Spurs players trying to convince Kawhi to return to action

[Andrew]

Spurs hold players-only meeting imploring Kawhi Leonard to return

The San Antonio Spurs held a players-only meeting to implore All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard to return to the lineup and help the team in its push for the playoffs, league sources told ESPN.

Spurs guard Tony Parker, a four-time NBA champion, quarterbacked the meeting with his teammates and Leonard after Saturday night's victory over Minnesota, league sources said.

The conversation was described as tense and emotional at times, league sources said.

Several teammates spoke up, expressing frustration and confusion over a growing divide with Leonard that has created significant tension between the franchise star and the Spurs, league sources said.

Leonard, 26, was resolute in response, insisting that he had good reason for sitting out all but nine games with a right quad injury this season, league sources said.

If the injury is lingering and more rehab is required, it would be foolish to jeopardise their long-term future for a season where they're likely not going to make much noise. However, it seems there is a rift developing there, and some dysfunction that is quite foreign to the Spurs. I don't think they've dealt with anything like that since Dennis Rodman butted heads with Gregg Popovich and Bob Hill back in 1995.

Of course, if the Spurs care to trade Kawhi to the Bulls for Cristiano Felicio - you know, reenact Popovich's Rodman for Will Perdue trade, so to speak - I'll have no problem getting on board with that.

[volsey]

I mean really this should just be a conversation between the doctors Kawhi consulted with, and the team's unit. Everything else is just useless opinion.

And as you said, aside from the medical concerns, what's the point of bringing him back? If their playoff spot is really in jeopardy is it really worth bringing him back for a few games just to lock in an 8th seed?

Playoffs might be a different story, as I do believe with a 100% and warmed up Kawhi the Spurs are a legit threat to any team. But I'm not sure even if he was brought back he'd be a huge game changer at this point in the year.

What a weird and unlikely story to come out of SA. Things seemed to be going so well... It's hard to tell whether it's just the media pushing their narrative, as nothing has really been confirmed in stone since whenever this first came out in January or whenever that was.

[NovU]

Green tweeted the report couldn't be anymore wrong. Perhaps volsey's right that it's the media stunt. Nonetheless, it's alarming the Spurs actually are only 3 games ahead of 9th seed Denver. Anything could happen in West. Race is intense.

[Stress Fracture]

Leonard probably just became way too cautious about his injury.

[Andrew]

I wouldn't rule out there being issues just because a player denied it, but it certainly is a possibility that it's a bit of a beat-up. Either way, it's been a tough year for Kawhi and the Spurs.