Boo him if you wish. It has been known to be therapeutic, and it’s certainly your right.

Four months ago, you might have found a few guys from the home locker room to join you. He abandoned them, even more than he abandoned you, and just because all of those players and coaches are taking the public high road now doesn’t mean they weren’t hurt and angry, too.

These are not robots, after all, even if Kawhi Leonard always did a convincing impersonation of one.

Leonard knows what’s coming tonight at the AT&T Center. He asked for it, not only when he asked out of San Antonio but also when he declined, over and over again, to explain why.

He chose to let you draw your own conclusions, and now you have. That’s also your right.

Just know the Spurs don’t want it to be this way. They have found a way to move on, even if you haven’t, and they’d prefer to celebrate not necessarily Leonard the individual, but what he and the franchise became together.

It’s difficult, but take the last year out of the equation, and the story of Leonard and the Spurs is one of the most remarkable NBA success stories of the decade. More than even Tim Duncan — who was an undeniable star before he got here — Leonard’s ascent was a testament to how the Spurs can forge greatness out of talent the rest of the league might not recognize, and how well a system can work from scouting to player development to game management.

Leonard, in turn, lifted an entire franchise, taking the starring role in one championship and becoming so dominant in subsequent seasons that he gave the team a realistic chance for more. It is a shame people forget that, but they have, and will.

It’s only natural for there to be ill will. But Gregg Popovich has kept in touch with Leonard over the past few months, and the coach was legitimately appalled last month when his answer to a question about the team’s leaders last season was viewed as a shot at his former player.

Not only was Popovich sincere in his desire to keep Leonard in the fold last summer, he is sincere in his (naive?) hope that tonight’s game atmosphere will have everyone treated “with kindness and respect.” If Popovich could do anything to reduce the air of hostility in the arena — a speech about civility, a pat on Leonard’s back — he would.

But many of you paid top dollar for tickets to tonight’s game for the express purpose of letting Leonard know how you feel, and Popovich probably won’t be able to change your mind about that. Again, this is understandable, just as it’s difficult to muster much sympathy for the player who never even tried to articulate his side of the story.

He might have had his reasons. They might have been good ones. But with his stubborn silence he exhibited an utter disregard for the people here, not only in the stands but also on his team. It was about nine months ago when Leonard’s teammates confronted him the locker room, and all they wanted was what you did.

Some kind of update. Some kind of explanation. Something.

They never got it, and you didn’t either.

So now we’re left with a Raptors-Spurs showdown that will be awkward for everyone, including the people in charge of game presentation. In recent years, tribute videos honoring returning former players have become so ubiquitous that they are expected even for, shall we say, nonlegends.

The Clippers recently ran a tribute video for Austin Rivers during a timeout. The Rockets recently ran one for Trevor Ariza when he returned, and the Hawks even did one for Dwight Howard, who played in Atlanta for one forgettable season.

So it would be noteworthy if the Spurs didn’t run their own tribute video tonight, and they do have one prepared. If for no other reason, it would be great to honor Danny Green, who remains deservedly beloved and did not ask to be included in the deal that shipped Leonard to Toronto for DeMar DeRozan and Jakob Poeltl.

But it remains unclear whether the Spurs will air the video, because if Leonard is getting booed every time he touches the ball, would they want to add to the chorus during a timeout?

Perhaps images of Leonard hoisting a trophy will cut through the anger. Maybe when everyone gets a look at him staring down LeBron James in the 2014 Finals, not only holding his own but giving an entire city a corn-rowed reason to believe, the catcalls will wane.

Maybe flashbacks can be good. It depends, of course, on which details one chooses to remember.

And that, like everything else, is completely up to you.

Mike Finger is a sports columnist covering the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | mfinger@express-news.net | Twitter: @mikefinger