Kawhi Leonard, Popovich set to meet as crucial offseason begins for Spurs

SAN ANTONIO – One of the most crucial and busiest off-seasons in Spurs history lies ahead after their elimination from the 2018 NBA playoffs.

The biggest question mark for San Antonio is the one that loomed over its entire season: the status of all-star Kawhi Leonard.

Leonard played in only nine regular season games this season due to a right quadriceps injury.

Without Leonard for a majority of the season, the Spurs struggled to qualify for the playoffs and finished with a 47-35 record.

The team played hard behind the all-star play of LaMarcus Aldridge, but was overmatched by the Warriors in the playoffs and far from returning to its yearly status a championship contender.

Throughout Leonard’s rehabilitation, there have been varying reports of growing tension and frustration between the Spurs and Leonard about his recovery and diagnosis.

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The team held a players-only meeting with Leonard on March 17, and Leonard left for a second time to New York at the end of the month to continue his rehabilitation.

Leonard was accompanied by Spurs officials, but he has not been seen with the team since; and was not on the bench for any of the Spurs playoff games.

When prompted about Leonard’s absence, head coach Gregg Popovich told the media numerous times to speak to Leonard and his group or medical team.

ESPN’s Michael C. Wright reported on Wednesday that Popovich is expected to lead an “all-hands-on-deck” meeting with Leonard to determine if both sides can smooth out any differences. 

Leonard is eligible on July 1 for the so-called supermax contract extension worth an estimated $219 million over five years, if the Spurs should offer it to him.

If they cannot hash out their differences, there is no shortage of NBA teams that will call the Spurs to inquire about a possible trade.

Leonard last spoke to the media on March 7, when he said at the time that he wanted to finish his career with San Antonio. He added that he and Popovich communicated frequently about his progress.

Wright’s report is also an indication that Popovich plans to return to the team at some point this summer.

Popovich has not been with the team since the death of his wife, Erin Popovich, on April 18. 

Leonard’s status is considered to be the priority for San Antonio this summer but hardly the only decision that will have an impact on the franchise.

Manu Ginobili said after the Spurs’ Game 5 loss that he would take his time before deciding to return to the Spurs for a 17th season.

“I let a month, two months go by and then see how I feel,” Ginobili said. “I’m not the type of guy who makes decisions on the fly. I usually let it sink in and see how it feels."

Ginobili’s longtime teammate and fellow four-time NBA champion Tony Parker will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Parker just finished his 17th season with the organization.

“I want to keep playing,” said Parker before Game 5. “We’ll see if it’s San Antonio. Everybody knows I would love to stay here, but free agency is always crazy, so we will see.”

Another veteran member of the Spurs roster, Danny Green, has a player option for next season. Green said he has not decided if he will opt into his current deal or test free agency.

The same goes for Rudy Gay, who wrapped up his first season with San Antonio. Gay has not said if he will opt in for next season with the Spurs or hit the free agent market.

Gay was the team’s second leading scorer this season with 11.5 points per game and proved he could play at a high level after return from an Achilles injury. The deadline for those players to decide is June 27.

The Spurs will also have to make decisions on qualifying offers for players such as Kyle Anderson, Davis Bertans and Bryn Forbes.

But the key to the Spurs offseason will be Leonard. It was once thought to be a foregone conclusion that Leonard would play the next decade of his career in San Antonio.

That certainty is all but gone, and what remains now are major questions surrounding the future of one of the most stable franchises in professional sports history.