So when is Kaehichael coming back?

[coachmac87]

Obviously his teammates aren't disgusted about Kawhi. They're players too, they know injuries happen all time.

I agree with you, these media questions are annoying but I doubt they make the team lose focus on what really matters.

It doesn’t matter. But you can tell the players are trying to squash the questioning by the media..it’s been going on everyday for over a month.

If the players said yeah he will be back or gave any hint..that will get the media to dig even more...

[coachmac87]

Pretty much. Pop had already stated he would be surprised if Kawhi plays this season. He had the team focused until the media and leaks from sources made them believe it was possible that Kawhi would come back to play this season. It's still pointing in the direction of him not playing and it's time for teammates to move on bc they lose the focus and determination they needed to have at this point of the season.

Aside from the impact on the team mentally, there really should be a concern for anyone that Kawhi has basically missed the entire season with this thing. That's not a tiny thing, that's not pe , minor, insignificant, etc. It's a big deal.

The media didn’t fool anybody..Kawhi did. Pop tried to remove the cloud of questioning and left a slim chance of hope. Kawhi then speaks to the media and breaks the silence...IMO that was a shot at Pop and telling him HE wants to be in control of him playing this year...

This chemistry argument is stupid to me IMO..the team as is doesn’t stand a chance of winning anything..so why does it matter when he comes back? He will increase our chances if and when he does..even the last game of the year lol. It just doesn’t fit what Pop preaches and stands by so he can’t openly take that stance..

Kawhi is a top 5 player..his injury isn’t career threatening and if it was he shouldn’t have been cleared by Spurs..PATFO have nothing to lose and everything to gain to let Kawhi do what’s best for him..if not and they dictate things and shut him down while making the playoffs..I promise you Kawhi will be gone!!!

[SAGirl]

Manu was very eloquent... Not just the fact they lose focus but about how difficult it is to stay engaged with the team when you aren't playing And kawhi being so reserved.

[spurs1990]

if ST had been around when duncan had his meniscus tear i can only imagine the sort of chatter we would have had then, especially since it was a chance to repeat. posters would have been all over both duncan and pop. they would have questioned tim's toughness and they would have mentioned all the other players who could play through the pain. if pop doesn't make that call back in 2000, no way duncan plays for another 16 years. as you said, there are plenty of players who can testify to that.

Interestingly enough I faintly recall this era under the old Spursreport web forum, but from my own memories I was critical of Duncan back then more for losses suffered postseason wise.
Obviously looking back on it my sentiment was foolish and a symptom of youthful pigheadedness.

That being said I strongly feel this Leonard situation deserves a lot more scrutiny because the guy is not suffering from a diagnosable ailment (like Duncan's tear).
And then if you want to argue he's being extra careful as not to affect his supermax offer, then he becomes even less sympathetic from strictly a fan of the Spurs perspective.

[Ice009]

Well, I find it distressing that the players were fooled about when he was supposed to come back. That has really got to be messing with their minds and focus. Darn, Kawhi. GET. BACK. ON. THE. COURT.

[rjv]

Interestingly enough I faintly recall this era under the old Spursreport web forum, but from my own memories I was critical of Duncan back then more for losses suffered postseason wise.
Obviously looking back on it my sentiment was foolish and a symptom of youthful pigheadedness.

That being said I strongly feel this Leonard situation deserves a lot more scrutiny because the guy is not suffering from a diagnosable ailment (like Duncan's tear).
And then if you want to argue he's being extra careful as not to affect his supermax offer, then he becomes even less sympathetic from strictly a fan of the Spurs perspective.

i agree that leonard's almost anti-social personality and the lack of a clear diagnosis make the situation more obscure but there are similarities. back then there was the constant buzz that the tear would heal on its own and that duncan could make it back by the playoffs. had the spurs beaten the suns that scenario would have lingered. it was until early in the summer that the spurs announced he would have surgery after all. of course, earlier this year, pop later admitted that duncan could have played in the playoffs after all. if that had been known then, i'm certain ST would have been all over pop and even tim. the thing is we just don't know and anything else is just conjecture. of course, it is possible someone will wind up being right but it could also turn out that the dude just was hurt and never could get right for the season. what i think is not what i know so, for me, it doesn't make any sense to speculate.

