Open Letter to Kawhi Leonard

[tim_duncan_fan]

Kawhi, if you're reading this, I need you to decide here and now if you are the Spurs' future or just another role player. Your rebounding is great, fantastic even, but if you are going to some day be "the guy" you're gonna have to start showing it right now. Star players don't just settle for garbage buckets, little tip-ins and clean-up points. Open three-point looks are going to have to become more like "gimmes" for you. You have pretty decent wheels man...for the love of god...stop being afraid to attack the damned basket. If I see you defer to Danny Green on an opportunity to drive the lane one more time I'm gonna...well...I'm gonna come to this website and bitch about you some more.


Look man, Manu is freaking old and kinda senile late in games. Tony Parker is playing against two guys who are faster than he is with better jumpers. There are two of them!!!!! If Timmy and David Robinson were the Twin Towers, these Warrior guards are the Twin Cannons and, to be honest, you are kinda hanging Tony out to dry. Yeah Danny Green could do better than 4/12 from the field and contest the Twin Cannons a little better, but we as Spurs fans have to single you out, YOU have to single you out, because YOU'RE the one who supposedly has aspirations of being the franchise player of the San Antonio Spurs. As good as Tony Parker is, he's had Timothy Theodore Duncan his entire career. You, my friend, are not going to have that luxury, so why not take advantage of him while he is here? There will NEVER EVER be an easier time for you to find uncontested or not fully contested shots. YOU have got to put more pressure on the opposing defense. That is YOUR JOB now, like it or not. I'm assuming the prospect of this reality is pleasing to you on some level, even if it is sudden. Basically, your time is here, right now. Put up or shut up time. Klay Thompson is getting buckets and he was only picked 4 spots ahead of you. That guy wants it and he's gonna go get it. A couple more years and his contract will be up and GMs across the league will try to give him his own team. That guy wants it. What about you?

Either go get it or don't.

[DarrinS]

Never gonna be "the guy", but I love his effort.

[HarlemHeat37]

The system doesn't allow a guy like Leonard to get good shots for himself, tbh..when you watch him iso, the rest of the team doesn't know where to go, especially when he's on the floor with Duncan and Parker..the spacing becomes poor and there's no lane for him to make a pass..

The Spurs system is built around Parker and Ginobili ISOs, Duncan post-ups, and pick&roll or pop with Duncan/Splitter..the rest of the guys are going to spot-up and shoot 3s, that's the system..

Kawhi will get post-up opportunities when the Warriors have Curry or Jack on him, that's it..

You can't call Leonard iso plays when Pop barely spent any time using it during the regular season..even when it was utilized during the season, it was only in games where one of Parker/Duncan didn't play..

[siraulo23]

please make your free throws and wide open corner 3s

[TheGoldStandard]

please make your free throws and wide open corner 3s

This

[tim_duncan_fan]

I'm just saying that there are opportunities there, certainly when he gets the rebound himself, to eschew everyone else, turn the burners on and go get two points or raise the foul count on the other team. Whatever the case, he's not being assertive.

[Spurs21Fan4Ever]

I couldn't agree more, and send that letter to Pop too. I love Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan, but these guys are too old and they need a young guy with a strong mentality to take over. Leonard needs to become a star NOW whether he's ready or not.

[HarlemHeat37]

The only games where Leonard has been assertive and aggressive are games where Parker and/or Duncan is out, tbh..

Pop neuters players into fitting his system, tbh..

He's going to implement Kawhi into the system as a creator next year, and we'll all be asking why he didn't do it earlier, as usual..

[RD2191]

Impossible. Pop hasn't let him do shit all season and you want him to get it going in game 3 of the playoffs? Doesn't work that way.

[HarlemHeat37]

Kawhi has been one of the best performers in this series. He gets basically no plays called for him yet he still contributes in many ways. You should be making an open letter to Tony Parker to play fucking defense, get others involved and don't get your ass handed to you by Klay Thompson.

I agree with this..

In the first 2 games, Leonard has been the best Spur..he's the only guy giving a consistent effort and contributing in every facet of the game..

He's getting steals and blocks, he has 20 rebounds in 2 games, and he's shooting 12-22 from the field..unfortunately, he isn't making his 3s and FTs..

[wtgspurs]

1/5 from the Line tonight after a great Free Throw start in the playoffs. Great all around effort from Leonard though, especially his rebounding, I still have a feeling he's not playing to potential and I would still pick him over Klay Thompson but he needs to prove himself, I'd like to see him play the way he did against OKC in their last match.

[Arcadian]

He's the 4th option on this team...

[superjames1992]

Sometimes, you people need to realize that Kawhi just isn't that good. Same with Baynes. Jesus Christ...

I think Kawhi has the potential to be a good player, but he's no star in the present. Not even close.

[TheGoldStandard]

He's the 4th option on this team...

If you asked Neal he'd tell you he's the 1st option.

[apalisoc_9]

I can only see this happening if SA starts to become extremely desperate that is when they're down 3-1. The system really donest allow for Leonard to make shots or create himself..He will just have to wait otherwise everything else would look forced. Let's just hope he's patient enough to stay in SA.

[Obstructed_View]

Kawhi's response: I was playing center. Give me a break.

[apalisoc_9]

Leonard and Baynes don't belong in the same sentence. I might even go as far as to say Leonard is the Spurs 2nd best player. Defense is very important. What weakness does Leonard have at his age other than creating off the dribble?

he can create of the dribble. We've seen that.

That system just doesn't allow Leonard to take 15+ shots.

[Obstructed_View]

What weakness does Leonard have at his age other than creating off the dribble?

And shooting free throws and three pointers, tbh.

[apalisoc_9]

I disagree. It's definitely something he can get better at/needs to work on.



I'll take close to 40% from 3 and 80% from the line every single year from him, especially with his elite defense on the other end.

Oh i Know.

But from the few games he was given the green light to create for himself, he did pretty good on the dribble. It needs a lot of work, but we've seen him do it.

[superjames1992]

Leonard and Baynes don't belong in the same sentence. I might even go as far as to say Leonard is the Spurs 2nd best player. Defense is very important. What weakness does Leonard have at his age other than creating off the dribble?
Shooting. He just isn't that good of a shooter. He's shooting under 25% on non-corner threes, in fact, and it seems that he can't hit corner threes under the playoff pressure.

His most valuable asset is his freakish length and athleticism.