The most frustrating part of this season for LA Clippers fans has been having to watch Kawhi Leonard sit on the bench while his new team gets acclimated to one another. Leonard is the heart and soul of the Clippers, and their ceiling as a group is entirely dependent on number two.
But with knee inflammation still bothering Kawhi, he has been forced to watch from the sidelines while his teammates fight to keep the Clippers afloat in what remains an extremely competitive Western Conference. There is no doubt Leonard wants to be out there learning how to play with all the new guys on the roster and helping make them all better, but his body simply will not allow him to at this time.
The updates on Kawhi's health have been slim to this point, with the most substantial update in the last month coming from Shams Charania when he disclosed that Leonard would be "missing weeks" prior to the season opener. We speculated that could potentially mean somewhere around a mid-November return for the superstar, but obviously nothing of the like has materialized as of yet.
Then, on Monday, Tyronn Lue stepped in and provided the newest bit of insight into Kawhi and his situation. According to the Clippers' coach, Leonard has begun to shoot at practice "a little bit" this week, but he will reportedly remain out of the lineup all week as well.
Ty Lue said Kawhi Leonard has started shooting “a little bit” but he’s out all week.
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) November 19, 2024
Lue: Kawhi out all week, but back to shooting
This report from the Clippers' head coach is both reassuring and a little bit frustrating all at the same time. For one, it is nice that Kawhi is finally in enough of a good place physically for him to shoot the ball and begin to get more comfortable with the ball in his hands again. Anyone who has played basketball knows how quickly one's muscle memory can weaken after some time off.
But on the other hand, it is still a little bit jarring that we are this far in to the process and Leonard is only as far along as picking up the rock and getting some shots up here and there. If he is just "starting" to shoot, that likely means he is a long way off from getting into contact drills, five-on-five work, and returning to game action.
Of course, a slow recovery is still to be expected when it comes to anything related to Kawhi Leonard's health. His body has taken a beating over the years, and he has never been a quick healer. The knee inflammation is still a concerning issue due to its potential for debilitating long-term effects, but Clippers fans will have to take the small victories they can get when it comes to these updates.