Kawhi injury officially ruled a Knee sprain, day-to-day status according to Chris Haynes

[clipperlover]

I said this right after he was ruled out for game 5 of Utah series. I do not expect him to play a single minute again this season, even if we make it all the way to game 7 of Finals. He will not play. Our FO is going to too soft to ask him to play, with the fear that he won't resign, while he probably already made up his mind about who to sign with this offseason.
I hope I am wrong.

You can't fault the guy. The Spurs team doctors didn't listen to him when he said his leg didn't feel right. They tried to push him back out there and he got re-injured, so he doesn't trust team doctors. There is no doubt in my mind that if he feels he can play that he will get back out there. However, it will be between him and his doctors to make that decision. The Clippers team doctors will have no say.

[Captain Ballmer]

It sucks real bad, but I've accepted it for what it is, a title killer.

The fact these dudes battled so hard to get here, PG stepped up, makes this much easier for me, at least.

The problem is, we still need to upgrade for next year. We seem to have found something with Reggie in his role, Lue found out he CAN trust Luke in tough spots, but we need to keep adding.

Can Batum play like this next year and will he be fine with what we can pay him? Will Reggie stick around for a role that suits him for less than he can likely make? What do we do with Morris? What is Ibakas long term prognosis? Where do we go at PG? Still think we need another big wing.

Reggie might settle for a one year early bird deal this summer so that we could have his full bird rights at 2022 and offer him 8 figures contract he deserved. As long as PG13 is here we don't want to mess with his bff.

Batum is OTOH getting more than taxpayer MLE we could offer. I believe there will be solid playoff teams with non-taxpayer MLE 4/40 to defeath our 3/18.

The more I see looking at it, we need to develop 5 out rosters all game. If Zubac can't create spacing in the nex 2-3 years when our title window closing he's not helping our best offense. Zubac+Rondo package for someone to cover minutes left behind Ibaka, replacement of Batum.

[madmaxmedia]

It sucks real bad, but I've accepted it for what it is, a title killer.

The fact these dudes battled so hard to get here, PG stepped up, makes this much easier for me, at least.

The problem is, we still need to upgrade for next year. We seem to have found something with Reggie in his role, Lue found out he CAN trust Luke in tough spots, but we need to keep adding.

Can Batum play like this next year and will he be fine with what we can pay him? Will Reggie stick around for a role that suits him for less than he can likely make? What do we do with Morris? What is Ibakas long term prognosis? Where do we go at PG? Still think we need another big wing.

Bolded times one hundred! I may not be expecting to win the series, but on any given game night I know we have a shot, including tonight. And if we go on to lose to the Suns, I believe we can look back on this season as a success (given the circumstances.)

There will be real work to do though, whenever our season ends. I hope we can keep Reggie and/or Nic, we can probably figure out a way to keep one but both would be a really big ask. We do have our 1st round pick, which essentially becomes tradable on draft night (or who knows, maybe we finally hit on a 1st rounder.) I have some hope for Kennard at the offensive end, but worry his defense is always going to limit his minutes. Finally, I am worried Zubac is a good regular season center, but unfortunately not so much in the playoffs against some of these star players who dominate their teams' possessions in the postseason.

[Clemenza]

It sucks real bad, but I've accepted it for what it is, a title killer.

The fact these dudes battled so hard to get here, PG stepped up, makes this much easier for me, at least.

The problem is, we still need to upgrade for next year. We seem to have found something with Reggie in his role, Lue found out he CAN trust Luke in tough spots, but we need to keep adding.

Can Batum play like this next year and will he be fine with what we can pay him? Will Reggie stick around for a role that suits him for less than he can likely make? What do we do with Morris? What is Ibakas long term prognosis? Where do we go at PG? Still think we need another big wing.

Reggie might settle for a one year early bird deal this summer so that we could have his full bird rights at 2022 and offer him 8 figures contract he deserved. As long as PG13 is here we don't want to mess with his bff.

Batum is OTOH getting more than taxpayer MLE we could offer. I believe there will be solid playoff teams with non-taxpayer MLE 4/40 to defeath our 3/18.

The more I see looking at it, we need to develop 5 out rosters all game. If Zubac can't create spacing in the nex 2-3 years when our title window closing he's not helping our best offense. Zubac+Rondo package for someone to cover minutes left behind Ibaka, replacement of Batum.

