Kawhi Leonard out ‘indefinitely’ with recurring trouble from right quad injury

The San Antonio Spurs announced on Wednesday that All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard is out indefinitely while he continues to rehab from his lingering right quad injury. He has only played in nine games this season.

“Kawhi has made significant progress and continues to move forward in his rehabilitation,” Spurs GM R.C. Buford said on Wednesday. “This is the best approach for the next steps in his return to play.”

Leonard’s injury was officially titled right quadriceps tendinopathy, and it was a nagging injury from the 2016-17 season. But Spurs coach Gregg Popovich eventually voiced his concern when his star forward’s injury time table was pushed from missing the preseason to sitting out a sizable chunk of the regular season.

“It hasn’t responded the way we wanted it to,” Popovich said during shootaround on Wednesday, according to the San Antonio Express-News’ Jeff McDonald. “He’s given it a shot. He’s frustrated as hell. He wants to play badly. But if we’re going to err, we’re going to do it on the side of health and being wise.

“I’m probably more conservative than most, but the trainers, the rehab people, the doctors, the coaches, we all talked about this for a long time.”

Leonard warmed up before the Spurs’ loss to the Hawks on Monday, but was unable to play.

Tony Parker had a worse version (ruptured quad tendon) of the same injury, but is back in the Spurs’ lineup. Popovich said he had “never” seen an injury nag on like Leonard’s, according to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright.

Leonard — a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate, two-time All-Star starter, and former NBA Finals MVP — averaged 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, two steals, and one block in the nine game he played in this season.