Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard suffered a hand injury on Wednesday, Dec. 10. He has been out of the lineup since, and it's been revealed that he has a torn ligament in his right hand. It's currently unknown how long Leonard will be out. Leonard, the reigning NBA Finals MVP, is an underrated but vital part of San Antonio's squad that features a marquee veteran trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.
The 23-year-old Leonard will presumably become the face of the franchise when all those aging All-Stars walk away from the game. Leonard already has a sophisticated understanding of the game and is among the best and most versatile on-ball defenders in the NBA.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich emphasized—in his unique way—just how valuable Leonard is to the team's success, per The Washington Post's Michael Lee:One of the elements to Popovich's greatness is how spectacular he is at shuffling around the Spurs' rotation. Popovich often opts to rest his aging cornerstones in Duncan, Ginobili and Parker whenever possible even if they aren't injured, so he should find a way to work around Leonard's absence.
As long as Leonard isn't out for too long, San Antonio should continue to be a strong contender in the loaded Western Conference.
It will take a tremendous effort to replace Leonard's impact on both ends of the floor, though.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2250705-kawhi-leonard-injury-updates-on-spurs-stars-hand-and-return
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