Reggie will probably be a more urgent re-sign over Batum even though we definitely need them both back next season. Mann and Kennard, both already on the books, should have bigger roles next year. We do have our first round draft pick in this upcoming draft so hopefully we nab a guy that has some promise and can crack the rotation. The summer league will let us know further about Jay Scrubb, Oturu, and the first round pick whoever that might be. Scrubb has the most promise of course. I think we're in good shape. Not sure on Ibaka or Rondo

[madmaxmedia]

I wonder if Batum is less replaceable than Reggie, assuming Kennard and Mann especially are ready for more minutes next season. I would hate to lose Reggie though, he really stepped up for us and made losing Lou Will largely irrelevant even if playoff Rondo never showed up. Rondo becomes an expiring to maybe package with the 1st rounder, if there's a trade opportunity to be found.

I am hopeful for Scrubb, he'll need more time but at least maybe can start playing a few minutes here and there? Oturu seems too physically limited but who knows. TBH I can see why they drafted him, but don't know if he'll be able to stick in the NBA.

[donemilio21]

I said this right after he was ruled out for game 5 of Utah series. I do not expect him to play a single minute again this season, even if we make it all the way to game 7 of Finals. He will not play. Our FO is going to too soft to ask him to play, with the fear that he won't resign, while he probably already made up his mind about who to sign with this offseason.
I hope I am wrong.

You can't fault the guy. The Spurs team doctors didn't listen to him when he said his leg didn't feel right. They tried to push him back out there and he got re-injured, so he doesn't trust team doctors. There is no doubt in my mind that if he feels he can play that he will get back out there. However, it will be between him and his doctors to make that decision. The Clippers team doctors will have no say.

You just go out and say "Here is the full max 4-year extension, not matter what happens to you, you will get that. Now go out and play" We are going to look like incompetent asses, if we get swept and Kawhi signs with another team.

[Roscoe Sheed]

I said this right after he was ruled out for game 5 of Utah series. I do not expect him to play a single minute again this season, even if we make it all the way to game 7 of Finals. He will not play. Our FO is going to too soft to ask him to play, with the fear that he won't resign, while he probably already made up his mind about who to sign with this offseason.
I hope I am wrong.

You can't fault the guy. The Spurs team doctors didn't listen to him when he said his leg didn't feel right. They tried to push him back out there and he got re-injured, so he doesn't trust team doctors. There is no doubt in my mind that if he feels he can play that he will get back out there. However, it will be between him and his doctors to make that decision. The Clippers team doctors will have no say.

You just go out and say "Here is the full max 4-year extension, not matter what happens to you, you will get that. Now go out and play" We are going to look like incompetent asses, if we get swept and Kawhi signs with another team.

You have to leave it up to him- otherwise you risk alienating him. Who knows what he is thinking, but clippers seem to be the front runners- but pressuring him to come back could sour him as it did with the Spurs

[clipperlover]

I said this right after he was ruled out for game 5 of Utah series. I do not expect him to play a single minute again this season, even if we make it all the way to game 7 of Finals. He will not play. Our FO is going to too soft to ask him to play, with the fear that he won't resign, while he probably already made up his mind about who to sign with this offseason.
I hope I am wrong.

You can't fault the guy. The Spurs team doctors didn't listen to him when he said his leg didn't feel right. They tried to push him back out there and he got re-injured, so he doesn't trust team doctors. There is no doubt in my mind that if he feels he can play that he will get back out there. However, it will be between him and his doctors to make that decision. The Clippers team doctors will have no say.

You just go out and say "Here is the full max 4-year extension, not matter what happens to you, you will get that. Now go out and play" We are going to look like incompetent asses, if we get swept and Kawhi signs with another team.

There is too much cap space at risk. You can set your team back for years with emotional moves like that. Lakers extended Kobe while he was out with torn achilles. Paid him a max deal. He never came back the same and they never recovered until they were able to sign LeBron. Would be bad business to push him out there, have him tear his ACL and miss next season recovering.

Plus, Kawhi knows the Clips are going to offer the max as well as other teams. No need to risk serious injury and another season if the knee doesn't feel right.

[NippySudz]

I said this right after he was ruled out for game 5 of Utah series. I do not expect him to play a single minute again this season, even if we make it all the way to game 7 of Finals. He will not play. Our FO is going to too soft to ask him to play, with the fear that he won't resign, while he probably already made up his mind about who to sign with this offseason.
I hope I am wrong.

I don't think it has anything to do with soft. I don't think kawhi would sit out an injury he couldn't play through. If it is indeed an ACL sprain, you better take your time with it. Better to miss a few weeks then have surgery and miss a year.

I just hope he manages to return.

