The Los Angeles Clippers are facing a tough situation early in the 2025-26 season, and they're hoping their franchise player can help turn things around soon. 

Kawhi Leonard has been dealing with ankle and foot sprains that have kept him out of the lineup for eight straight games, but there's finally some good news on the horizon.

Progress on the Road

According to Law Murray of The Athletic, Leonard is making progress from his injuries and traveled with the team on their current road trip, though his return isn't guaranteed before the Clippers head back to California after the weekend.

"Leonard is progressing from his ankle and foot sprains, and is on the trip with the Clippers as he ramps up towards a return, but he is not certain to play before the Clippers return to California after the weekend," Murray reported.

The injury happened on November 3 when Leonard awkwardly twisted his ankle during a defensive possession in the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat, and the team later revealed that the ankle sprain also triggered a significant foot sprain that has complicated his recovery timeline.

The Clippers Need Him Back

The numbers tell a clear story about how important Leonard is to this team's success. Before his injury, the Clippers were 3-3 with him in the lineup, but since he's been out, they've collapsed to just 1-7 without their star forward.

That's brought the team's overall record to 4-10, leaving them sitting in 12th place in the Western Conference and fighting just to stay in the play-in picture.

Leonard was playing at an elite level before the injury, too. In his first six games of the season, the two-time NBA champion was averaging 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game while shooting 50.4 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range.

Those are All-Star numbers, and the Clippers desperately need that kind of production if they want to compete in a loaded Western Conference.

A Season in Jeopardy

The loss to the Orlando Magic on Thursday night, who entered the game with an 8-7 record, highlighted just how much the Clippers are struggling without their franchise player.

While James Harden has been excellent this season with averages of 26.2 points, 8.7 assists, and 6.3 rebounds per game, he can't carry the load alone, and the supporting cast has largely disappointed after what looked like a strong offseason.

The Clippers brought in veterans like Chris Paul, Brook Lopez, and John Collins to bolster their depth, but those moves haven't paid off as expected.

To make matters worse, Bradley Beal is out for the rest of the season with a hip fracture, and Derrick Jones Jr. will miss at least six weeks with his own injury.

Looking Ahead

With Leonard traveling with the team and continuing to progress, there's hope he could return sometime during the road trip that concludes with games against Charlotte and Cleveland before an NBA Cup matchup with the Lakers back in Los Angeles on November 25.

The Clippers' championship hopes depend on getting their star back on the court and healthy for the long haul, something that's proven difficult throughout his time in Los Angeles.

For now, the 4-10 Clippers will have to keep grinding without Leonard while hoping his return comes sooner rather than later, because every game without him puts their season in deeper trouble.