Kawhi Leonard saw his season come to an end during the Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors. Zaza Pachulia undercut him, Kawhi rolled his ankle and that was the end for Kawhi and the San Antonio Spurs. Now it appears that Leonard might not be around for the start of the 2017-18 season due to a new injury concern.
Leonard suffered an offseason quadriceps injury and his recovery will go into the start of the regular season. He is expected to miss the San Antonio Spurs season-opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Following from Jeff McDonald of MySanAntonio.
The Spurs are preparing to begin the regular season without their best player.
All-Star small forward Kawhi Leonard is not expected to play in Wednesday’s season opener against Minnesota at the AT&T Center, coach Gregg Popovich said Friday.
“He won’t be available,” Popovich said before the Spurs’ preseason finale against Houston.
Leonard, 25, has missed training camp and the entire preseason schedule while rehabilitating tendinopathy in his left quadriceps. Initially, the Spurs had ruled Leonard out for the duration schedule.
Now, his absence appears poised to bleed into the games that count. Leonard has not practiced since the start of training camp, though he has been in the Spurs’ practice facility to participate in rehab work.
Popovich said there remains no timetable for Leonard’s return, even beyond Wednesday’s opener.
“I don’t gauge it,” Popovich said. “He’s still rehabbing and when he’s ready, he’ll be ready. I try not to qualify it.”
