Kawhi 2018/2019

[spurs10]

If Kawhi returns after the ASB, gets some rhythm going in the final 23 games and propels us deep into the playoffs he will likely be looking at a super-max deal for about $200 million from the Spurs. If he doesn’t return is where it gets complicated. When I first heard someone say he’d be out the whole season I thought they were crazy. Anymore I’m not so sure.

How will the Spurs play it if he’s unable to play all season? He’s under contract next season either way. He is obviously a huge part of the team’s future, but this quad issue has me stumped. Again this is all a moot point if he returns, but who knows? Usually things like this have a timeline, but this seems to be open ended.

[SAGirl]

Yup it doesn't look good.

"The year of bad fortune" (tm Manu4tres).
"The Lost Season" (tm sasaint).

I am more inclined to believe he won't be back this season at this point but this is my speculation. No "sauces". He also may be back very late and there's not sufficient games to figure it out. He was playing at such a high level last spring that this is just unbelievable. Inexplicable.

It's just getting really late. He's not traveling with the team and that doesn't give me a good sign on his recovery.

This season is highly unusual. They may end up playing it completely without ever having been fully healthy and feeling like they are waiting for reinforcements the entire season. I am sure this wears on the team.

[Ice009]

He's worth the money to me when he's healthy, but if he's going to miss a whole season with a quad injury that isn't a tear or a rupture, then it'd be very hard to give someone that much money under those cir stances.

I'm glad I'm not the one that has to make that decision.

[spurs10]

Yup it doesn't look good.

"The year of bad fortune" (tm Manu4tres).
"The Lost Season" (tm sasaint).

I am more inclined to believe he won't be back this season at this point but this is my speculation. No "sauces". He also may be back very late and there's not sufficient games to figure it out. He was playing at such a high level last spring that this is just unbelievable. Inexplicable.

It's just getting really late. He's not traveling with the team and that doesn't give me a good sign on his recovery.

This season is highly unusual. They may end up playing it completely without ever having been fully healthy and feeling like they are waiting for reinforcements the entire season. I am sure this wears on the team.

It can’t be good for morale, especially if they are as in the dark as us.

He's worth the money to me when he's healthy, but if he's going to miss a whole season with a quad injury that isn't a tear or a rupture, then it'd be very hard to give someone that much money under those cir stances.

I'm glad I'm not the one that has to make that decision.

Exactly it’s a tough call and one of a lot of money. I’d think there would need to be some assurances or confidence that this season was an anamoly.

[BillMc]

He's worth the money to me when he's healthy, but if he's going to miss a whole season with a quad injury that isn't a tear or a rupture, then it'd be very hard to give someone that much money under those cir stances.

I'm glad I'm not the one that has to make that decision.

This.

But giving him the money may not be as risky as we think. The Clippers found a taker for Blake, so if need be the Spurs surely could find a taker for Kawhi even with the supermax in a worst case scenario (that I hope never occurs).

[tholdren]

Sign trade

[spursistan]

He's worth the money to me when he's healthy, but if he's going to miss a whole season with a quad injury that isn't a tear or a rupture, then it'd be very hard to give someone that much money under those cir stances.

I'm glad I'm not the one that has to make that decision.

Yep. I think people here are overlooking an important element: For maybe the first time, the Holts are going to have a considerable say in a player transaction made by PATFO. After all, the gargunatuan supermax money is going to fly out of their own pockets.

Any businessman worth his salt would pause for a moment and give a serious thought about committing 170-200 millions to a guy who has just missed (potentially) 90% of the season without a clear path to recovery from an injury that hasn't even required a surgical intervention yet..

You don't need to be doctor to figure this has long passed the point of random health setback. Whether it is the type of the injury or the player in question (Kawhi) proving to be mentally incapable to deal with it, it is getting closer to a career-altering and franchise-changing territory for the parties involved.

[spurs10]

This.

But giving him the money may not be as risky as we think. The Clippers found a taker for Blake, so if need be the Spurs surely could find a taker for Kawhi even with the supermax in a worst case scenario (that I hope never occurs).

Yes we all hope for the best. I also wonder if they can insure players and not lose tens of millions of dollars when they get hurt. A lot of people get hurt when the franchise player can’t play. It’s very difficult to sell tickets.

Yep. I think people here are overlooking an important element: For maybe the first time, the Holts are going to have a considerable say in a player transaction made by PATFO. After all, the gargunatuan supermax money is going to fly out of their own pockets.

Any businessman worth his salt would pause for a moment and give a serious thought about committing 170-200 millions to a guy who has just missed (potentially) 90% of the season without a clear path to recovery from an injury that hasn't even required a surgical intervention yet..

You don't need to be doctor to figure this has long passed the point of random health setback. Whether it is the type of the injury or the player in question (Kawhi) proving to be mentally incapable to deal with it, it is getting closer to a career-altering and franchise-changing territory for the parties involved.

This is what has concerned me. It is indeed “franchise-changing territory” if it persists. Also the fact that there’s been no surgery or realistic timeline that we know about. Hoping like it will all soon be in the past, never to raise its head again.

[spurs10]

Lisa Salters said Pop addressed Kawhi’s status basically saying he’s putting in the work on rehab, is very frustrated, and there is no timeline for his return. It is what it is. Bad news and bad luck.

[MoSpur02]

This injury is more mental than physical.

[Hoops Czar]

Sign trade

You is stupid

[Hoops Czar]

This injury is more mental than physical.

I'll go with emotional.

[objective]

If he gets the designated veteran Max he could pull down $37 million in 19/20 on a cap of 108.

Add Fatty and stretched Pau, LMA, White, Murray, and 18 and 19 first rounders (picks 25 & 25 for instance) and that leaves $23 million in cap room with just those players and roster charges. If they don't sign Bertans, Parker, Forbes, or MLE players and such next year of course.

