"We're going to cautious; It's going to be a step-by-step approach" - LA Clippers' Lawrence Frank opens up on 2x NBA champion's recovery process
There is good news for LA Clippers fans. Kawhi Leonard, who did not play a single game for the Clippers last season, has been cleared for five-on-five play.
Leonard tore his right ACL in the 2021 playoffs and could not suit up for the Clippers for the entire duration of their 2021-22 campaign. The news on Leonard's progress was given by LA Clippers executive Lawrence Frank in a media interaction on Sept. 22.
Frank told the media about the two-time NBA champion:
"One, he feels great. Two, his plan is he wants to participate in everything. And then three, organizationally, we're going to be cautious. It's going to be a step-by-step approach."
Lawrence Frank on Clippers' Kawhi Leonard: "He wants to participate in everything... Organizationally, we're going to be cautious. It's going to be a step by step approach."
Frank elaborated on Leonard's rehabilitation process:
"He comes in 7 a.m. and just from the time he steps into the building, from the time he leaves, many times four-five hours later, it's all purposeful work - whether it's in the performance room, whether it's on the court, whether it's film study, you know, Kawhi is all about one thing."
Clippers’ Lawrence Frank said Kawhi Leonard is cleared to do 5-on-5 work, but he said the Clippers will be “cautious” with managing his workload during training camp https://t.co/YOoWZ5YMR8
"You want those expectations," says Lawrence Frank on LA Clippers having championship expectations
With their acquisition of John Wall in the offseason, the LA Clippers added more talent to an already loaded squad. Besides Leonard, the Clippers also have Paul George and Reggie Jackson playing on their team. It's natural that the team is facing a lot of championship expectations with this kind of talent. Frank addressed those expectations, saying:
"You want those expectations. Anytime you have a talented team, there should be expectations. You embrace them. You always have to shoot for the highest goal. And our goal is not just to try to compete and win a championship this year, but be in that same position the following year and the following year after that.
"It's an era we are trying to produce. We all know how truly hard it is to win a championship, we all embrace the challenge, but realize how fragile it is."
While he admitted to embracing the challenge of championship aspirations, Frank also spoke about how luck plays an important factor in the process:
"All we have to do is go back two years ago to Kawhi's injury against Utah. And, you know, Kawhi was playing the best basketball of any player in the world. ... Our team was playing at a high level and, you know, unfortunately for Kawhi and for the group he got injured.
"So I think with that it just reinforces the urgency you have to approach every single day that nothing's guaranteed. This league changes quickly. People forget quickly. And that's kind of the hunger and the urgency we've seen from the group the entire offseason is how we've approached it."
Clippers’ Lawrence Frank on the team’s championship expectations https://t.co/q1xUGFyzAe