"The King of LA is back!"- Skip Bayless relishing the return of Kawhi Leonard on the court after a prolonged absence, says Kawhi is the 'true king'
After a long wait, Kawhi Leonard is finally making his return to an NBA court this season. The five-time All-Star suffered an ACL injury in the 2021 playoffs that forced him to miss all of last season. Now fully healthy again, he is ready to lead the Clippers in their quest for a championship.
Given that he is one of the league's top talents, many have been waiting for this return with great anticipation. With a healthy star duo and loaded roster, some feel LA has a legitimate chance to be the last team standing this year.
One analyst who is extremely excited for the two-time Finals MVP to debut is FS1's Skip Bayless. On "Undisputed: Skip and Shannon," he talked about how the "true king of LA" is back.
"The true king of LA, Kawhi Leonard, whose finally back," Bayless said. "I pick the Clippers to win it all this year."
It's worth noting that before he was injured during the 2021 Western Conference semifinals, he was averaging 27.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while shooting over 50%.
"Kawhi, the King of LA, is back."
@RealSkipBayless reacts to Kawhi Leonard returning from his ACL tear vs the Lakers tonight https://t.co/55pLIiaivY
Can Kawhi Leonard lead the Clippers to an NBA title in 2023?
When the Clippers signed Kawhi Leonard and traded for Paul George in 2019, they expected to be in the mix to compete for championships. Unfortunately for them, injuries have derailed their aspirations.
It may have been an up-and-down journey to this point, but LA is in a prime position to contend this season. The piece that will make or break their chances is their top player.
At 31 years old, Kawhi is still in his prime. He proved in the playoffs two years ago that he is one of the game's top two-way stars. The major question mark is how available will he be moving forward.
Dating to his final days with the San Antonio Spurs, Kawhi has been the posterchild for load management. Since the 2017-18 season, he has not played in more than 60 games.
Some may not like his regulated schedule during the regular season, but the results have spoken for themselves. The Toronto Raptors were strict when it came to his load management, and it allowed him to carry the team to a championship.
Seeing how he looks from a physical standpoint, the Clippers star looks more than ready to get back in the mix. However, the team should still be mindful of the miles they put on him in the regular season.
If Kawhi can get to the playoffs fully healthy, the Clippers are going to be tough to beat. Luckily for them, they should get him through the year rather easily. Given all the talent they have, the Clippers will still be a competitive team even on the nights that he sits.
Every team that wins a championship has a little bit of luck bounce its way. If the Clippers can manage to avoid the injury bug, they should be a powerhouse in the Western Conference.