[spursistan]

I definitely wouldn't blame the Holts if they balk at giving him the supermax in the summer. What guarantees you give me this dude won't sit for another season in the future just because he is perpetually unready to play?

Blake Griffin is maybe a damage goods but at least he manages to comeback and play before another 6-weeks of injury timetable plays itself out ; and Jerry West was able to find the right timing to ship his albatross deal out of town..

I could easily imagine Kawhi cashing on on the supermax only to read that he is out for the 2018-19 season opener..Good luck trading him for good value having not played consecutive basketball games since April 2017..

[spurs1990]

i agree that leonard's almost anti-social personality and the lack of a clear diagnosis make the situation more obscure but there are similarities. back then there was the constant buzz that the tear would heal on its own and that duncan could make it back by the playoffs. had the spurs beaten the suns that scenario would have lingered. it was until early in the summer that the spurs announced he would have surgery after all. of course, earlier this year, pop later admitted that duncan could have played in the playoffs after all. if that had been known then, i'm certain ST would have been all over pop and even tim. the thing is we just don't know and anything else is just conjecture. of course, it is possible someone will wind up being right but it could also turn out that the dude just was hurt and never could get right for the season. what i think is not what i know so, for me, it doesn't make any sense to speculate.

I appreciate the recap.... personally I wasn't too up to speed with the Spurs in 1999-2000 but if that scenario played out in 2018 no doubt the internet would be unforgiving.
However I am still reluctant to say Leonard at this stage is close to the importance of a Tim Duncan three years into his career. In fact I would say they are miles apart when you factor leadership traits especially.

But what has irked me is that if today's quote from Manu Ginobili is accurate, then even Leonard's teammates are falling victim to reports of national broadcasters.
Like that deepens the mystery to another level. How out of touch is KL with the organization that a Manu Ginobili is expecting his return based on reading an article on espn.com!

I will be more than happy to admit all of this was forgivable if a year from now Kawhi Leonard is performing at his 2015-16 level, but everything we know as of today suggests that reality is hardly guaranteed.

[rjv]

I appreciate the recap.... personally I wasn't too up to speed with the Spurs in 1999-2000 but if that scenario played out in 2018 no doubt the internet would be unforgiving.
However I am still reluctant to say Leonard at this stage is close to the importance of a Tim Duncan three years into his career. In fact I would say they are miles apart when you factor leadership traits especially.

But what has irked me is that if today's quote from Manu Ginobili is accurate, then even Leonard's teammates are falling victim to reports of national broadcasters.
Like that deepens the mystery to another level. How out of touch is KL with the organization that a Manu Ginobili is expecting his return based on reading an article on espn.com!

I will be more than happy to admit all of this was forgivable if a year from now Kawhi Leonard is performing at his 2015-16 level, but everything we know as of today suggests that reality is hardly guaranteed.

that's the one thing that i think we can all agree on. leonard is clearly not a leader and his personality is borderline anti-social. but i still want him back whether it's this season or next season and beyond that.

[vander]

if ST had been around when duncan had his meniscus tear i can only imagine the sort of chatter we would have had then, especially since it was a chance to repeat. posters would have been all over both duncan and pop. they would have questioned tim's toughness and they would have mentioned all the other players who could play through the pain. if pop doesn't make that call back in 2000, no way duncan plays for another 16 years. as you said, there are plenty of players who can testify to that.

Did Duncan sit out the following season too?

this isn't your everyday NBA injury situation

[rjv]

Did Duncan sit out the following season too?

this isn't your everyday NBA injury situation

it isn't but we don't know. as i stated, we can think a lot of things about the injury but none of us know.