The super max is really primed to screw the Spurs, but combined with Mills and Pau it is murder. $15 million that year for Mills and stretched Pau, what a disgrace.

[spurs10]

I'll go with emotional.

With Kawhi’s legendary work ethic it’s hard for me to think he doesn’t want to be out there playing. I have no idea how this will all end. It’s the strangest thing I’ve seen. I’m sure it’s been emotionally tough for him

[spurs10]

If he gets the designated veteran Max he could pull down $37 million in 19/20 on a cap of 108.

Add Fatty and stretched Pau, LMA, White, Murray, and 18 and 19 first rounders (picks 25 & 25 for instance) and that leaves $23 million in cap room with just those players and roster charges. If they don't sign Bertans, Parker, Forbes, or MLE players and such next year of course.

The super max is really primed to screw the Spurs, but combined with Mills and Pau it is murder. $15 million that year for Mills and stretched Pau, what a disgrace.

Ugh, but thanks for this perspective.

[KDKSpurs24]

I wonder if anyone has checked Kawhi to see if this is a nerve problem?

[Slippy]

Lisa Salters said Pop addressed Kawhi’s status basically saying he’s putting in the work on rehab, is very frustrated, and there is no timeline for his return. It is what it is. Bad news and bad luck.

If there no timeline by now then i reckon Kawai's season is over. You would of thought after allstar break would of been the ideal time to comeback. Seriously bad luck for all parties involved.

[MannyIsGod]

The fact that there's "no timeline" is just what they're going to say regardless because of how weird this whole thing has been. They've never had a definitive timeline. I'm not saying he's going to be back, but honestly anyone reading too much into that statement is making a mistake.

I am very leary of giving KL a supermax, but the upsides probably outweight the negatives. If KL is done, there's no way we get back equal value to rebuild on the fly. If he's got a degenerative condition, then the fact of the matter is that his value will never be higher than it is today and it will only get worse. So unless something insane happens this year of this offseason and a trade is done, then his value is just going to go down and down and down just like a Derrick Rose. Rose was traded for peanuts to the Knicks. I think that would be the likely return for Kawhi in the future if he were known to be unable to finish an 82 game season with this condition. But Rose was on a short term contract at that point and it wasn't a super max deal so that will likely impact if and where the Spurs could ship him.

But I'm not sure that really matters, honestly. If KL is done as a top 5 player in the league, then so are the Spurs as far as being contenders in the near future goes. The Spurs have gotten to this point by training 3 franchise players into each other (Drob -> Duncan -> KL) while also drafting two other hall of famers to play by their sides. If that chain is broken, then they're going to have to rebuild just like every other team in this league has to. They'll have to draft another franchise player because the odds of getting a top 5 player to come here are going to be slim under the best of cir stances. If the scenario is multiple years of a tanking and a youth movement, then it really does't matter if you have a supermax who isn't worth it on the books as you're going to want to fill the roster with cheap you players and draft picks anyway and you have to pay someone. So there isn't all that much risk in giving him a big deal and him flaming out, honestly.

The risk is that you try to lowball him, piss him off, and then ruin the relationship and he comes back at full strength and is able to be the best two way player in this league for another 3,4,5 years but you've had to trade him or he walks in free agency. You'll never get back equal value, you'll have to rebuild anyway, and you'll have blown the chance at remaining a contender. THe Spurs really shouldn't balk at paying him the Supermax if they have to and they honestly don't have that much leverage here.

[Ice009]

If there no timeline by now then i reckon Kawai's season is over. You would of thought after allstar break would of been the ideal time to comeback. Seriously bad luck for all parties involved.

I was absolutely dejected when I heard that during the game. If there is still no timeline, it looks like his season is close to over.

I can't believe he might miss the whole season with a ing quad injury that isn't ruptured or torn. I really would think twice about paying the supermax. I'm glad I'm not the one making the call on that.

[Chomag]

All kidding aside it is very puzzling that an injury of this type especially requiring no surgery is a season ending one. It really sux to be left this far in the dark as a fun where all we can do is speculate.

[SpurOutofTownFan]

Whenever there's a injury of this caliber you will lose value either way - whether it's paying more than enough if he's back healthy and a changed man or if he can't come back and you have to trade.

The above can only change if he's back soon and the Spurs can push far into the playoffs

[cd021]

If there no timeline by now then i reckon Kawai's season is over. You would of thought after allstar break would of been the ideal time to comeback. Seriously bad luck for all parties involved.

I'd really get concerned if he isn't back @ Denver on the 23rd. He'd be out 6 weeks by then and considering he didn't have a set back it would be all the more likely that they eventually shut him down.

[Russ]

What surprises (and concerns) me is Kawhi's silence and lack of communication through all of this.

I would expect him to make some statement on camera about how this is "the most frustrating time of my life; I just can't believe this; I so want to out there with my teammates." But we get none of that.

I know Kawhi is a private person but his silence does not give one a sense of comfort about the situation, to say the least.

[spursistan]

I'd really get concerned if he isn't back @ Denver on the 23rd. He'd be out 6 weeks by then and considering he didn't have a set back it would be all the more likely that they eventually shut him down.

Yep..Could see the news drop in the first week of March. I don't see how you integrate him while on minutes restriction with few weeks before the playoffs in the middle of a murderer's row schedule....

What a sad self-fulfilling prophecy..People like Hater trolled their way to this somber reality from way back in November..

This is shaping up to be the most important offseason for the team since Duncan first Free agency in 2000.

[tholdren]

You is stupid

Right. Spurs need to give overrated player max contract to be injured mute on the bench. Trade