KAWHI CONUNDRUM
Speculation rampant if Spurs’ Leonard will play this season
Will he, or won’t he?
That has been the question in San Antonio concerning the status of Kawhi Leonard, perhaps the best two-way player in the NBA.
Leonard, a former Finals MVP and two-time defensive player of the year, has played in only nine games this season and Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said last week that he’d be surprised if Leonard returns this season.
However, on Tuesday, ESPN reported that Leonard has resumed working out with the club and hopes to return by late-March, which would bolster San Antonio’s hopes significantly, assuming he could mesh with LaMarcus Aldridge, who has thrived in his absence.
Leonard has been out since Jan. 13 and is not yet doing 5-on-5 work.
Leonard has been bothered by a quadriceps injury and has also been embroiled in rumours that he is no longer happy with the Spurs organization, which could impact his free agency two summers from now.
He averaged a career-best 25.5 points per game last season, playing in 74 games.
San Antonio has remained competitive in his absence, heading into Tuesday third in the West, largely because of how well Aldridge has performed in his absence as the top option.
Leonard, a two-time member of the all-NBA first team, has reportedly been cleared to play for a while now, but has not felt comfortable enough to suit up.
There is precedence for this, as Derrick Rose chose to take extra time off during one of his comebacks from injury because he didn’t feel right, even though he was cleared.
— Ryan Wolstat