The Los Angeles Clippers don’t know when their All-Star Kawhi Leonard might return from his ACL injury. They don’t even know if he’ll even play in the 2021-22 NBA season, according to team president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank.
“I think at this point, it’s just no one knows when you’re dealing with a recovery from an ACL [injury], the time frame,” Frank told the reporters on Friday when asked about the possibility of Leonard stepping on the court in the upcoming season. “Even just to save you guys [from asking] throughout the year, is no one knows.”
Frank added that Leonard has a “very detailed plan” regarding his rehab process, and the Clippers will “let his body and the doctors” tell them when he will return to action.
Kawhi Leonard got hurt during the 2021 playoffs, suffering a knee injury in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz. Leonard didn’t return for the remainder of the postseason, with the Clippers initially describing the injury as “sprained knee.” However, the injury proved to be a lot more severe than that, forcing the 30-year-old superstar to undergo surgery on his ACL in the summer.
The fact that he will miss most of the entire 2021-22 season didn’t stop Leonard from landing a new lucrative deal from the Clippers. He inked a four-year, $176.3 million contract with the franchise in August.
Leonard earned All-NBA First Team and All-Star honors last season while leading the Clippers to fourth-seed in the Western Conference. He averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game.
