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Clippers Have a New Kawhi Leonard Injury Concern After Early Exit vs. Kings

Los Angeles Clippers fans anxiously await a positive injury update on Kawhi Leonard.
Cem Yolbulan|
Mar 14, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) looks to pass against Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) during the first quarter at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
Mar 14, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) looks to pass against Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) during the first quarter at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Clippers suffered a disappointing home loss to the short-handed Sacramento Kings on Saturday. In what was one of the worst performances of the last few months against the team with the fewest wins in the Western Conference, the Clippers missed an excellent opportunity to extend their win streak to five and improve to 35-32 for the season.

More important than the loss, however, was what occurred with nine and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter. When trying to guard a DeMar DeRozan shot attempt, Kawhi Leonard sprained his left ankle. He first went to the bench, then limped to the locker room. He did not return to the game as the Clippers, who were already down by 14 at the time, went on to lose.

Kawhi Leonard's Status TBD With a Sprained Left Ankle

After the loss, head coach Ty Lue confirmed that Leonard has "a sprained left ankle", per Clippers insider Joey Linn. There was no further information, and fans are unlikely to get clarity until the team reveals its first injury report ahead of Monday's clash against the San Antonio Spurs. It's safe to assume that Leonard will be doubtful to play in that game.

Clippers fans have to hope that this is nothing more than a tweak or a Grade 1 ankle sprain. The fact that Leonard was able to walk on his own, albeit limping, can be seen as a good sign. Plus, the sprain doesn't seem as severe as some that we have grown accustomed to over the years, so there should be a level of optimism for a relatively quick return for Leonard.

In January, Leonard had suffered an ankle sprain in his other foot against the New York Knicks. He ended up playing through a questionable tag for the next handful of games, but was limited to 30 minutes per game.

With Leonard, the Clippers will obviously be extremely cautious, and the fans have every right to be concerned about the 34-year-old forward. Even though Leonard has been exceptionally healthy this season, Clippers fans have been burned too many times by various injuries to their franchise star. Only 15 games left in the regular season, the Clippers can't afford to lose Leonard for an extended period of time. Let's hope that the worst has been avoided and Leonard will return to action at some point during the Clippers' upcoming four-game week.

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Cem Yolbulan
CEM YOLBULAN

Cem has worked as an Associate Editor for FanSided's Regional Betting Network sites for two years and continues to be a contributor, producing NBA and NFL content. He has also previously written soccer content for Sports Illustrated. He has extensive prior experience covering the NBA for various Fansided sites. Cem has been living in the Washington, DC area for over 15 years since moving to the United States from Istanbul, Turkey. On any given day, he can be found watching soccer or basketball on his couch with his many cats and dogs.

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