Injury Update: Kawhi Leonard Cleared For 5-on-5
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One of the best players in basketball, LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been sidelined for over a year with an ACL injury. While all reports have indicated his rehab is progressing well, the team has yet to provide an official update on his status.
While the Clippers are still not officially announcing when Leonard will play, team president Lawrence Frank recently revealed that Leonard has indeed been cleared for 5-on-5 action. Even without the announcement from Frank, it could have been assumed that Leonard was approaching 5-on-5, with his involvement in team practices being recently documented.
Kawhi's ability to participate in 5-on-5 practice is a good indicator that he should indeed be ready to play in pre-season action. With that being the current expectation, this latest report seems to bolster the likelihood of that happening.
The Clippers will understandably continue to follow Kawhi's lead on his return, and even beyond that, as his health is vital to their championship hopes. With their schedule front-loaded with back-to-backs, it would not be unsurprising to see Leonard rest one end of each set to start the year.
With a championship being their ultimate goal, the Clippers will continuing playing the long game with Leonard's health, in hopes of getting him at or close to 100% entering the playoffs. Should they do that, the sky remains the limit.
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