Kawhi Leonard ready for LA Clippers' opener: 'I'm feeling good'

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Kawhi Leonard said the inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee is "feeling a lot better than it was" and that the plan is for him to play for the Clippers on opening night in just over three weeks.

While Leonard acknowledged that he might have to deal with the stubborn inflammation in his knee for the remainder of his career, the two-time Finals MVP said Monday that he believes the Clippers' medical staff and his team have a handle on the injury and how to keep it from being a long-term problem.

"I mean, it can get that way," Leonard said at Clippers media day at the Intuit Dome when asked if the inflammation could remain an issue for the rest of his career. "But we got a sense of how we did get to that point. There's things we could do to prolong me playing throughout the season."

Leonard later added: "We'll figure it out. I'm happy that I'm feeling good and it's feeling a lot better than it was."

The Clippers are taking a cautious approach with their franchise star, holding him out of drills when camp starts Tuesday in Hawaii. Leonard and the Clippers have gone through a variety of medical treatments to control the inflammation since the end of the season.

He missed the final eight regular-season games due to inflammation in the knee, which has undergone ACL and meniscus surgeries. Leonard returned to play in Games 2 and 3 of the first round of the playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks, but the inflammation returned and kept him out of the remainder of the Clippers' six-game series loss.

Leonard participated in pre-Olympics camp in July before USA Basketball opted to replace him with point guard Derrick White. The former NBA champion with the Raptors and Spurs said he has a better understanding of how to manage the injury moving forward.

"We're taking it day by day," Leonard said. "Everything has been going great for the past month, but being very cautious for reasons in the past we haven't been able to finish some playoff runs, so making sure we're staying healthy for those important moments.

"Trying to maintain it and figure it out. We'll be in here for a long time if I started describing stuff [about the injury and treatment] ... but just learning on how it came and how to keep it down and make sure that we don't fall in that timeframe of [missing time in] those important [late-season] moments and just making sure I'm healthy.

"There's certain stuff that we could do or try to do to make me last," he said. "So we'll see what happens."

Point guard James Harden said the Clippers don't have time for patience and have to get off to a fast start with Paul George having departed for the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency.

However, Harden made it clear that Leonard should take all the time he needs if the star is eased back into play.

"Kawhi just needs to take his time," Harden said. "I think we need Kawhi later in the year and healthy.

"I'm not sure how much conditioning he's been doing, but whenever he's ready and whenever he's available think he can take his time and join in."

Leonard, though, said the plan as of now is to play in the season opener against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 23 -- the first regular-season game for the Clippers at Intuit Dome, their new home in Inglewood.

Leonard is encouraged by the fact that he is progressing since he tore an ACL and missed the 2021-22 season. He has played 52 and 68 games, his most since 2016-17, the past two seasons.

"I played my most games I've played in a long time last year," Leonard said. "Last two years I came back from ACL and been injured and it's a progression for me. It was successful for us last year. Obviously from a fan base [perspective] or just from my own competitive nature, we didn't reach a goal [of winning a title].

"But in the grand scheme of things and how my body's been doing it, it was a good year. I went from zero games to 52 to 68. So let's see if I could keep it going from there."