The long wait for Kawhi Leonard’s season debut appears to finally be over.
Leonard is reportedly expected to play in the Los Angeles Clippers’ Saturday clash against the Atlanta Hawks at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, Calif. While the Clippers have yet to make the official announcement, the team upgraded Leonard to “questionable” on the injury report for the first time this season.
Saturday’s game would be Leonard’s first in the Clippers’ new billion-dollar home arena.
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard plans to make his season debut Saturday versus the Atlanta Hawks at Intuit Dome, sources tell ESPN. Clippers upgraded Leonard to questionable tonight. pic.twitter.com/RbFHSyL8w1
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 4, 2025
The 6-time All-Star has missed the Clippers’ first 34 games due to a lingering right knee injury. Without Leonard in the lineup, the team has managed to stay afloat with a respectable 19-15 record.
The Clippers’ Jan. 4 contest against the Hawks makes a lot of sense as Leonard’s return date. It is the team’s only home game sandwiched between five road games from Dec. 31 to Jan. 8. Aside from allowing Leonard to make his debut at the Intuit Dome, teams in general prefer having injured players return at home to keep things as seamless as possible.
Leonard was relatively injury-free throughout most of last season. In 68 games, he averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists.
However, Leonard’s injury woes eventually returned after the regular season. The 33-year-old played in just two games during the Clippers’ first-round exit against the Dallas Mavericks and had to give up his spot on Team USA during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Last month, Leonard teased his return with a surprising social media post. Since then, Clippers fans have been waiting patiently for the 2-time Finals MVP to make his season debut.
