If the latest reports are believed, Kawhi Leonard‘s return is on the horizon. The Clippers superstar has yet to make his debut this season due to his knee injury. Over the last few months, there have been many murmurs about The Klaw’s health and his future with the Los Angeles franchise.
Kawhi has been subjected to considerable scrutiny, with Celtics veterans such as Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Kendrick Perkins asking the two-time champion to consider retirement. Nonetheless, maintaining his reticent approach, the two-time Finals MVP seems to be finally eyeing a return.
Clippers Kawhi Leonard Performs On-Court Drills at the Intuit Dome
Klaw is Eyeing a Pre-Christmas Return
Recently, veteran NBA insider and CEO of The Ringer, Bill Simmons revealed that Kawhi had already ramped up and planned to return before Xmas. This would be the two-time DPOY’s first appearance since last season.
Kawhi Leonard is expected to return to the LA Clippers lineup “before Christmas,” sources tell @BillSimmons:
“My Clippers guy was telling me Kawhi’s coming back before Christmas. I think he’s ramped up. He’s ramped up and ready to go.”
(h/t: @TheArfur) pic.twitter.com/MVBgucJ8EJ
— APHoops (@APH00PS) December 5, 2024
Adding to the excitement among fans, Klaw was recently spotted doing some on-court drills at the Clippers new arena in Inglewood named the Intuit Dome. Below is a clip of the 33-year-old practicing some ball-handling skills and sinking a three-pointer.
First footage of Kawhi Leonard doing on-court work since his surgery 👀 pic.twitter.com/pJq6NIP1wo
— APHoops (@APH00PS) December 5, 2024
A great sign for Clippers Nation, whose team has been nothing short of impressive despite losing the likes of Paul George to the Sixers. Not to forget the uncertainty around Kawhi’s health, coach Ty Lue and his crew have managed to remain afloat. The Clippers are currently 14-10, with the likes of James Harden, Ivica Zubac, and Norman Powell having productive seasons.
One of the key talking points about the Clippers this season has been their defense. Onboarding a stalwart such as Jeff Van Gundy as an assistant has proven to be nothing short of fruitful for the team. A top-five defensive team as of today, the Clippers rank fifth in steals, averaging 9.3 per game. Coach Lue’s roster is second when it comes to allowing opponents points off turnovers.
What would Kawhi Leonard’s return mean?
Having Kawhi back in the lineup would give the Clippers a solid boost on both ends of the floor. The six-time All-Star is one of the most skilled players to ever play the game, with his resume speaking for itself. While the veteran forward might have received a lot of criticism for his limited availability and leadership abilities, one cannot deny that when on the court, Klaw never seizes to put up big numbers.
Therefore, Kawhi’s return would make the Clippers a solid contender for the playoffs. It would instill a new sense of confidence in the team with his presence. Making his debut at the Dome would also help boost sales of the $2 billion arena, making it a win-win situation for all.
In his four seasons with the Clips, Kawhi has averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.6 steals. He has shooting splits of 50.4/40.2/88.2. However, his injury prone nature has only allowed him to play 229 of the 414 regular-season games so far.
As an LA native himself, it remains to be seen if Kawhi can bring the Ballmer franchise its first-ever title.
