Spurs star Kawhi Leonard said Thursday (AEDT) he hopes to return to the lineup "soon," and denied there is any friction between the Spurs and himself over his treatment for an injury.
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The Spurs forward, who has not played since mid-January and has only played nine games all season because of quadriceps tendinopathy, is set to resume limited workouts this week, although his return to the lineup isn't expected until later this month at the earliest. The team may opt to play it safe and hold him out until the playoffs next month.
Then again, there remains the possibility Leonard might not play at all this year, a possibility coach Gregg Popovich raised in February.
Leonard didn't practice with the Spurs on Thursday, but talked to the media, saying he hopes to return to action "soon."
“I don’t have a set date right now," Leonard told reporters, via t he San Antonio Express-News . "I just have to keep doing what I’m doing. The progression that I am making has been great. I just have to keep doing what I’m doing.”
The two-time NBA All-Star and 2014 NBA Finals MVP has received medical clearance from the team to resume practicing, but he is still in pain. He decided to get a second opinion on his own to deal with his condition.
Leonard denied his treatment has created issues between himself and the team.
"Everything was done as a group," Leonard told reporters. "I don't feel like nothing was friction. I talk to Pop everyday. He knows what the progressions were, he knew what I am doing the whole entire time."
As far as the pain, Leonard says he is feeling better.
"It’s diminishing," he said. "It’s hard to explain, but I am definitely better. Feel better and am feeling more comfortable."
Looking ahead, this looms as a big offseason for Leonard. The Spurs will be able to offer him a five-year, supermax contract extension worth $219 million this summer that would keep him in San Antonio through the 2024 season.
Only 26, Leonard's best days should be ahead of him. But his injury history — he's played more than 65 games only three times in seven seasons — and current condition make that prospect a bit dicier than it would have seemed before this season began.
Asked if he'd like to finish his career in a Spurs uniform, Leonard said simply, "Yeah, for sure."