Tyronn Lue may have tipped the LA Clippers’ hand a bit when it comes to the health of Kawhi Leonard.
The Clippers defeated the rival Los Angeles Lakers in a nailbiter Thursday night. After the game, Lue complimented the fight that his team continues to show while shorthanded. Lue also made an off-hand remark about Leonard, saying, “We know Kawhi’s probably not gonna come back.”
When pressed further, Lue clarified that he is not a doctor and that he was remaining hopeful that both Leonard and George would be back this season.
Here is the full video of Lue’s remarks, per Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints, so that you can see the context for yourself.
"Yeah I don't know. I'm not a doctor. But hope is stronger than fear. So I'm hoping every night that these two guys can come back, but you never know. That's all I have to say, have a good night."
Tyronn Lue on a follow up on saying Kawhi Leonard is probably not coming back. pic.twitter.com/ZbVgvPnjMK
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) February 4, 2022
Lue’s comment is a bit more pessimistic than some other recent indications about Leonard’s health. The five-time All-Star suffered a partially torn right ACL almost eight months ago, but there appeared to be real hope that Leonard could be back for the Clippers this season.
Granted, this could be Lue taking on a traditional head coach’s mentality by preparing for the worst and focusing only on the players who are available. The Clippers also just made a trade that indicates a plan to stay competitive this season. But at this point, it sounds like Lue is not expecting Leonard to return during the 2021-22 campaign.
Photo: Feb 26, 2020; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
