Kawhi Leonard is in Orlando and goes through the quarantine protocol before joining the LA Clippers for team activities.
Coach Doc Rivers confirmed that the all-star Clippers striker had arrived at Walt Disney World Resort as expected after Leonard was apologized by the team for taking care of a family affair when the Clippers flew to Orlando, Florida on Wednesday .
“Kawhi, he’s here, he’s going through the protocol,” said Rivers. He will be quarantined for two days.
The clippers closed their team setup with caution after there was a positive coronavirus test among their tour group, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on July 2.
Rivers said the Clippers players in Orlando were healthy, including Leonard. And he couldn’t say that most of the season. Leonard solved a knee problem most of the season, and Paul George eased his way into the season when he recovered from off-season surgery on his shoulders.
But George said his shoulders were 100% and the clippers benefited from the four-month break to have gnawing injuries healed. Rivers wouldn’t say how the Clippers plan to bring Leonard back up for off-season games.
“I don’t know yet,” said Rivers. “I think everyone is healthy, that’s a great thing. The boys weren’t that healthy at the training camp earlier this year. Now we have Paul George healthy, we have Kawhi healthy, we don’t have a man who’s just hurt knocking of wood. Hope this continues. “
The Clippers (44-20) completed their second practice session on Saturday as they continued their title hunt. Guard Lou Williams said the Clippers had held a team vote on whether to go to Orlando and play again.
Williams was “50-50” about whether to play again because, like some other league players, he feared that games could distract from protests across the country against social injustice and police brutality. Williams expressed concern that the league could promote “Black Lives Matter” and continue the momentum of the movement.
“We spoke as a team and decided that our decision would be everyone or nobody,” said Williams. “And when we sat down we decided to have a vote and we just had more things in common and decided to come as a group. So I’m part of the group.
“I have a lot of thoughts and ideas about things that are very close to my heart, but I represent a group. I represent an organization; that ultimately led to my decision.”
Rivers said the organization “urged” players to talk about returning to the game so that they had the “right mindset” and ability to stand up for what they believed in while in Orlando.
The Clippers coach spoke passionately to reporters about Missouri Senator Josh Hawley during his zoom session. Hawley sent a letter to NBA commissioner Adam Silver about the league’s messages about social justice on uniforms. Hawley tweeted “Why not ‘Support our Troops’ or ‘Back the Blue’? Or considering how much $$ @nba earns in #China, how about ‘Free Hong Kong’!”
“They always try to make it military or police,” said Rivers. “There is no league that does more for the military than the NBA. But how about this senator? I will invent a challenge. We will do things for the troops as long as he recognizes Black Lives Matter. I think that would be really cool for him.
“It’s funny when we talk about justice, people try to change the message,” continued Rivers. “Colin Kaepernick kneels down, it had nothing to do with the troops. It had to do with social injustice. And everyone tried to change the narrative. How about sticking to what we are talking about and dealing with it instead of trying to outsmart us. ” or do you change or defraud your voters? How about being real.
“I guarantee that we have done more for the military than likely for this senator. And I guarantee that we will do things for Black Lives Matter, how about him? Maybe he should join in.”
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