No, every leaf it makes contributes to gas exchange, how gas can be exchanged is a direct precursor to how much photosynthesis can be performed. Every single leaf in that plant is hard-coded to initiate programmed cell death as soon as a leaf uses more energy to keep alive than it produces.
Only time you want to defoliate is when you have a canopy density of at least 3 layers deep that's about as far as red and blue wavelengths will penetrate. Popcorn nugs are due to developing from primarily green light which penetrates 6 or 7 layers leaving them developmentally starving for red and blue to optimize growth.