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NBA Rumors: Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard not expected to return this season

By Michael Saenz

OAKLAND, CA - MAY 14: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs stands on the court during Game One of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors at ORACLE Arena on May 14, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - MAY 14: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs stands on the court during Game One of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors at ORACLE Arena on May 14, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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NBA Rumors: San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says he’d be surprised if Kawhi Leonard returns this season

The 2017-18 NBA campaign has been a season to forget for Kawhi Leonard. And it doesn’t look to be getting better anytime soon.

That’s because San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters Wednesday that he’d be surprised if Leonard returns this season. Leonard has missed the majority of the year while battling tendinopathy in his right quadriceps.

He missed the first 27 games of the regular season, came back to play in nine and then was declared out indefinitely last month.

Even though the Spurs have performed quite well through much of the season without Leonard in the lineup – the Spurs are 35-24 and ranked 3rd in the Western Conference – it wouldn’t be fair to expect much from this group in the playoffs without their MVP healthy.

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Leonard was coming off a career-best season in which he averaged 26 points, six rebounds and four assists per game in 2016-17. He also shot 49 percent from the field and 38 percent from 3-point range.

However, he was never right this season and never fully recovered from an injury that he had been battling since training camp.

This comes on the heels of a report that suggested there could be a rift between Leonard and the Spurs front office. Although, most of that was refuted by the Spurs (what else would you expect them to do?)

That should be taken with a grain of salt, especially considering that there is a ton of frustrating in that organization at the moment regarding Leonard and this most recent injury. It’s never a great thing when your MVP has only played nine games in a season.

It would actually be a bigger surprise if frustration was leaking from the roof.

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Nevertheless, this looks like a lost season for both Kawhi Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs. And it could be back to the drawing board for this franchise this summer, where it has some pretty big decisions to make.

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