One of the most perplexing and odd storylines from this eventful NBA season has been the ongoing injury saga surrounding San Antonio Spurs superstar Kawhi Leonard.
Though there were times where it appeared that Leonard would return (and he actually did once in late December) from his quad injury, ultimately the forward doesn’t see his body at that point yet. Now with only six games remaining in the regular season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Michael C. Wright reports that the Spurs likely know they won’t be getting their centerpiece back this season.
Time is running out on Leonard’s chances of returning to the active roster this season, and optimism has waned that Leonard will play in any of the Spurs’ six remaining regular-season games or join them in the Western Conference playoffs.
Leonard is currently in the middle of his second trip to New York this season for rehabilitation purposes. Though it seems like there’s always been hope that Leonard can return, those odds look slimmer and slimmer as the days pass by.
Teammate Manu Ginobili and head coach Gregg Popovich both said even weeks ago that they don’t expect Leonard to return and that should be the team’s mentality heading into the postseason. Though it will be a tough road for SA without Leonard, holding out hope that he may come back when it’s clear he is still a ways away from a return isn’t in anyone’s best interest.
While a possible Kawhi Leonard return could thrust the Spurs into the Western Conference elite, the chances of that coming to fruition look lower than ever.
