Kawhi Leonard hasn’t played since sustaining a serious ankle injury during last season’s playoffs and coach Gregg Popovich said the small forward is “coming along more slowly” than initially expected, Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com relays. Popovich added that “It’s just been more difficult for him to get through the rehab routine.”
The franchise has still hasn’t given a definitive timeline for Leonard to return to the court.
The two-time All-Star was phenomenal for San Antonio last season, scoring a career-high 25.5 points per game and posting a player efficiency rating of 27.6. He trailed only Kevin Durant in Win Shares and while he didn’t win the MVP, he proved he belonged in the conversation.
The Spurs certainly miss his production, though they are chugging along and taking an optimistic approach to the situation. The ageless Manu Ginobili believes that playing without the team’s top star gives the younger players a chance “to step up and gain confidence.”
“I think it’s a great thing for guys like [Bryn Forbes], [Brandon Paul], even [Kyle Anderson] having to be more responsible offensively, have more possessions, make more decisions,” Ginobili said. “So I think it’s going to end up being a great thing for the team in the long term. In the short term, we miss [Leonard]. We need him out there. And when he comes back, we are going to have to readjust. It’s going to take a little bit of time, but at this point, it’s making those guys step up and play a bigger role.”