Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard is expected to sit out the entire preseason because of right quadriceps tendinopathy, the team announced Saturday (via my SanAntonio.com).
“A timeline for his return to the court will be determined at a later date,” the Spurs said in a press release.
While missing exhibition games is nothing to panic over, any injury to the team’s best player is enough to give Spurs fans heartburn.
San Antonio was beating the Warriors by 21 points in Game 1 of last season’s Western Conference finals, before Leonard re-injured his ankle thanks to a dubious defensive maneuver by Zaza Pachulia. With Leonard out, Golden State came back to win Game 1 and went on to sweep the series.
But given coach Gregg Popovich’s penchant for prudence, the Spurs are likely just being careful with Leonard in preparation for games that count.