Healthy Kawhi Leonard And Paul George Lead The Way

LA Clippers Open Training Camp with Championship Expectations

Healthy Kawhi Leonard and Paul George Lead the Way

Concerns Linger Despite Strong Roster

PLAYA VISTA, Calif. — The Los Angeles Clippers opened training camp this week with championship expectations and plenty of concerns. Star forwards Kawhi Leonard and Paul George will begin their fifth Clippers training camp together, but they have yet to play a full season together due to injuries. Leonard has missed the past two seasons with a torn ACL, while George has missed significant time with a torn tendon in his shoulder. Both players are healthy now, but the Clippers are still taking a cautious approach. "We're going to be smart with them," Clippers coach Ty Lue said. "We're not going to rush them back. We want to make sure they're healthy for the long haul." The Clippers have a strong roster outside of Leonard and George, led by All-Star point guard Reggie Jackson and veteran wing Nicolas Batum. But they will need more than just their stars to contend for a title. "We have a lot of pieces," Leonard said. "But we need to put it all together. We need to learn how to play together and we need to be consistent." The Clippers open the regular season on Oct. 19 against the Sacramento Kings.