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Report: Kawhi Leonard's Relationship with Spurs Approaching 'Healing Stage'
June 12, 2018
While there has been plenty of speculation about Kawhi Leonard's future with the San Antonio Spurs, the relationship between the player and head coach Gregg Popovich might not be past the point of no return.
According to Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News, the two could be approaching a "healing stage" and are trying to schedule a meeting "to discuss any issues or concerns Leonard may have."
The 26-year-old is eligible to receive a five-year, $219 million supermax extension this offseason, which could come down to how well the meeting goes.
Leonard, who finished in the top three of MVP voting the previous two years, missed all but nine games this season because of a quad injury. Whether he was healthy enough to play was a talking point all season, and it led to some drama behind the scenes.
Ramona Shelburne and Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com reported it has been a "confounding situation, with mistakes made on both sides, and a looming showdown between one of the NBA's most prestigious franchises and one of the best players in the league."
As of last week, however, trades were "not being entertained yet by the Spurs," according to ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski (via Jeff Garcia of Fox San Antonio).
Leonard is owed $20.1 million for next season and can be a free agent in 2019 if he declines his $21.3 million player option and doesn't agree to an extension before that.