The guy injured his knee man, you don't **** around with things like that. KD had a calf sprain that turned into a torn achiles. A knee sprain can turn into a torn ACL.

it hasn't even been ten days since he sprained his knee.

[JerryWest_44]

I said this right after he was ruled out for game 5 of Utah series. I do not expect him to play a single minute again this season, even if we make it all the way to game 7 of Finals. He will not play. Our FO is going to too soft to ask him to play, with the fear that he won't resign, while he probably already made up his mind about who to sign with this offseason.
I hope I am wrong.

I don't think it has anything to do with soft. I don't think kawhi would sit out an injury he couldn't play through. If it is indeed an ACL sprain, you better take your time with it. Better to miss a few weeks then have surgery and miss a year.

I just hope he manages to return.

The guy injured his knee man, you don't **** around with things like that. KD had a calf sprain that turned into a torn achiles. A knee sprain can turn into a torn ACL

Exactly…the knee injury is an ACl injury … no one really believes he’s going to play in these playoffs.

[NippySudz]

I said this right after he was ruled out for game 5 of Utah series. I do not expect him to play a single minute again this season, even if we make it all the way to game 7 of Finals. He will not play. Our FO is going to too soft to ask him to play, with the fear that he won't resign, while he probably already made up his mind about who to sign with this offseason.
I hope I am wrong.

I don't think it has anything to do with soft. I don't think kawhi would sit out an injury he couldn't play through. If it is indeed an ACL sprain, you better take your time with it. Better to miss a few weeks then have surgery and miss a year.

I just hope he manages to return.

The guy injured his knee man, you don't **** around with things like that. KD had a calf sprain that turned into a torn achiles. A knee sprain can turn into a torn ACL

Exactly…the knee injury is an ACl injury … no one really believes he’s going to play in these playoffs.

I think the only shot he plays would be if they reached the finals or even a game 7. That would be around 3-4 weeks if my math isn't off. It's approaching 2 weeks since he's been injured. After the conference finals, there's a week off no nba basketball. it sounds like a grade 1 juding that he's moving fine on it with no brace or whatever. The recovery is probably 2-3 weeks, but erring on the side of caution, you have to imagine they want to take at least six weeks off. The finals would be over by then.

I trust Kawhi and the front office. If he can't play, its better than him not playing next year because he tore his knee and with Klay, you just never know if you're going to be the same again. An injury like that, rehabilitation could lead to another injury and before you know it, Kawhi is damage goods and a player that was once referred to great in the past tense. I don't want that.

[RoyceDa59]

If Clips can win tonight we got a series.

[NippySudz]

If Clips can win tonight we got a series.

not really. We need to win both of them to have a series.

[Clemenza]

I know Kawhi was in the luxury suite with his family but low key it would've been nice for him to be on the bench pumping and cheering the team on.. but I digress

[NippySudz]

I know Kawhi was in the luxury suite with his family but low key it would've been nice for him to be on the bench pumping and cheering the team on.. but I digress

I think Kawhi is an introvert and just doesn't like the spotlight.

Read on Twitter

[madmaxmedia]

Obviously getting a reasonably healthy Kawhi back would be a huge boost for us- at both ends of the floor. But if/when he does come back, I'm wondering how can Clippers adjust in the best way possible. PG is doing a great job as the primary ball handler and play maker right now (giving us the luxury of sitting Rondo), getting Kawhi back without PG having to take too much of a step back from that would be ideal IMO.

This postseason, when PG has the ball for 8-10 seconds he's facing the basket and trying to break down the defense for himself or a teammate. When Kawhi has the ball for 8-10 seconds, it's almost always an ISO situation trying to score. That's totally fine because he's really good at it, but I'm thinking in terms of how to maximize the total team effort on the floor.

[nickhx2]

I'm not so sure. this dude is leading all playoff players in minutes. getting any kind of respite, however possible will be big for him. a blowout win for the clips would be so good for him.

[madmaxmedia]

I'm not so sure. this dude is leading all playoff players in minutes. getting any kind of respite, however possible will be big for him. a blowout win for the clips would be so good for him.

Just getting a couple of minutes here and there for rest will be a huge help. We had a stretch last night when PG was resting, and Clips were struggling to generate good shot opportunities.

[nickhx2]

i think we're on the same page. I'm just thinking i want pg to take more than just a small step back, is all. we saw how taxed he was yesterday. a little bit more conservation will prevent him from playing as recklessly as he did last night.

[Roscoe Sheed]

Skip Bayless is claiming he has a good source who says that kawhi is unhappy with the clippers medical staff. He could just be making it up. Hope it isn’t true