There's been speculation for weeks that Spurs star Kawhi Leonard would return soon, but it's becoming more likely he won't even return this season.
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Leonard travelled to New York to continue rehabilitation on his lingering right quad injury and has his own team of doctors focused on getting him on the court.
"I don't know when he's going to feel, he and his group are going to feel like they're ready to go," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters Monday AEDT. "If I knew, he'd be here. When he and his group feel he's ready, he'll be ready."
Leonard has been away from the team since Tuesday with no timetable set on a possible return to San Antonio. This is the second time this season Leonard has gone to New York. The first time came ahead of the February All-Star break, where he spent three weeks nursing his quad injury.
The Spurs' medical staff has been in New York on both occasions to stay updated on his progress, according to ESPN.
The Spurs have only five remaining games before the playoffs start, which means Leonard is running out of time to return to the lineup. He has only played in nine games after missing the first 27, and hasn't played since he was shut down in January.
"He's trying to get well," Popovich said. "Of course that's the purpose [of his stay in New York], to get well, that's what he's doing. That's what rehab is. He's up there going to Broadway shows and everything?"
The handling of the injury has created tension in the Spurs' locker room, leading to a players-only meeting in March.
The Spurs are 8-2 in their last 10 games after beating the Rockets Sunday to move to 45-32 on the season, good for fourth in the West, a half-game ahead of the Thunder.