Kawhi Leonard is one of the best players in the world when he’s healthy. Before his injury, he was widely considered the best two-way player in the league. Leonard is an elite shot-creator, particularly in the midrange area, and he is also one of the best perimeter defenders when he’s locked in. Kawhi Leonard averaged 24.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 5.2 APG during his last healthy season.
Despite his talent level, Kawhi Leonard came off the bench for the Los Angeles Clippers in their recent game against the Los Angeles Lakers. This was done to “manage his minutes”, as he is recovering from a torn ACL.
Los Angeles Clippers have been considering the possibility of bringing Kawhi Leonard off the bench to start the season in order to manage his minutes, league sources tell @YahooSports.
Recently, Kawhi Leonard spoke out, coming off the bench in the second quarter. He noted that he waited for 82 games last season to get healthy and play basketball, adding that he didn’t feel as though “15 minutes would be that long”. He also noted that he came off the bench at the start of his career.
It was long… I waited 82 games last year, so I didn’t think 15 minutes would be that long. I did this before, this is how I started my career. That’s how I approached it mentally. Act like I was in foul trouble & once I check in the 2nd quarter, it’s time to play basketball.
Kawhi Leonard was definitely effective coming off the bench, tallying 14 points and 7 rebounds on the evening while also helping the Clippers to a close win against the Lakers. It will be interesting to see how the Clippers continue handling his ramp-up going forward, but it definitely seems as though they may continue to bring him off the bench for the foreseeable future.
Kawhi Leonard Could Lead The Los Angeles Clippers To A Championship This Season
Kawhi Leonard, when on the court, is a player that has shown to perform in the biggest moments. He notably won the 2019 championship with the Toronto Raptors as the No. 1 option for the team, and perhaps he could end up doing the same with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Obviously, getting fully healthy for the playoffs should be the goal for Kawhi Leonard, as the Clippers have enough talent to stay afloat even if he misses games. Hopefully, we see them have a good season, and there’s no doubt that the Los Angeles Clippers are among the top contenders in the game.
