What If Kawhi Leonard Doesn't Become a San Antonio Spurs Superstar This Season?

Kawhi Leonard has largely been a quiet standout for the San Antonio Spurs, but the small forward has proven he holds the potential of becoming a top NBA player.

That statement is not exactly ground-shaking, especially given his elite showing during the 2013 Finals. Though the Miami Heat won the series, but Leonard's hype train began rumbling at a dangerous speed.

The 23-year-old was soon heralded as the next best thing, and it was supposed to be an immediate change for the aging Spurs—a changing of the guard, per se. The former first-round pick certainly improved throughout the most recent campaign, but ever-so-fractionally, to be honest.

Of course, Leonard proceeded to absolutely dominate the final three games of the 2014 Finals en route to being named series MVP, making him one of the league's most interesting subjects.

Consequently, he will once again be expected to make a leap into superstardom, but is the vaunted Spurs' system actually stunting Leonard's development into an elite NBA star?

Not one San Antonio player averaged more than 30 minutes per game last season, which is either fantastic or somewhat perplexing. Fantastic, because Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are definite beneficiaries of Gregg Popovich's scheme. And perplexing, because Leonard appears so close to placing himself among the league's best individual talents.

An obvious explanation is "that's just the way it works in San Antonio," so he will continue to occupy a complementary role. Right now, Leonard is essentially a leading 3-and-D player, with the emphasis leaning toward his stellar defense since he has knocked down a modest 37.6 percent from distance.

"Can he be a star?" ESPN's Amin Elhassan (subscription required) asked.

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In the traditional sense, probably not. His offensive repertoire is not refined or diverse enough to allow him to be the main engine that powers a team's offense. Similarly, he appears to lack the disposition to instinctively assume that role, as evidenced by the muted performances he put up in Games 1 and 2 of the Finals.

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However, Leonard's most consistent aggressive displays occur during the postseason, where he has increased his points, rebounds and steals outputs each year.  The 6'7" wingman occasionally exhibits a fearless nature, clearly seen when he spotted up and buried a jumper in LeBron James' face multiple times last June.

Despite being guarded by one of the league's premier defenders, Leonard simply did not flinch. That's just one example of the strides San Antonio knows he is capable of making, but his typically passive style still persists as a lingering question.

Will he be ready to flip the switch when Duncan and Ginobili retire, something that very realistically happens following the 2014-15 season? Or, will another season of being the third or fourth option slowly turn him into a player who only thrives as an under-the-radar component?

Note: One of Leonard's previously mentioned spot-ups over LeBron is the second clip in the accompanying video.

San Antonio's team-oriented scheme is flat-out fun to watch, but its longevity is clearly an issue. The retirements of both Duncan and Ginobili feel much closer after the Spurs earned another ring, and Popovich's replacement cannot perfectly replicate what the team is currently doing.

Leonard's reserved attitude causes doubts that he'll be able to instinctively assume the role of a leading playmaker, so the Spurs need to see exactly that this season. The elderly version of the Big Three remains, and it's a perfect opportunity to hand a budding star more responsibilities.

The Spurs often win handily, so Leonard has rarely, if ever been required to take a game over. He manages some key plays down the stretch, but the fourth-year pro can learn hero-ball without the pressure of being expected to drain the clutch shot every time.

Additionally, he can be the primary focus in more offensive sets, most notably an extremely successful and slightly tweaked version of the pick-and-roll. Instead of just rubbing around a screen, Leonard starts at the top of the key, dishes to a teammate at the free-throw line before securing a return pass as he slashes toward the rim.

Utilizing him more in the half-court offense will pay prospective dividends since Leonard is not a shot creator, which makes the aforementioned play so beautiful. It's an elementary combination that can be completed with an end-of-the-bench guy—heck, even you can throw the pass.

San Antonio need not abandon its championship-caliber system and rush him into superstardom, but it still must take steps to ensure Leonard progresses into what scattered performances have displayed. 

This kid is special, and elite potential is written all over him. But Leonard should receive more opportunities to grow while playing alongside three of the finest players the NBA has ever seen.

If the Spurs ignore his necessary progression, it will set back their future successes. And that's exactly what a perennially premier franchise does not want to encounter.

All stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference unless otherwise noted.

Follow Bleacher Report NBA writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.