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.
Perhaps time for the Spurs to think about moving him. Phoenix? :P
Trade with T-Wolves. Wiggins plus a 1st Rd pick for Leonard.
Not sure they’d do that. Pick is too far down in the round. Wiggins isn’t worth it, either.
Kawhi is only signed through 2019. So unless there’s a contract extension somewhere in there, an offer of Wiggins + a 1st is a very good offer – even if Wiggins has taken a step back this year. He’s already extended & just 23.
Spurs will treat Kawhi just like the Indianapolis Colts are Andrew Luck. Same thing, different sport.
Luck *wants* to play.
Sixers: Fultz + Bayless + Laker’s Pick
Spurs: Kawhi
Celtics: Horford & Brown
Spurs: Kawhi & Green
Knicks: Ntilikina, Lee, O’Quinn + 2018 1st
Spurs: Kawhi
Bucks: Middleton, Brogdon
Spurs: Kawhi
Can’t see them trading within the West unless its for a ransom. He’s going to Opt-out. You’re trading for 1 year.