Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is "healthy" and has arrived at Disney World for the NBA season restart, coach Doc Rivers has confirmed.
Leonard did not fly to Orlando with his Clippers teammates on Wednesday after being excused due to a family matter.
Speaking on Saturday, Rivers said the All-Star forward was going through the quarantine procedure put in place as part of the protocols to combat the risk of coronavirus.
"Kawhi, he is here, he is going through the protocol," Rivers said. Leonard is now expected to quarantine for two days.
ESPN reported on July 2 that the Clippers had to close their team facility following a positive test for COVID-19, but Rivers says all the players in Orlando are fit, including Paul George, who had been recovering from shoulder surgery.
New location. Same focus. pic.twitter.com/zjcnd3ZgKS
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) July 11, 2020
"I think everybody's healthy, that is a great thing," he said. "Guys were not as healthy in training camp at the beginning of this year.
"Now we got Paul George healthy, we have Kawhi healthy, we don't have a guy that's injured right now, knock on wood. Hope that continues."
Rivers also addressed controversy around U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, who wrote to NBA commissioner Adam Silver to question why players will be allowed to wear jerseys with social justice messaging rather than slogans such as "Support our Troops,' "Back the Blue" or "Free Hong Kong."
"They always try to turn it into the military or the police," Rivers said. "There's no league that does more for the military than the NBA. But how about that senator? I'll make up a challenge. We will do things for the troops as long as he acknowledges Black Lives Matter. I think that would be really cool for him to do.
"It's funny, whenever we talk about justice, people try to change the message. Colin Kaepernick kneels, it had nothing to do with the troops. It had to do with social injustice. And everyone tries to change the narrative. How about staying on what we're talking about and dealing with that instead of trying to trick us or change or trick your constituents? How about being real?
"I guarantee you that we have done more for the military than probably that senator. And I guarantee you this, we are going to do things for Black Lives Matter, how about him? Maybe he should join into that."
