The Spurs-Kawhi Leonard relationship reportedly appears 'irreparable,' and it may stem from a misstep the Spurs made during the injury saga

pulse

June 15, 2018 10:01 PM

The Spurs didn't help things with Kawhi Leonard when they made public that he was medically cleared to play, but was still sitting out, according to one source. Now the relationship is reportedly in disrepair.

Kawhi Leonard reportedly no longer wants to play for the San Antonio Spurs after the two sides had a falling-out over injury management.
According to one source, the Spurs may have made a misstep when they made public that they had medically cleared Leonard to play, but he was still sitting out.
One report described the relationship as being "irreparable," with Leonard no longer trusting the Spurs.

Kawhi Leonard reportedly no longer wants to play for the San Antonio Spurs and now appears to be on the trade market.

Leonard's fallout with the Spurs has been a year-long saga, stemming from a disagreement over how to handle an injury to his quad. Leonard eventually sought a second opinion and began working with his advisors and doctors, outside of the Spurs' counsel.

On Friday, ESPN's Chris Haynes reported that there is distrust between Leonard and the Spurs and that the relationship may be "irreparable."

The relationship between Leonard and the Spurs seemed to fracture slowly. ESPN reported in May that it began last summer when Leonard's quad injury lingered and he wanted to pursue new rehab methods. Things seemed to get worse, as Leonard played just nine games, then sat out, feeling he wasn't ready to play, despite the Spurs clearing him.

The latter move may have been a misstep by the team, according to one league source with front-office experience. The source suggested that the Spurs' decision to make public that Leonard was cleared to play essentially "hung him out to dry."

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