Photo: H. Rumph Jr., Associated Press

HOUSTON — The Spurs are preparing to begin the regular season without their best player.

All-Star small forward Kawhi Leonard is not expected to play in Wednesday's season opener against Minnesota at the AT&T Center, coach Gregg Popovich said Friday.

"He won't be available," Popovich said before the Spurs' preseason finale against Houston.

Leonard, 25, has missed training camp and the entire preseason schedule while rehabilitating tendinopathy in his left quadriceps. Initially, the Spurs had ruled Leonard out for the duration schedule.

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Now, his absence appears poised to bleed into the games that count. Leonard has not practiced since the start of training camp, though he has been in the Spurs' practice facility to participate in rehab work.

Popovich said there remains no timetable for Leonard's return, even beyond Wednesday's opener.

"I don't gauge it," Popovich said. "He's still rehabbing and when he's ready, he'll be ready. I try not to qualify it."

Leonard is coming off a season in which he averaged 25.5 points, 3.5 assists and 5.8 rebounds and finished third in the NBA MVP voting.