Kawhi Leonard Will Not Play Opener vs. Timberwolves Due to Quad Injury

The San Antonio Spurs announced Tuesday that Kawhi Leonard will miss their regular-season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday as he continues to nurse a left quad injury.

Head coach Gregg Popovich previously told reporters Leonard, who missed all of training camp and the preseason, wouldn't be healthy in time for the start of the 2017-18 campaign.

"He won't be available," Popovich said Friday, according to the San Antonio Express-News' Jeff McDonald.

"I don't gauge it. He's still rehabbing, and when he's ready, he'll be ready. I try not to qualify it."

Without a firm timetable for Leonard's return, the Spurs will have to embrace a platoon approach on the wing to compensate for the two-time All-Star's absence.

One of the primary players in that regard should be free-agent signee Rudy Gay, who will be looking to get off to a fast start with the Spurs after his tenure with the Sacramento Kings was cut short in January because of a ruptured Achilles.

San Antonio should also lean on fourth-year swingman Kyle Anderson, who tied a career high by playing 69 percent of his minutes at the 3 last season.

Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.

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