Poll: What’s Next For Spurs, Kawhi Leonard?
Throughout a rocky 2017/18 season, even as rumors of discord between Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs persisted, most reports out of San Antonio have suggested that a long-term union between the two sides remains the most likely outcome. Multiple reporters over the course of the season indicated that the Spurs would likely put a Designated Veteran Extension offer on the table for Leonard during the offseason.
However, that’s no longer a lock. In his latest piece for The San Antonio Express-News, Mike Finger observes that a super-max offer still seemed like a slam dunk as of month or two ago, but he admits it’s not a certainty anymore. In fact, Finger writes, it might be a surprise if the Spurs do extend that offer to Leonard.
Given the Spurs’ history of stability, the Leonard situation this season has been fascinating. It stems from a disagreement between the Spurs’ medical staff and Leonard’s own doctors about the state of his quadriceps injury — the Spurs have cleared the star forward to return, but his doctors haven’t done so, and he still doesn’t feel comfortable enough to play.
As part of his rehab, Leonard is currently in New York, away from the Spurs as they battle the Warriors in the first round of the postseason. Finger suggests the team is fine with Leonard’s absence, but the optics aren’t great, and Gregg Popovich‘s comments after Monday’s Game 2 loss were interpreted by some observers as a subtle dig at his absent star — even though they were ostensibly intended as praise for LaMarcus Aldridge.
“LaMarcus has been a monster all year long,” Popovich said, per Sam Amick of USA Today. “He’s led our team at both ends of the floor. He doesn’t complain about a darn thing out on the court. He just plays through everything. I can’t imagine being more proud of a player as far as playing through adversity and being there for his teammates night after night after night. He’s been fantastic.”
It’s worth noting that Aldridge was in a somewhat similar position to Leonard a year ago, having broached the possibility of a trade out of San Antonio during the 2017 offseason. However, a meeting and a few conversations between Aldridge and Popovich allowed the two sides to work out their issues, with the Spurs’ big man ultimately signing an extension before the season got underway.
As Finger writes, there’s still hope that the Spurs and Leonard could follow a similar path. However, at this point, the situation is “too complicated to work out with one phone call.” Finger speculates that it would probably take a series of conversations – with both sides reiterating their commitment to one another – for the Spurs and Leonard to comfortably move forward.
The Spurs are just two losses away from officially starting their offseason, at which point addressing the Leonard situation will become the franchise’s top priority. It’s not clear how this will play out, but it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if Leonard inks an extension in the offseason — at this point, it also wouldn’t be a total shock if he has played his last game at the Spur.
What do you think? Will the Spurs work things out with Leonard like they did with Aldridge before him? Or will the team decide to move on from its best player a year before he becomes eligible for unrestricted free agency? Vote below in our poll and share your thoughts in the comment section!
What will the Spurs do with Kawhi Leonard this offseason?
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Trade him 65% (987)
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Sign him to an extension 26% (403)
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Keep him (no extension) 9% (139)
Total votes: 1,529
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Kawhi Leonard Expected To Miss Remainder Of Postseason
Spurs All-Star Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss the remainder of the postseason with the intent of fully rehabilitating his injured right quadriceps, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports reports.
We noted earlier today that Leonard has remained in New York to continue his rehab in hopes of returning this season. However, it appears that after months of speculation, Leonard’s 2017/18 season is over and his future in San Antonio becomes the focal point.
The 26-year-old appeared in just nine games this season, averaging 16.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 2.3 APG in 23.3 minutes per contest. Leonard missed the first 27 games of the season, then appeared in nine midseason contests, suffering a partial tear in his left shoulder in early January. He has not played since January 13 as he rehabs his right quadriceps tendinopathy.
Leonard finished third in NBA Most Valuable Player voting last season behind winner Russell Westbrook and runner-up James Harden.
Without Leonard, the Spurs still made the postseason as the seventh seed with a 47-35 record. San Antonio suffered a 113-92 Game 1 defeat to the Warriors on Saturday and will have to battle Golden State without their two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
Conspicuously, Leonard has been largely absent from the Spurs during his rehab. Just today, head coach Gregg Popovich said that Leonard would only return once his group of doctors and associates deem him ready.
