Kawhi Leonard’s anticipated return date has been pushed back, and now we have some clarity about the reason.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said on Tuesday that Leonard still needs to receive medical clearance from the specialists he has been seeing in New York.
“But the first step is he’s got to be cleared by his medical staff that he’s seeing,” Popovich said via ESPN’s Michael C. Wright. “And until he gets cleared, we can’t make a decision on when he’s coming back. So once he gets cleared, then he and I can sit down and talk, and see what we think about an appropriate time to come back. But that clearance has to be obtained first.”
Popovich says that Leonard is frustrated by not being able to play for the Spurs. The head coach also said that the team would rather handle Leonard with caution than try to rush him back, even if the playoffs are at stake. That’s because the team is thinking about protecting Leonard’s long-term health.
A report from ESPN on Saturday said that the Spurs were expecting Leonard to return as early as Thursday. That is not happening, and once again, there is uncertainty surrounding the forward’s status.
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