Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers has had his minutes restricted recently due to an ankle injury. Leonard initially fouled out of the game against the Los Angeles Lakers with more than five minutes remaining on the clock, but has since produced 37 points and eight rebounds in a loss against the Orlando Magic.
However, as it appears, Leonard has not fully recovered from the ankle problem and recently revealed that it was a "long injury" according to a post on the Ax by Sports Illustrated's Farbod Esnashari.
Kawhi Leonard says his ankle pain has persisted for a long time. The medical team asked him against the Lakers to see if it was getting loose, and he went to the back but it wasn't getting loose.
Kawhi said he didn't want to potentially mess up his availability... pic.twitter.com/gwOaImqClr
- Farbod Esnashari (@Farbod_E) 23 February 2026
The journalist revealed, "Kawhi said he didn't want to potentially ruin his availability against the Magic by forcing him to play against the Lakers."
As far as the Clippers' ceiling is concerned, Leonard remains extremely important. Through 43 games, the All-Star forward is averaging 28 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, while shooting nearly 49% from the field and 38% from three.
Of course, Leonard also remains one of the best, if not the best two-way stars in the league, and his importance has only increased following James Harden's exit. The Clippers are somewhat removed from playoff relevance and currently sit below the .500 mark despite an uptick in form.
They currently sit 10th in the West with a 27-30 record and are largely dependent on Kawhi's health if they get to the postseason. However, fans will be pleased to see how he has continued to perform at a high level despite the ankle problem.
Leonard played a vital role against the Lakers and kept his team in the game till the end. The Clippers could have easily won the game if he hadn't been forced to do so, and his 37-point performance against the Magic despite the injury shows what he brings to the table.
For now, fans will hope that he recovers soon.