“You’ll have to ask Kawhi and his group that question…so far they say he’s not ready to go. So we can’t do anything until that happens. Then we would have to decide what’s going on from there. But that’s the first thing that has to happen.” Popovich said.
It seemed that Leonard’s situation reached a boiling point in late March when a team meeting was held in which his teammates asked him about his status. While the meeting was not tense, according to several reports, Leonard’s teammates left without a clear indication of his situation.
Leonard can hit free agency next summer, where he will have no shortage of suitors. However, given his frustrating season in San Antonio, reports have suggested that teams will inquire about his availability in trades this offseason. Yesterday, the Clippers emerged as a potential trade partner for the Los Angeles native.
While there’s a chance Leonard will never play for the Spurs again, his extensive rehab suggests he wants to be healthy for his next NBA game — whenever and wherever that game takes place.
Playoff Notes: Leonard, Smart, Wolves
The Spurs lost Game 1 against the Warriors without Kawhi Leonard‘s services at their disposal and coach Gregg Popovich was asked if could see the 2016/17 MVP candidate returning for this season’s playoff run.
“You’ll have to ask Kawhi and his group that question…so far they say he’s not ready to go. So we can’t do anything until that happens. Then we would have to decide what’s going on from there. But that’s the first thing that has to happen.” Popovich said (via ESPN Now video link).
The coach added that Leonard is in New York rehabbing his injured quad and Chris Haynes of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears that the small forward still has not been cleared to play. Sources tell Haynes that there is no timetable for Leonard’s return, but he is being “examined routinely.”
Rumblings of his rift with the organization continue to linger over the team with veteran Pau Gasol recently telling the media that many of the San Antonio’s players haven’t seen Leonard in weeks. Several teams are keeping tabs on the situation and we learned this weekend that the Clippers will be among the teams with a trade offer should the Spurs put Leonard on the trade market.
Game 2 of the Spurs-Warriors series will be held on Monday. As the teams await the contest, let’s take a look at some notes from other playoff squads.
- Marcus Smart said he hopes to be ready to return to the court for a potential Game 7 of the Celtics‘ opening-round series or Game 1 of a potential second-round matchup, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe relays (Twitter link). The combo guard, who is recovering from surgery on his right thumb, hasn’t played since early March.
- Taj Gibson, who signed a two-year, $28MM deal with the Wolves last summer, played through pain during Wednesday’s playoff-clinching win and he’ll do the same during the team’s series with the Rockets. “No different, just got to play through it,” Gibson said of the pain he played through earlier in the week (via Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune). “There’s not much improvement. It’s just something thatâs going to have to heal up in the offseason and get rest.”
- Jimmy Butler has played only three games for the Wolves since recovering from knee surgery earlier in the season. Still, he’s confident that the team, despite the injuries woes, will be able to compete in the franchise’s first playoff series since 2004, Zgoda relays in the same piece. “I feel good, well-rested to tell you the truth,” Butler said. “I’m confident in myself and these group of guys. Everybody’s locked in and focused. We donât have anything to worry about, just go out and play.”
Clippers Planning Trade Offer For Kawhi Leonard
The Clippers will among the teams ready to pounce if the Spurs decide to trade Kawhi Leonard this summer, reports Sam Amick of USA Today.
Leonard would offer L.A. a chance to rebuild quickly after missing the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. Clippers consultant Jerry West is known to be a huge fan of Leonard, who grew up in Moreno Valley near Los Angeles. Amick speculates that the team would be willing to part with both first rounders in this year’s draft (its own, plus the Pistons’ pick if it falls outside the top four), along with whatever else is necessary to land Leonard.
Speculation about Leonard’s future in San Antonio increased today when he didn’t join the team for its playoff opener at Golden State. Leonard recently made his second trip of the season to New York to consult with his personal physicians about a lingering quad injury, and Pau Gasol said Spurs players haven’t seen their teammate for several weeks.
Leonard has remained in contact with several players and texted at least one of them this morning, Amick notes, but his absence enforced the idea that his behind-the-scenes relationship with the organization isn’t good, especially when contrasted with injured Warriors’ star Stephen Curry sitting alongside his teammates and supporting them throughout the game.
