Kawhi Leonard to Miss Entire NBA Preseason; Spurs Star to Continue Rehab for Quadriceps Injury
After suffering a severe ankle injury in last year's conference finals that sidelined him for the rest of the series, San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard may have to sit out a little bit longer.
The two-time Defensive Player of the Year will miss the entire preseason due to an injury on his right quadriceps, USA Today reported. Leonard, one of the MVP finalists last year, needs to continue "a rehabilitation program for right quadriceps tendinopathy," the team announced over the weekend.
Moreover, a timeline for his return will have to be determined "at a later date." Leonard's injury was a lingering one and had nothing to do with the ankle injury he sustained in the playoffs when they faced the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
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"It's just from last year, working on things from last year," said Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. "It's gone a little more slowly than we thought," he added.
NBA.com reported that Leonard's injury, called quadriceps tendinopathy, causes the tendon to easily tired when overused. Leonard was no stranger to injuries, as he had quite a number last season. BleacherReport said that the 26-year-old stalwart also suffered a concussion and a hand injury, which likely compounded as San Antonio went deep into the postseason.
With Leonard sitting out the preseason and possibly the early part of the regular season, the Spurs will have to rely on the other stars for firepower. During the offseason, the team acquired the services of forward Rudy Gay from the Sacramento Kings. Also returning are veterans Tony Parker who also suffered an injury early in the playoffs, and Manu Ginobili who recently signed a two-year extension.
The Spurs are still expected to be one of the top tier teams in the Western Conference. The competition, however, will be stiffer this year as some of their western rivals have beefed up their lineups.
The Houston Rockets signed All-Star forward Chris Paul to form a deadly backcourt tandem with MVP runner-up James Harden. The OKC Thunder also boasts a new "Big Three" in MVP Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony.
