Can the Relationship between Kawhi Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs Still Be Restored to What It Once Was?
The San Antonio Spurs did not have a great 2017–18 season and neither did franchise superstar Kawhi Leonard.
For the first time in seemingly forever, the Spurs just went through a season filled with turmoil, uncertainty and instability, better known as the things that just aren't linked to this particular NBA franchise.
Many of the issues stem from Leonard's prolonged absence from the team.
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Leonard only played nine games for the Spurs this past season as a quad injury kept him from playing for any prolonged period of time.
Now, if the injury was the only problem, this whole situation likely would not have blown up in the way that it did.
However, that was not the only issue.
There were questions why Leonard was not with the team during his rehab, particularly during the playoffs, and there's also confusion concerning just how severe his injury actually is.
Sources spoken to by ESPN have described the whole situation as "confounding," and it seems that both sides are frustrated.
One particularly telling quote that came from ESPN's in-depth report on the Leonard saga came from one of his confidants. Leonard's confidant said that the Spurs are "making him [Leonard] look bad," and this same individual wondered why the franchise is doing that.
There are so many things about this whole situation that remain unclear, but it seems safe to assume that the Spurs and Leonard are not on the best of terms right now.
So, is all of this leading up to Leonard eventually leaving the Spurs either via trade or free agency?
Many rumors have hinted at those possibilities, but the Spurs are not just going to let the past seven years go to waste.
Speaking during a recent ESPN draft special, NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski mentioned that Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich will soon have a sit-down meeting with Leonard to determine if the relationship between player and team can still be salvaged, Lakers Nation reported.
Wojnarowski also noted that Leonard himself has work to do if he wants to rebuild his relationships with his teammates.
Given the way this past season just played out, it would be easy to assume that the Spurs and Leonard are now just destined to part ways, but that's not necessarily the case.
The Spurs have benefited immensely from Leonard's growth as a player, and because of him, they have been able to remain competitive even without longtime franchise stalwart Tim Duncan. Meanwhile, Leonard has benefited tremendously from this partnership as well, as he went from being a raw prospect to one of the best two-way players in the entire league.
In the past, both sides have already worked together beautifully and even won a championship along the way, and there's no reason why they can't do so again.
Mistakes may have already been made by both the Spurs and Leonard, but forgiveness is a powerful thing, and even a relationship as plagued by issues as theirs can still be repaired.
More news about Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs should be made available soon.