Twitter was filled with comments from media members and Spurs fans blasting Leonard for his absence, relays Chris Quinn of The San Antonio Express-News.
Leonard, who played just nine games this season, will be eligible for a Designated Veteran Extension this summer that would pay him $219MM over five seasons. He can opt out of his current deal and become a free agent in 2019, so the Spurs may decide to move him if they can’t work out an extension.
Cavaliers Notes: Leonard, Hood, Calderon, Drew
The Cavaliers will be among the teams reaching out to the Spurs this offseason about Kawhi Leonard, sources tell Sam Amico of AmicoHoops. There have been reports that teams around the league believe Leonard may be available because of the season-long drama surrounding his quad injury.
The Cavs have a valuable asset to offer in the unprotected Nets pick, and although it’s not certain they would part with the selection, Amico writes that it will probably be the first thing the Spurs ask for. Brooklyn is seventh in our latest Reverse Standings, but is only one loss away from moving into a tie for fourth.
There’s more today out of Cleveland:
- Shooting guard Rodney Hood has a big fan in teammate LeBron James, Amico adds in a separate story. James is counting on Hood to be an important contributor in the playoffs and believes he has a bright future with the team. Acquired from the Jazz at the trade deadline, Hood is averaging 11.2 points in 19 games with Cleveland. He will be eligible for an extension this summer.
- The Cavaliers have been through a lot of point guards this season, but veteran Jose Calderon continues to stand out, notes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. The 36-year-old had a season-high 19 points to go with four assists and just one turnover in Tuesday’s win against the East-leading Raptors. “Jose is just a guy, he just knows his position,” interim coach Larry Drew said. “He knows how to play his position. He’s not quick. He’s not fast. He doesn’t do a lot of things out on the court that are very sexy, but he just gets things done and little things like that, big men have an appreciation for. Kevin [Love] knows that if he sets a good screen on Jose’s guy, chances are he’s going to be open. The two of them out on the floor, they really mesh real well.”
- Drew deserves credit for helping to save the Cavs’ season when head coach Tyronn Lue was sidelined by health problems, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. The team is 8-1 since Drew took over on March 19 and appears to be playing its best basketball heading into the postseason. Lue plans to resume head coaching duties Thursday.
Teams Will Inquire On Kawhi Leonard In Offseason
Whether or not Kawhi Leonard is able to get back on the court for the Spurs at the end of the regular season or during the playoffs, it has been a tumultuous year for the star forward and his relationship with the franchise. Teams around the NBA have taken note of that apparent discord and plan to look into Leonard’s availability this offseason, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during an appearance on Outside The Lines (video link).
“I have already talked to several NBA general managers,” Windhorst said, per Ryne Nelson of SLAM. “At the end of this season, teams will call the Spurs and inquire about the availability of Kawhi Leonard.”
ESPN’s Zach Lowe echoed Windhorst’s report, tweeting that his colleague’s assertion is “100% true.” Lowe added that the “vultures are circling” in the hopes that the Spurs may consider moving Leonard around the time of the draft in June.
While teams hoping to land Leonard can certainly call the Spurs this summer, that doesn’t mean R.C. Buford and Gregg Popovich will seriously consider trading their franchise player. In fact, Windhorst said later in his Outside The Lines appearance that he still believes the most likely scenario involves the Spurs and Leonard coming to an agreement on an extension that keeps him in San Antonio long-term.
Nonetheless, the fact that teams believe they may have a chance to trade for Leonard is a story in itself. Reports of tension between the franchise and the star forward surfaced back in January, and have persisted since then. Spurs doctors have reportedly cleared Leonard to return from the quad injury that has nagged him all season, but Leonard’s own doctors haven’t given him the go-ahead. Popovich has acknowledged that the 26-year-old may not return this season, while the Spurs held a players-only meeting last month to discuss Leonard’s status.
Leonard, who is currently on track to reach unrestricted free agency in 2019, will be eligible for a Designated Veteran Extension between July 1 and the start of the 2018/19 season. A deal of that nature would extend Leonard’s contract by five extra years and pay him a starting salary worth 35% of the salary cap. Assuming the Spurs put that offer on the table, it’s hard to imagine him turning it down, but if either side balks, trade rumors surrounding Leonard may intensify.
