Clippers' Kawhi Leonard drops hilariously blunt take about 'stepping on toes'

02/11/2025 01:09 PM

Kawhi Leonard is working his way back into action for the Los Angeles Clippers after missing the first 34 games of the season due to inflammation in his right knee. After being without him for such a long time, the Clippers have gotten used to playing without the two-way superstar, making it important that he is eased back into their game plans on both sides of the ball.

Given Leonard’s pedigree and star status, there’s no doubt that he is going to play a big role on the floor for the Clips whenever he’s playing for them. While some players settled into roles in his absence, things have begun to change now that he’s back. And while there’s some outside concern that could result in some discord in the locker room, Leonard bluntly shot down that notion for one big reason.

"No. Not at all. No … I don't feel no way about stepping on anybody toes. It's not like we're the No. 1 seed or something,” Leonard said, per Joey Linn of Sports Illustrated.

Kawhi Leonard, Clippers hoping to find their groove

While adding Leonard back into the fold should conceivably make Los Angeles better, it’s not always that simple. As a result, the Clippers have lost three of their last four games, a sign of their growing pains now that Leonard is back on a near-full time basis. However, he’s not worried about potentially “stepping on toes,” because the team is not a top team in the West currently.

Could that change once Leonard gets back up to speed? Certainly, but it’s going to take some time as his numbers indicate (he’s averaging 15.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game, all of which are easily the lowest during his time with Los Angeles). In the meantime, Leonard isn’t going to worry about continuing to assert himself in hopes of helping the Clips move up the standings.

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