With confusion continuing to build around Kawhi Leonard's season status, key team veterans on the Spurs took matters into their own hands.



Sources tell the Express-News veterans held a players-only meeting that was led by Tony Parker after Saturday's win over the Minnesota Timberwolves to ask Leonard about his return.



The vets wanted to know if Leonard intended to play this season, and if so, when he was planning to return.



Leonard was reminded about the Spurs' status – in the middle of a playoff push with now 10 games remaining. According to sources, Leonard, who was caught off guard by the meeting, stood his ground. He spoke up telling his teammates that a return was still the goal. But Leonard offered no set date or guarantee about a return this season.

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Leonard did receive support from some teammates, urging him not to return until he feels healthy enough, sources told the Express-News.

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The meeting lasted roughly five to 10 minutes with no clear update on Leonard's plans.



When asked Wednesday about Leonard's status, Ginobili responded: "For me, he's not coming back, because (thinking he will return) is not helping.



"We fell for it a week ago – again. I guess you guys (the media) made us fall for it. But we have to think he's not coming back. That we are who we are."

Earlier this month, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters Leonard still needs medical clearance from doctors outside of the team before deciding his status.

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"Like anybody else, he's frustrated," Popovich said. "He wants to be playing. He's competitive. It's been a tough year in that regard for him. But the first step is he's got to be cleared by his medical staff that he's seeing.



"Until he gets cleared, we can't make a decision on when he's coming back," Popovich continued. "So, once he gets cleared, then he and I can sit down and talk and see what we think about an appropriate time to come back. But that clearance has to be obtained first."



Leonard has not played since Jan. 13 as he continues to rehab further from a right quadriceps tendinopathy injury which caused him to miss the first 27 games of the season.



The Spurs watched Leonard workout recently, but Popovich said the two-time Defensive Player of the Year "needs a little bit more work."



Asked when Leonard, who has only played nine games this season, does get cleared if the team will allow him to return with so few games remaining, Popovich said: "That's a negotiation between the player and the coach to figure out what's best.



"He knows very well our history is pretty documented," added Popovich. "If we're going to err, we're going to err on the conservative side because his career is going to be of paramount importance to us. It's not the game or the playoffs or this or that. It was the same way with Tim (Duncan) early on when he hurt a knee one year, and we didn't let him go in the playoffs. I don't know if it's going to be this situation. We don't know. But his career is going to be paramount in our thinking as we make a decision."



Leonard confirmed he hopes to return this season when he spoke to reporters this month.



"I just have to keep doing what I am doing," Leonard said. "The progression that I am making has been great. I just have to keep doing what I am doing."



After beating the Washington Wizards, the Spurs have won their last five games, sitting sixth in the Western Conference playoff picture. Still, the veterans wanted to know where the face of the franchise stood moving forward.



In need of a spark after being swept on a recent three-game road trip, Popovich revamped his starting lineup again, this time re-inserting Danny Green, to play alongside Patty Mills, Dejounte Murray, Kyle Anderson, and LaMarcus Aldridge.



Popovich downplayed the change after the win over the New Orleans Pelicans, but the move is paying off, especially defensively.



Asked if the new lineup should remain, Ginobili said: "It's good for stability to know who is going to play at what time and who is going to close game. The important thing is we stay together and push each other and support each other.



"Don't start bouncing heads when a mistake happens because it's a game of mistakes and we've had a tough stretch last month and early in this one," added Ginobili. "So, now we hopefully left it behind, and we look forward. This is a very important month. Of course, we're fighting for the playoffs, and we put ourselves in a good spot after these three games. We got to keep going."



And still, the question is whether the Spurs will keep going with or without Leonard? It's a question veteran leaders on the Spurs still hope to get answered sooner rather than later.

Jabari Young is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | jyoung@express-news.net | @JabariJYoung