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INGLEWOOD, CA — With one preseason game on tap, James Harden and the Los Angeles Clippers are preparing for regular season life without Kawhi Leonard. Head coach Tyronn Lue spoke with members of the media at Tuesday's Intuit Dome preseason opener, where he all but confirmed that Leonard's status for the start of the regular season is in doubt.
Clippers' Kawhi Leonard gets injury update
Kawhi Leonard has not played in any of the Clippers' preseason games, missing four of the five games so far. Tyronn Lue said Leonard would not play in the team's preseason finale on Thursday night against the Sacramento Kings, effectively ruling him out for the entire preseason.
“He won’t play Thursday,” Lue said of Kawhi Leonard. “[The plan is for him to] Continue to keep rehabbing, keep getting better, and keep checking the boxes.”
Tyronn Lue says Kawhi Leonard will not play today or Thursday, so he’s out for the whole Clippers’ preseason.
What’s he gonna do this week?
“Continue to keep rehabbing, keep getting better, and keep checking the boxes.” pic.twitter.com/HdNEildjUo
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 15, 2024
What those boxes currently entail, however, nobody is quite sure. Through two weeks of training camp, Leonard has yet to participate in any of the Clippers' practices or drills, instead only taking part in individual workouts.
In his time in Honolulu, Oceanside, and Seattle, Leonard wasn't even seen touching a basketball during the portion of practice open to the media.
“Not right now,” Leonard told reporters in Hawaii when asked if he'd begun his ramp-up process. “We’re just taking it slow, taking it day by day, and just trying to get me back on the floor.
“It’s not really based on how I’m feeling. It’s more of just listening to the doctors and seeing what I can do to prevent what I have been doing because I’ve been doing a lot. A lot of stuff that probably has me where I am now.”
A source not authorized to speak publicly said the team is simply preparing as if Leonard will not be available until he is which, to be fair, is not unlike prior years that the Clippers have had to deal with his absences.
President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank said the team would prioritize strengthening Kawhi Leonard's knee in the preseason as part of a lengthy effort to minimize the inflammation in his right knee.
The team has not reported anything yet, but as of right now, it does not appear that Kawhi Leonard will be ready for the regular season opener against the Phoenix Suns on October 23rd, and likely beyond that. The closer this team gets to that date, the more and more it appears this will be James Harden's team in the immediate future.
James Harden expected to lead Clippers
Harden took the initiative to start the Clippers' mini-camp at Arizona State, hosting his teammates in a week of workouts and bonding before training camp. He's taken on the role of lead playmaker and scorer on this team and done this as he works in the best shape he's been in since 2019.
When asked about Harden's ability to lead the Clippers now that Kawhi Leonard is likely going to miss a bit of time, Lue affirmed his belief in Harden.
“Yes, I think so,” Lue confirmed. “He's been great. All of camp, we did a lot of running, and he told me in Seattle, when we left the football game, ‘you got 12 more days of his s**t and I'm never going to run like this anymore.' But he’s done all the right things. He's been a great leader, on and off the floor. He was in the same situation a lot of times in Houston, so he's up for the challenge.”
Without Leonard for the time being, the Clippers have trotted out a starting lineup of Harden, Norman Powell, Terance Mann, Derrick Jones Jr., and Ivica Zubac. Tyronn Lue all but confirmed that those five players will be starting together when the team opens up the season.
“We've been putting the work in,” Harden explained. “Basically, it started this entire summer. It's a process for us, but it's fun. We have a lot of new guys, but it's fun. We're getting after it defensively. Offensively, we're learning each other. It's gonna be some excitement around this building.”
And before reports start floating about Harden's unhappiness or impatience, Leonard's injury rehab is not affecting or concerning Harden, one source with knowledge of his thinking told ClutchPoints. The 10-time NBA All-Star and 2018 Most Valuable Player is ecstatic to be home and remains laser-focused on leading this team alongside Tyronn Lue.
James Harden on the starting 5 with him, Norman Powell, Terance Mann, Derrick Jones Jr., and Ivica Zubac:
“We've been putting the work in. Basically starting this entire summer. It's a process for us, but it's fun. We have a lot of new guys, but it's fun. We're getting after it… pic.twitter.com/5BU5Yj2std
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 15, 2024
Harden, who hasn't been asked to be a number one scoring and playmaking option on a team since he was a member of the Houston Rockets in 2020, says nothing has changed as far as his abilities go.
“[I bring] myself,” James Harden said with a laugh. “I'm the same person. That was just me sacrificing to try to chase something that I haven't accomplished before. But I'm the same person.”
The Clippers' opener against the Phoenix Suns is set to tip off at 7:30 PM PST on October 23rd. It's the first of a six-game stretch to open up the season against the Suns twice, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, and Oklahoma City Thunder.
