Kawhi Leonard is back for the Los Angeles Clippers.
The two-time Finals MVP will play on Thursday against the Detroit Pistons, his first appearance in 12 games after missing more than three weeks due to issues with his recovering knee, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue told reporters.
Leonard missed all of last season after tearing his ACL in the 2021 playoffs, then appeared off the bench in two of this season's first three games. He will be starting on Thursday, though, making his first appearance in the Clippers' starting lineup since his initial injury.
Leonard's layoff had put the Clippers in a familiar situation: treading water while waiting to get healthy. All of last season was spent waiting for Leonard and Paul George to get healthy, and the former obviously never happened.
The Clippers currently sit at 8-7, ninth in the Western Conference, and they will be hoping Leonard's return means one of the NBA's deepest teams can finally fire on all cylinders.