Clippers won’t say if Kawhi Leonard will be ready for opening night next season

Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Lawrence Frank on his experience with players who’ve suffered torn an ACL: “The great thing about it, they can come back and be 100%.”
Also, in Kawhi’s case, 82 fewer treads on the tire. – 1:53 PM

Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Lawrence Frank on managing expectations for Kawhi’s return: “One, you have data and science to be able to tell you. And then realize, literally, everyone’s different.” – 1:52 PM

Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Lawrence Frank on Kawhi Leonard’s leadership behind the scenes: “He’s here early and still here late. They see what he does and the process. That matters. The best players, in my experience, always ignite and inspire by what they do & not with what they say. It’s your actions.” – 1:32 PM

Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Lawrence Frank on Kawhi’s contributions: “He’ll be in coaches meetings and circles and he shares what he sees, with the players, what he says to them, texts to them. He’s got a great, great, great brain and mind for the game.” – 1:30 PM

Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Lawrence Frank again mentioning the flukiness of Paul George’s injury in Portland and Kawhi Leonard’s injury in transition vs Jazz in terms of hoping that is out of the way.
“We’re looking forward to good health.” – 1:27 PM

Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Lawrence Frank on level of concern that Kawhi Leonard and Paul George haven’t been consistently healthy: “We’ve gotten the injuries out of the way, and we’re looking forward to good health.” Lawrence conceded “you examine everything,” but he’s bullish they’ll will be healthy – 1:27 PM

Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Frank on his stars’ health: “We’ve gotten the injuries out of the way; I’m looking forward to good health! The flukiness of (PG’s injury), there’s not anything preventative you can do.” Similar re: Kawhi. “Examine everything, but I have good faith we’re gonna get great health.” – 1:27 PM

Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
L: “For us to have the eighth-best defense in the league” without PG and Kawhi “you have to give credit to Zu and Isaiah.” – 1:12 PM

Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Lawrence Frank says that Clippers are encouraged by progress Kawhi Leonard has made. Adds that his ability to stay locked in to his rehab has mirrored his on-court focus.
Frank says he won’t get into timetables, of course. Opening night 2022 would be 15 months after knee surgery – 1:10 PM

Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Lawrence Frank on if Kawhi Leonard will be ready opening night next season: “I’m not going to get into timetables in the middle of April.” Frank added that he’s encouraged with Kawhi’s progress – 1:10 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Tyrese Maxey said he was watching Sixers-Raptors in 2019 as a senior in high school. Says he remembered watching Kawhi Leonard’s shot and the aftermath of it, and that he saw how much winning meant to Joel Embiid. – 12:19 PM

Peter Vecsey @PeterVecsey1
Brandon Ingram is Kawhi Leonard. Supremely skilled! Contentiously competitive! Unwaveringly unflappable! – 12:11 PM

Chase Hughes @ChaseHughesNBCS
3-point shooting through 147 career games:
Rui Hachimura – 125/347 (36%)
Kawhi Leonard – 125/347 (36%)
Chauncey Billups was right with his draft night comparison in one very specific way. – 11:07 AM

Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
605 players appeared in an NBA game this past regular season.
They did NOT include:
– Ben Simmons
– TJ Warren
– Jonathan Isaac
– Jamal Murray
– James Wiseman
– Kawhi Leonard
– Jason Preston
– Kendrick Nunn
– Dario Saric
– John Wall
– Zion Williamson – 6:37 PM