LaMarcus Aldridge on Kawhi Leonard's Injury: 'He Has to Do What's Best for Him'

LaMarcus Aldridge thrived during the San Antonio Spurs' 116-101 playoff loss to the Golden State Warriors on Monday with 34 points and 12 rebounds, doing what he could to help keep the team afloat without Kawhi Leonard.

Leonard has played a mere nine games this season, and Sam Amick of USA Today noted the two-time Defensive Player of the Year was in New York rehabbing a quadriceps injury that figures to sideline him for the remainder of San Antonio's postseason.

"I have no comment," Aldridge said of the Leonard situation, per Amick. "He has to do what's best for him. That's it. Nice to see you."

Aldridge didn't offer much comment on Leonard, but Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich did notably praise his team's big man for "playing through adversity and being there for his teammates night after night" following the impressive Game 2 performance:

Amick explained that it wasn't long ago Popovich and Aldridge needed a "clear-the-air meeting in the offseason that they say was crucial." Ever since, the University of Texas product reached the All-Star Game this season and carried the Spurs for extended stretches with 23.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

"I thought he could see that I came in with the mindset of who I used to be, and I thought he welcomed that," Aldridge said of Popovich, per Amick. "He let me be myself, be vocal and lead, and I've been better ever since then."

Despite Aldridge's impressive play and the realization the team still reached the postseason, the Leonard situation is hovering over the Spurs.

According to Amick, they can offer him an extension for five years and $215 million in July, although "there is increasing hope around the league they might trade him instead. His absence is only mysterious because of the breakdown in communication between the sides, with the Spurs having cleared Leonard to return only to see him stay away because his outside medical group ... has advised otherwise."

Adrian Wojnarowski and Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com reported in January there had been "months of discord centering on elements of treatment, rehabilitation and timetables for return" between the Spurs and Leonard, which had led to "a chilling impact."

What's more, Wojnarowski reported on March 23 that point guard Tony Parker led a players-only meeting that saw Leonard's teammates "implore" him to rejoin the team.

Regardless of the efforts, Leonard is still not back. The Spurs are instead relying on Aldridge, who publicly acknowledged an understanding that his All-Star teammate has to do what he thinks is best for himself from an individual standpoint.