[DPG21920]

Some very interesting comments:

*not sure why it won’t imbed

https://twitter.com/maxsportssa/stat...310543360?s=21

[SAGirl]

The media didn’t fool anybody..Kawhi did. Pop tried to remove the cloud of questioning and left a slim chance of hope. Kawhi then speaks to the media and breaks the silence...IMO that was a shot at Pop and telling him HE wants to be in control of him playing this year...

This chemistry argument is stupid to me IMO..the team as is doesn’t stand a chance of winning anything..so why does it matter when he comes back? He will increase our chances if and when he does..even the last game of the year lol. It just doesn’t fit what Pop preaches and stands by so he can’t openly take that stance..

Kawhi is a top 5 player..his injury isn’t career threatening and if it was he shouldn’t have been cleared by Spurs..PATFO have nothing to lose and everything to gain to let Kawhi do what’s best for him..if not and they dictate things and shut him down while making the playoffs..I promise you Kawhi will be gone!!!

I am not sure if you are responding to me or just giving me your opinion.
Kawhi is just not medically cleared, or ready to play. I have no doubt he's trying and he wants to play, but he's injured and you don't go from not playing or even participating in a shootaround with teammates to playing big minutes in the playoffs cold blooded. It's not safe for the player. That's why they bring players in gradually and make sure there are no setbacks etc. At some point it doesn't even make sense to expect him back and that point is really soon.

It's what Tony said here:

And Tony was one who had remained positive and didn't want to say he wasn't expecting him back a month ago.

[SAGirl]

I definitely wouldn't blame the Holts if they balk at giving him the supermax in the summer. What guarantees you give me this dude won't sit for another season in the future just because he is perpetually unready to play?

Blake Griffin is maybe a damage goods but at least he manages to comeback and play before another 6-weeks of injury timetable plays itself out ; and Jerry West was able to find the right timing to ship his albatross deal out of town..

I could easily imagine Kawhi cashing on on the supermax only to read that he is out for the 2018-19 season opener..Good luck trading him for good value having not played consecutive basketball games since April 2017..

Rumors are already out:

[ducks]

https://mobile.twitter.com/tom_orsborn

[Death In June]

Kl's biggest failing is not answering these questions himself. He could easily squash the rumors and leave his teammates free not to field questions each game.

[ducks]

Spurs Expected To Offer Designed Veteran Player Extension To Kawhi Leonard

[Brunodf]

Really hope they don't offer the supermax, that would cripple the franchise for a long time

[spurraider21]

giving him the supermax coming off this really odd injury isn't a great bet... but it's the best bet this team has at competing for a championship in the near future

do it

[cd98]

Of course they are putting out super max stories. It’s to gin up his value and make people think they’re trading for next season’s MVP.

[BillMc]

Spurs Expected To Offer Designed Veteran Player Extension To Kawhi Leonard

You type that as if it is a headline? Is it an article? Do you have a link?

[ducks]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...-Kawhi-Leonard

[BillMc]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...-Kawhi-Leonard

Thanks.

[tholdren]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...-Kawhi-Leonard

Designed veteran cut

[Ice009]

I definitely wouldn't blame the Holts if they balk at giving him the supermax in the summer. What guarantees you give me this dude won't sit for another season in the future just because he is perpetually unready to play?

Blake Griffin is maybe a damage goods but at least he manages to comeback and play before another 6-weeks of injury timetable plays itself out ; and Jerry West was able to find the right timing to ship his albatross deal out of town..

I could easily imagine Kawhi cashing on on the supermax only to read that he is out for the 2018-19 season opener..Good luck trading him for good value having not played consecutive basketball games since April 2017..

This is a major point for me. If he's sitting out so that he doesn't risk losing a Supermax offer, that is one thing, but if he does get the Supermax, he can't subsequently sit out whole seasons with soreness. He's going to have to learn to play through it.