The San Antonio Spurs have reverted back to the assumption Kawhi Leonard won't return this season.
Leonard was at the Spurs' annual team picture but didn't participate in shootaround a few minutes later.
"He is not coming back," Manu Ginobili said. "For me, he's not coming back because it's not helping [to think Leonard is returning]. We fell for it a week ago again. I guess you guys made us fall for it. But we have to think that he's not coming back; that we are who we are, and that we got to fight without him. That shouldn't be changing, at least until he is ready for the jungle."
Leonard's target date for return has been "mid-March."
Popovich said, "no, why would we do that?" when asked Monday whether there was a timetable in mind for making a decision to shelve Leonard for the rest of the season.
"He's got to be cleared by his medical staff that he's seeing," Popovich said on Mar. 14. "And until he gets cleared, we can't make a decision on when he's coming back. So once he gets cleared, then he and I can sit down and talk and see what we think about an appropriate time to come back. But that clearance has to be obtained first."
