Gregg Popovich dropped a bombshell on Spurs fans and the NBA at large on Wednesday when he admitted to reporters that he’d be “surprised” if injured forward Kawhi Leonard returns to action this season. Leonard has been battling a quad injury and hasn’t suited up for San Antonio since Jan. 13, appearing in just nine total games so far.
The Spurs, meanwhile, have been chugging along like they always do, amassing a record of 35-24, good for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
That success has certainly alleviated some of the pressure for Leonard to return to action, but if San Antonio is to pose a real challenge to elite teams like the Warriors or the Rockets, they’ll need a healthy Leonard in the lineup. Whether that happens is apparently up to Leonard, according to a new report.
Via Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
After spending 10 days before the All-Star break in New York consulting with a specialist to gather a second opinion on his right quad injury, All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard bears the burden of determining when he’s prepared to play again, sources told ESPN.
Leonard has been medically cleared to return from the right quad tendinopathy injury, but since shutting down a nine-game return to the San Antonio Spurs that ended Jan. 13, he has elected against returning to the active roster, sources said. If Leonard returns, it will be because he has decided he can manage the pain of the injury, according to the sources.
It’s certainly a bizarre situation and, unsurprisingly, the source of no shortage of stress around the organization. There’s still a third of the regular season remaining before the playoffs start, so it’s still possible that Leonard could return in time to help the Spurs make a postseason push.
Of course, he’ll have to weigh that against possible long-term health implications and whether he believes his team has a legitimate chance at upending the Warriors juggernaut. For now, Leonard’s season remains in limbo as do the Spurs’ chances at being a contender.
(ESPN)
