Kawhi Leonard’s previous few seasons have been riddled with injury. Just last season, the Los Angeles Clippers superstar debuted in January, around midseason, after rehabbing an inflammation in his right knee. Now, the forward prepares to navigate the upcoming regular season while making sure he’s not sidelined, and Leonard seems to be taking steps to ensure he’s ready from day one.

In a courtside interview with Malika Andrews during the preseason game against the Denver Nuggets, Leonard highlighted how the break after last year’s playoffs helped him physically and mentally prepare for the season. “I felt great. I was able to have a good offseason, travel a little bit, and just work on my body. And, you know, I haven’t had [a preseason game] in a minute, but they got me there,” he said, highlighting how big a difference a proper offseason can make for an elite athlete like him.

Leonard also stressed how the integration with the Clippers is going. “I’m coming in in January. I don’t go through no training camp, not knowing Jeff Van Gundy’s defensive principles. I’m learning it on the fly, getting my legs under me on the fly,” he said, highlighting how vital camp participation is, and how it gives him time to gel with the team and its system.

The Clippers also benefit from Leonard’s early presence on the floor, with coaches and teammates now able to fully use him in offensive sets while taking advantage of his elite defensive skills. With a whole training camp, Kawhi can fine-tune his communication with teammates, especially after a major offseason retool for LA, which acquired players like Chris Paul, Brook Lopez, John Collins and Bradley Beal.

However, the Clippers want to keep him ready for the playoffs. Head coach Tyronn Lue was asked about Leonard playing in back-to-back matches this year, and he said, “We’re not going to answer that right now… it’s a good question, but we don’t know right now.” Now, the question for the Clippers is whether Leonard can build rhythm in time for the playoffs.

Kawhi Leonard Stays Grounded Amid Offseason Chaos

Kawhi Leonard’s offseason has been far from low-profile. The Aspiration scandal reportedly had Kawhi being paid $48 million as a part of a ‘no-show’ deal, placing Leonard and the Clippers under an uncomfortable microscope.

When asked directly about the controversy, Leonard didn’t waver. “The NBA is going to do their job. None of us did no wrongdoing,” he said calmly. “It’s not going to be a distraction for me or my team.”

Leonard also seemed to have doubled down on his preparation. “It was just making sure I was keeping my body strong and making sure I’ll be durable,” he told reporters. “I just didn’t wanna stop there. I wanted to keep going for another month or so, so I could train my body for a pounding.” Even after an unfortunate first-round exit, Leonard opted to test just how far he could go, forgoing the traditional rest period.

This is an unseen update for a career whose latter half has been defined by absence and injury. Since joining the Clippers, Leonard has missed 32% of all possible games, but remains one of the league’s top scorers when healthy.

Now, with the Aspiration saga lingering over the Clippers until the league’s judgment after the All-Star break, Leonard needs to answer every headline by making sure he’s present on the floor.