Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue threw some cold water on speculation that Kawhi Leonard might be back in action by Christmas.
Lue was asked about rumors of a pre-Christmas return for Leonard on Saturday, and he did not sound terribly optimistic. According to Lue, Leonard remains in the process of checking boxes, and there is no clear timetable for when he might actually play.
“I don’t know. Who said that?” Lue said when asked about the rumor.
Tyronn Lue says he doesn’t know anything by about the rumor that Kawhi Leonard is returning on Christmas.
Kawhi still needs to, ‘check boxes,’ and is doing ‘individual shooting drills.’
Full video: pic.twitter.com/5JWGUmFHuk
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) December 7, 2024
It was Bill Simmons who said it, citing his “Clippers guy,” which raised some hopes of Leonard possibly being close to a return. According to Lue, Leonard is doing individual shooting drills and ramping up, but it does not sound like the star wing is on the verge of playing.
Leonard has yet to play this season due to inflammation in his right knee. The Clippers clearly did not plan on being without him for this long, and the ongoing lack of clarity is definitely cause for concern.
The Clippers have gone 14-10 in Leonard’s absence, so the season is far from lost. Getting him back will only make them more formidable, but nobody seems to know when that might happen.
