The misfortunes of Kawhi Leonard this season continue as his knee injury prevents him from assisting the Los Angeles Clippers and Coach Ty Lue disclosed his player’s grievances as he continues to recover.
Leonard acquired his injury at last season’s playoffs, only playing for two games in the first round before being indefinitely out. His ailment prevented him from joining Team USA’s lineup at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Although the former San Diego State had knee surgery during the offseason, it’s uncertain when he will play on the court.
According to Ty Lue, the prolonged recovery has affected Leonard emotionally. In an interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Lue shared that Leonard has been ‘crying’ out of frustration, as his injury prevents him from playing and supporting his teammates.
“I just want to let people know from Kawhi’s standpoint, like for him, it’s more frustrating,” Lue said. “He wants to be on the floor, he wants to play every single night, and it’s just a bad timing. … It’s been some tough days and nights.”
Lue complimented Leonard’s dedication to the Clippers, highlighting how the injury has heavily affected him and the organization.
“Like one day, he has 35 [points] and the next day, he doesn’t play. It’s not by design. This guy works hard every single day.”
“Kawhi is a hell of a worker. He’s a hard worker, a top-five player when he’s healthy. It’s just unfortunate with the injury bug. It’s not from a lack of working or wanting to be on the floor,” Lue added.
Kawhi Leonard averaged 23.7 points, 3.6 assists, and 6.1 rebounds last season. He reaffirmed his commitment to the Clippers despite his injuries by signing a three-year extension last January.
Kawhi Leonard progressing in recovery according to head coach
Kawhi Leonard shows signs of steadiness as he participates in the Clippers’ training session this Saturday. Ty Lue, who rarely gives insights about Leonard’s recovery, adds new signs of development.
“(He’s) just doing all the things he’s supposed to. … He’s got to check all the boxes and do all the right things, not skip any steps,” Lue said. “So, when he completes that, then we’ll move on,” Lue said.
Signs of Leonard’s return to the court arise as lingering rumors of his return before Christmas Day add expectancy. Lue, however, doesn’t confirm the report and believes his player must be stable before playing.
“He’s getting better. He’s on the floor, he’s doing stuff, but he’s not ready to play,” Lue added.
With Kawhi Leonard’s hopeful composure, it’s highly possible he’ll be on the court with his teammates. While on the bench, he continues to be his teammates’ source of support and guidance.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
