The San Antonio Spurs have done an excellent job of staying in the mix as one of the elite teams in the Western Conference, despite the absence of superstar Kawhi Leonard and veteran point guard Tony Parker. Fortunately, they may not have to be without their two-time Defensive Player of the year for much longer.

Head coach Greg Popovich said earlier this month that fans may get to see Leonard ‘sooner rather than later.' While his comments may have been a bit ambiguous, it could very well spell good news for Spurs fans. According to Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News, orthopedic sports surgeon Sabrina Strickland thinks it is a positive sign of Leonard's looming return:

“I think he's going to be fine if they are truly saying what is wrong with him,” said Strickland. “Usually, it's just a matter of doing the appropriate type of treatment to get better tissue in that area.”

“The Klaw” was shut down prior to the 2017-18 NBA season due to a right quadriceps injury. However, these reports seem to be a far cry of Leonard's status in early November when Popovich said he was ‘coming along slowly.'

As of now, it seems San Antonio could be poised to bring back two integral pieces into the lineup at the same time with Parker also expected to return soon. Unfortunately, that could hinder the Spurs' plans to try and improve in all facets of the game in their absence.