INGLEWOOD, CA — Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will not be participating in drill work when the team kicks off training camp this week, but he will be around and ramping up for a return.

Kawhi Leonard couldn't finish the 2024 postseason healthy and wasn't able to suit up for the 2024 Paris Olympics with USA Basketball, but he does plan on being available when the Clippers start their regular season.

Kawhi Leonard's injury status

Clippers star Kawhi Leonard spoke with members of the media at the team's Media Day inside their all new Intuit Dome. Leonard explained why the Clippers are playing it safe with him as he works his way into form.

“We're taking it day by day,” Leonard said. “Everything's been going great for the past month, but we're being very cautious for [certain] reasons. In the past, I haven't been able to finish some playoff runs, so making sure I stay healthy for those important moments.”

President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank met with media last week, where the team issued an update on Leonard's status.

“His right knee, the swelling has significantly gone down,” Frank said of Kawhi Leonard. “It's almost gone. He wants to participate in everything in training camp, but we're gonna hold him back from drill work and really focus on strengthening because the goal is to get him 100 percent so he can have a great season not just this year but for many years. We'll have a detailed plan, step-by-step, have objective measures to go from one phase to the next but he's super determined, super excited, and can't wait to get started.”

Leonard played 68 games last season, including back-to-backs, before needing to sit out the final two weeks of the regular season due to inflammation in his right knee. Leonard pushed through the discomfort to play in the playoffs, but was clearly not right.

The team shut Leonard down shortly after he played in Games 2 and 3, and the star forward has been working on strengthening that knee since.

Will Kawhi Leonard play on Clippers opening night?

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) and center Ivica Zubac (40) during media day at Intuit Dome.
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Frank said Leonard's availability for opening night will be determined closer to the game's date, but Leonard expressed optimism about his availability against the Phoenix Suns.

“Yeah, that's the plan,” Kawhi Leonard said. “I never plan to miss games, but it's just about my body. I'm a human being and we're playing basketball, so it all depends on what we want, what we figure out, and how my body's feeling, but right now, I think it's a positive thing to think that I will play.”

A lot of players in Leonard's position may have given up. Given the lengthy injury history he's faced, one couldn't fault him. Heck, you have ESPN's top paid guys on television calling for his retirement every few months.

But Leonard continues to persevere, and knows he has a lot of basketball left in his body.

“I can play. I mean I played my most games I've in a long time last year. I played like 68 games, was one of the guys that probably didn't take a rest break earlier on in that season, but just keep going. Obviously, the last two years I came back from ACL, been injured, and it's a progression for me.

“It was successful for us last year. Obviously, from a fan base or just from my own competitive nature, we didn't reach a goal, but the grand scheme of things and how my body's been doing it. It was a good year. I went from zero games to 52 to 68, so let's see if I could keep it going from there.”

Kawhi Leonard's 2023-24 campaign was very successful, averaging 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game on 52.5 percent shooting from the field. The 68 games played was the most he'd played since the 2016-17 season, when he played 74 games with the San Antonio Spurs.

Despite the ups and downs, Leonard acknowledges that he has to keep fighting.

“This is just my journey,” Leonard explained. “I don’t wanna be in the situation that I’m in, but I gotta take it for what it is. A lot of people are watching, supporters and doubters. I motivate a lot of people, so I gotta keep doing what I’m doing.”

Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers will play five preseason games before opening up their season against the Phoenix Suns on October 23rd.