Manu Ginobili will not play for his native Argentina at the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship in Caracas, Venezuela.

"Manu will not play in 2013," Argentina coach Julio Lamas said. "He told me. So I think we should leave him alone. I have to worry about those who go."

Lamas recently traveled to the United States to see Pablo Prigioni, Luis Scola and Carlos Delfino.

Lamas did not meet up with Ginobili.

"It's not that I do not follow him because I see him play (on television) all the time," Lamas said. "But again, I have to assemble the team of Caracas."

After coaching one of the best perimeter defenders of the past decade in Bruce Bowen, Gregg Popovich is now trying to develop his latest top wing stopper, Kawhi Leonard, into something similar.

Popovich already sees a lot of the characteristics Bowen had in Leonard.

"Well we're trying to make him a defender, a top notch defender that can become 'All League' kind of defender like Bruce (Bowen) was," said Popovich of Leonard.

"I think he's got the mentality for it, the intelligence for it. He just needs the experience."

The Spurs announced on Thursday that they have recalled Kawhi Leonard from his medical rehabilitation assignment with the Austin Toros of the NBA D-League.

Leonard practiced with the Toros on Wednesday.

Leonard has played just nine games this season due to quadriceps tendinitis, which has sidelined him since Nov. 17.

James Anderson was waived on Thursday to make room on the active roster for Leonard.

Kawhi Leonard has been sidelined with quadriceps tendinitis in his left knee but will head to the Austin Toros of the NBA D-League for a medical rehabilitation assignment, the San Antonio Spurs announced on Wednesday.

Leonard, who has been out since Nov. 17, will be evaluated by team doctors after practicing with the Toros on Wednesday.

Leonard is averaging 10.6 points and 5.4 rebounds this season.

The San Antonio Spurs have re-assigned second-year guard Cory Joseph to the Austin Toros, the Spurs’ NBA Development League affiliate.   

Joseph (6-3, 185) returns to the Toros having played in two games during an earlier assignment when he averaged 12.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 35.5 minutes.   

Originally selected by the Spurs with the 29th overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft out of the University of Texas, Joseph has appeared in nine games for San Antonio this season, averaging 2.1 points, 1.4 assists and 7.2 minutes. 

Despite the clashes between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder dating back to last season's Western Conference finals, Tony Parker doesn't believe the two teams are rivals -- at least not right now.

"No not yet," Parker said on Saturday. "Not like the Lakers or the Mavericks. When I first arrived, the Lakers were a rivalry but I'm sure it's starting.

"It's starting to become a rivalry but I can't compare it to Dallas or the Lakers."

For years in the 2000s, the Spurs battled the Lakers and Mavericks to break out of the West.

Besides last spring's Conference finals, the Spurs-Thunder battles have recently included the comments Stephen Jackson directed toward Serge Ibaka.

After missing the San Antonio Spurs' past 14 games with a broken finger, Stephen Jackson is looking to return on Monday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"Cant wait till monday. Gonna b happy to b bak on the court. #GoSpursGo," Jackson posted on his verified Twitter account (@DaTrillStak5).

Last week, Jackson was fined by the NBA for his "hostile" Twitter post directed toward Serge Ibaka.

Jackson, who is averaging 7.7 points and 4.3 rebounds, will be a big boost to a Spurs lineup that is still without Kawhi Leonard and is now dealing with an injured Manu Ginobili.

Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs are beginning to give Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter extended minutes together.

“I enjoy being on the court with him,” Duncan said of Splitter. “He’s a great role guy for us and he gets to the front of the rim and makes plays there.

“I’ve become more of a mid-range shooter, although I did not shoot the ball well at all the last three games. That’s kind of our roles together and we click in that respect.”

Duncan added: “Defensively, he’s solid and we can play with two bigs and rebound the ball very well. He’s a good pick and roll guy, too, and we exploit that.”

Splitter is accustomed to being a member of the second unit, which means that group will have to adjust.

“I’ve got to get used to it,” Manu Ginboili said. “For a long time we played with an open four (power forward), either Matt (Bonner) or Boris (Diaw) to help spread the floor. But, yeah, I don’t have a problem with it. I like playing with good players, and they definitely both are good players.”

Stephen Jackson's recent $25,000 fine came after the San Antonio Spurs were hit with a $250,000 fine for benching star players in a national television game. For the Spurs, this douse of off-the-court drama was new.

Now, the team has moved on.

“It’s drama to other people, but things happen and we move on,” Popovich said after his team’s morning shootaround for Wednesday night's game against the Rockets at Toyota Center. “We don’t even discuss it. Nobody even talks about it.

“We don’t worry about any of it. I don’t bring it up. Players don’t bring it up. It’s like when you’re in a game. You make a mistake and you move on. You miss a shot and you move on. Something off the court happens and you move on."

"‘Jack’ understands he made a mistake with that and we move on,” Duncan added. “It is what is. He’s been disciplined and it’s behind us now.”

Stephen Jackson has been fined $25,000 in consultation and coordination between the NBA and San Antonio Spurs.

Jackson was given the fine because of his "hostile" Twitter message directed toward Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka.

Following Ibaka's physical altercation with Metta World Peace in Friday night's Thunder win over the Los Angeles Lakers, Jackson posted on his verified account: "Somebody tell serg Abaka. He aint bout dis life. Next time he run up on me im goin in his mouth. That's a promise. He doin 2 much."

Jackson has since deleted the tweet, issuing an apology. Still, the Spurs adamantly stated Sunday night that Jackson's comment was intolerable.

"The recent public comments made by Stephen Jackson are absolutely unacceptable, can not be tolerated and do not reflect the standards held by the San Antonio Spurs," general manager R.C. Buford said in a statement.