LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard plans to make his season debut Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks at Intuit Dome, sources confirmed to ESPN.
The Clippers upgraded Leonard to questionable Friday night, indicating he was set to return to action for the first time since April 26. The team will assess Leonard on Saturday morning.
Leonard has been sidelined all season because of inflammation in his right knee, and he and the Clippers have been extremely cautious with the injury. Last season, he sat out the final eight regular-season games and Game 1 of the Clippers’ first-round series against Dallas. He returned to play in Games 2 and 3 but did not look like himself after contributing nine points and nine rebounds in Game 3 on April 26.
Leonard was then shut down for the rest of the series, admitting that the inflammation was still troublesome. He hasn’t played in a game since then.
Leonard was able to participate in USA Basketball’s training camp in July before USA Basketball opted to replace him with Boston Celtics point guard Derrick White. Leonard did not practice with the Clippers throughout training camp and the preseason, taking an extra-cautious approach in hopes of helping the inflammation in his knee subside and trying to ensure it wouldn’t return.
The Clippers have had surprising success this season without Leonard, going 19-15, second in the Pacific Division. Veteran forward Norman Powell has stepped up for LA, leading the team with 23.6 points per game after averaging 13.9 last season.
Leonard, 33, played 68 games last season, averaging 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
News of Leonard’s plan to play Saturday was first reported by NBA insider Chris Haynes.
ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk contributed to this report.
