Report: Injured Spurs Star Kawhi Leonard Returns to New York for Rehab

The Spurs aren’t hopeful Kawhi Leonard will play again this season.

Spurs All-Star Kawhi Leonard has traveled to New York for a second time as he continues to rehab his injured quadriceps, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Michael C. Wright report. 

“Leonard has been in New York since Monday and there's no timetable set on a possible return to San Antonio,” according to the report. 

Leonard spent three weeks in New York in February consulting with doctors and working out at the players union’s facilities. He returned to San Antonio in the last week of February and appeared to be inching closer to a return to the court. Wojnarowski reported that Leonard planned to play in San Antonio’s game on March 15, but that plan was aborted. 

Leonard tore a tendon in his quadriceps in May and missed the first 27 games of the season. He played nine of the Spurs’ next 17 games but was shut down again in January and hasn’t played since. 

The handling of the injury has been a point of contention for the Spurs, with Tony Parker saying his own quad injury was “100 times worse.” Wojnarowski reported that the team had a “tense” and “emotional” players-only meeting, though some San Antonio players disputed the account. 

Manu Ginobili said last week that he thinks it’s best if the Spurs proceed as though Leonard isn’t returning this season.