The LA Clippers fell from the ranks of contenders last NBA season with the injuries that they dealt with. Kawhi Leonard didn’t play the entire season as he recovered from an ACL injury suffered in the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs against the Utah Jazz. To make matters worse, Paul George also struggled to stay healthy, as he played in only 31 games.
Despite that, the Clippers still did enough to qualify for the NBA Play-In Tournament. But, with George missing the second game against the New Orleans Pelicans, there wasn’t enough firepower to qualify for the eight-team field in the Western Conference.
The team is certainly hoping that changes this season with both of their All-Stars healthy and ready to play. It will be nice to see both of them in training camp, working with their teammates on the court again.
Leonard, they actually have to reel back a little bit. Lawrence Frank shared earlier this week that he has been cleared to take part in 5-on-5, which is usually the last hurdle for a rehabbing player to overcome.
LATEST NBA NEWS: Kawhi Leonard Injury & LA Clippers Updates
Leonard is chomping at the bit to get back out there and the team is stressing a methodical approach with him as he wants to take part in everything.
That is certainly encouraging as it sounds like Leonard is ready to go for the upcoming season. He will likely be on some restrictions in the early going, whether it is scaling back his minutes a little bit or sitting out some games for rest and maintenance.
The Clippers assuredly have a plan in place as they are more concerned about the long game. They know the caliber of team that they have and to achieve their goal of winning an NBA Championship, they need Leonard healthy and on the court in April, May and June.
LATEST NBA NEWS: Kawhi Leonard Injury & LA Clippers Updates
To ensure that occurs, they will take all the necessary precautions. If that means resting him for a period of time during the regular season, so be it. This is arguably the deepest roster in the NBA so they should be able to handle a few games without Leonard in the lineup throughout the season.