Injury Notes: Butler, Kawhi, Hayward, Evans
Jimmy Butler‘s return date remains unclear, but it looks like the Timberwolves forward is getting closer and closer to getting back into the lineup. According to Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter link), Butler took part in five-on-five action during practice today for the first time since injuring his knee in February.
The Timberwolves only have four games left in the regular season, but Butler is still expected to return before the playoffs. Minnesota’s next game is on Thursday in Denver, and the Wolves would certainly like to have their veteran star back for that contest, which will be big for playoff purposes.
If Butler can’t suit up for the Timberwolves on Thursday, he could aim to return Friday against the Lakers, next Monday against the Grizzlies, or for next Wednesday’s finale against the Nuggets once again.
Let’s round up a few more injury updates from across the NBA…
- Asked on Sunday for the latest on Kawhi Leonard‘s status, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said there has been no word on the star forward since he headed to New York last week for rehab purposes. “I don’t know when he and his group are going to feel like they are ready to go,” Popovich said, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “If I knew, he’d be here. When he and his group feel he’s ready, then he’ll be ready.” Leonard has already been ruled out of San Antonio’s Tuesday game against the Clippers (Twitter link via Jeff McDonald of The Express-News).
- Gordon Hayward took another key step forward in his rehab from ankle surgery today, jogging up and down the Celtics‘ practice court. Although head coach Brad Stevens has said Hayward won’t return this season, the forward himself hasn’t ruled out the possibility. “I think every day where he can accomplish something new is a big deal,” Stevens acknowledged today, per Marc D’Amico of Celtics.com. Still, the Celtics’ coach cautioned that Hayward remains “a long, long way away.”
- Jawun Evans‘ rookie year with the Clippers has come to an early end, according to head coach Doc Rivers, who said today that Evans will undergo sports hernia surgery and won’t play again this season (Twitter link via Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times). Evans averaged 4.8 PPG and 2.1 APG in 48 games for L.A. this season.
Kawhi Leonard Back In New York; Return To Court Still Uncertain
With just six games left in the season, Kawhi Leonard has returned to New York in search of a solution for his right quad injury, reports Adrian Wojnarowski and Michael C. Wright of ESPN.
Leonard, who has been in New York since Monday, is meeting with doctors outside the Spurs organization to figure out why he hasn’t been able to recover from a quad problem that has limited him to nine games this season. No one is sure when he plans to rejoin the Spurs, and Wojnarowski notes that team officials are losing hope that he will be able to play either in the regular season or the playoffs.
Leonard took a similar trip to meet with his own doctors prior to the All-Star break, but this latest trip comes in the wake of a players-only meeting March 17 to address his status. Wojnarowski has described the meeting as confrontational, but several players denied that. Members of San Antonio’s staff have joined Leonard in New York and are getting regular updates from him.
The 26-year-old, who finished third in last season’s MVP voting, has established himself as one of the top two-way players in the league. He is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and was named MVP of the 2014 Finals. His absence has obviously affected the Spurs, who are fighting for a playoff spot at 44-32, three games ahead of the ninth-place Clippers and Nuggets.
Rumors have been swirling that Leonard’s relationship with the team has soured heading into an offseason where he will become eligible for a super max contract extension worth roughly $217MM over five years. If no extension is reached, he can opt out of a $21.3MM salary and become a free agent next summer.
Texas Notes: Spurs, Barnes, Finney-Smith, Harrison
Yesterday, Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News relayed that the original narrative about the Spurs‘ players only meeting regarding Kawhi Leonard being tense was not accurate, writing that Leonard even received support from some teammates who urged him not to return until he feels healthy enough to do so.
Today, Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio-Express News seconded his colleague Young’s reporting, with quotes from Spurs’ veterans Danny Green and Tony Parker. Green, who tweeted a strong denial to the alleged tense nature of the meeting, said “(the report) was incorrect, wrong, false. I guess that’s the only way to put it. There was a meeting. That’s probably the only thing that was true in the article. Nobody in (the meeting) was frustrated or took it the wrong way. We were communicating like adults.”
For his part, Parker neither affirmed or denied the original report, essentially telling Spurs’ reporters that what happens in the locker room stays in the locker room. “You should know better that I can’t talk about that. That’s private stuff, locker room stuff. We always talk as a team, but you know we can’t talk about that.”
Interestingly however, Orsborn writes in another, related story that Parker contrasted his quadriceps injury from last season with Leonard’s injury this season in a thought-provoking manner, saying “I’ve been through it. It was a rehab for me for eight months. Same kind of injury, but mine was a hundred times worse, but the same kind of injury. You just stay positive.” Parker also spoke highly about the Spurs’ medical team, while Leonard received a second opinion from outside medical professionals.
Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News also has some news from Dallas:
- The experiment of Harrison Barnes at power forward is over, and Barnes couldn’t be happier about it. Since the Mavericks returned Barnes to small forward four games ago, he has averaged 24.3 points per game and when asked about the move back, simply said, “I love it.” Barnes goal for the remainder of the season is to continue to work on his playmaking, which makes sense considering Barnes only averages 2.0 assists per game, which doesn’t even crack the top-20 for small forwards.
- Dorian Finney-Smith is one of a handful or more of Mavericks‘ players who aren’t guaranteed a spot of the Dallas roster next season, with his 2018/19 contract of $1.54MM currently non-guaranteed. But luckily for Finney-Smith and the others, the Mavs’ down year has given them an opportunity to showcase their talents for potential suitors. “It’s tough, losing like this, (but) they’re doing a good job playing hard,” says veteran J.J. Barea. “You never know who’s looking. They’re getting opportunities to play, to show themselves to everybody, to get better at what they do.”
- Faced with a glut of big men on their roster, the Mavericks signed former Kentucky stand-out Aaron Harrison to a 10-day contract yesterday, electing to let Jameel Warney return to the G League. Whereas Warney clogged an already crowded position, Harrison is now only the second healthy player on the team’s entire roster who could reasonably be classified as a shooting guard.
Spurs Held Players-Only Meeting To Discuss Kawhi Leonard’s Status
11:37am: Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News provides a few more details on the Spurs’ players-only meeting, writing that Leonard’s veteran teammates wanted to know if he planned to play this season, and whether he’d return in time to help them with their playoff push. Leonard was “caught off guard by the meeting” but “stood his ground,” writes Young, adding (via Twitter) that the conversation wasn’t “tense,” as ESPN’s report suggested.
According to Young, Leonard received support from some teammates, who urged him not to return until he feels healthy enough to do so. The meeting, which lasted for about five or 10 minutes, ended without a clear update or timeline on Leonard’s status, Young notes.
For what it’s worth, Danny Green tweeted a response to Wojnarowski’s story, saying that it “couldn’t be any more incorrect.” My guess is that Green is pushing back specifically against the idea that the Spurs are pressuring Leonard to return.
11:21am: The Spurs held a players-only meeting following Saturday’s win over Minnesota in an effort to implore Kawhi Leonard to return to the lineup, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
According to Wojnarowski, veteran guard Tony Parker “quarterbacked” the meeting, which saw several Spurs players expressing frustration and confusion over an apparent divide between Leonard and the team that has generated tension within the organization. Wojnarowski adds that Saturday’s conversation was described as “tense and emotional at times” by league sources.
Leonard, who has missed all but nine games this season due to a quadriceps injury, was reportedly cleared by team doctors to return from that injury, Wojnarowski reported a month ago. However, the star forward has not felt comfortable enough from a health standpoint to play, and hasn’t received medical clearance from his own doctors. According to Wojnarowski, Leonard remained “resolute” during Saturday’s meeting, insisting that he had good reason to remain sidelined.
League sources tell Wojnarowski that Leonard has impressed teammates and coaches in 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 workouts as of late, and there was a belief that he’d be able to return sometime in mid-March. According to Woj, Leonard has targeted games within the last week as possible return dates, but ultimately hasn’t felt confident enough in his health to play.
The Leonard situation has been one of the most bizarre storylines of the NBA season, with whispers of tension between the Spurs and their star player plaguing the typically stable franchise for much of the year. Reports have suggested that both sides still anticipate a long-term union – Leonard will be eligible for a long-term extension this offseason – but that no longer appears to be the lock it once was.
Spurs players, including Manu Ginobili, told reporters on Wednesday that they need to move forward as if Leonard won’t play again this season.