If the Hill trade never happened

[phxspurfan]

Just think...the Spurs would be probably out of contention (with everyone choosing to retire or leave last year), or first-round fodder, as they were when Hill was here (like the team's record w/o KL)

...and the Pacers would be unbeatable.
C Hibbert
PF West
SF Leonard
SG PG24
some random ok pg (Collison/Hinrich/Augustin)
*all of those ok pg's are just about as good as IUPUI

6th man Stephenson
*say what you will about his attitude problem, but Stephenson would average a triple double if he was the 6th best player coming off the bench for the Pacers

thanks front office for extending the life of this team by 2 more years!

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

Why do people think they would have drafted Leonard, tbh?

Never understood that..

[phxspurfan]

Why do people think they would have drafted Leonard, tbh?

Never understood that..

because it's a hypothetical situation.

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

because it's a hypothetical situation.

Leonard would not be the player he was today if he was on any other team.

[hooperflash]

Why do people think they would have drafted Leonard, tbh?

Never understood that..

Agreed, some people forget that yes Indiana drafted Kawhi, but it was only because the Spurs requested for them to do so if they wanted Indiana George. Pacers already had Granger and George , they would've probably drafted a different player.

[Prime Time]

Leonard would not be the player he was today if he was on any other team.
Never understood that argument. No one forced Leonard to be in the gym everyday, no one told him to bring fricken' lamps when the gym's lights were out. He is just one of the (if not the) most hard-working players in the league and would've kept that personal had he played anywhere else.

I'll say that his jumpshot could be worse than it is now, but the Spurs staff couldn't have had much effect on his athleticism/finishing ability/ball-handling/rebounding/defense.

[UZER]

What if presti never left and snatched the Ibaka pick away from SA?

[mudyez]

Leonard would not be the player he was today if he was on any other team.


Never understood that argument. No one forced Leonard to be in the gym everyday, no one told him to bring fricken' lamps when the gym's lights were out. He is just one of the (if not the) most hard-working players in the league and would've kept that personal had he played anywhere else.

I'll say that his jumpshot could be worse than it is now, but the Spurs staff couldn't have had much effect on his athleticism/finishing ability/ball-handling/rebounding/defense.

See here:
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-kawhi-leonard-conundrum-and-why-life-is-unfair/

But I'm still bitter about exec of the year honors for Bird in that season!

[EVAY]

Never understood that argument. No one forced Leonard to be in the gym everyday, no one told him to bring fricken' lamps when the gym's lights were out. He is just one of the (if not the) most hard-working players in the league and would've kept that personal had he played anywhere else.

I'll say that his jumpshot could be worse than it is now, but the Spurs staff couldn't have had much effect on his athleticism/finishing ability/ball-handling/rebounding/defense.

I honestly think that the Spurs staff had a huge amount to do with his ball handling skills. Even as late as last year, whenever he or Green tried to do a fast break I would cringe because neither of them could finish and were as likely to end up with a turnover as a basket.

He has a terrific work ethic and he has great athleticism, but the Spurs have definitely honed his ball-handling and finishing skills, imo.

[Prime Time]

I honestly think that the Spurs staff had a huge amount to do with his ball handling skills. Even as late as last year, whenever he or Green tried to do a fast break I would cringe because neither of them could finish and were as likely to end up with a turnover as a basket.

He has a terrific work ethic and he has great athleticism, but the Spurs have definitely honed his ball-handling and finishing skills, imo.
I seriously doubt that, since the Spurs have never toned anyone's ball-handling or finishing ability. Plus before the off-season started, didn't Kawhi say his main goal was improving his ball-handling or something along the lines of that?

And Kawhi was always a good finisher. The Spurs just made him a spot-up shooter in his first 2 seasons, but before he was drafted layups/put-backs were the only offensive aspect he was good at.

I agree that the Spurs have polished Leonard as a player, but I've seen some people claim he'd be an Aminu-esque player if he was on any other team.

[Chinook]

The Pacers supposedly would have drafted Leonard. Sources say they liked him and wanted him. They just felt comfortable taking Hill over him. Same article said the Spurs tried to trade for George the year before, but the Pacers decided to draft the wing that time. So it's very possible that the Spurs would have had George while the Pacers would have had Kawhi had the Hill trade happened in 2010 instead of 2011.

I think it worked out the best for both. I don't think Leonard would have beaten out Granger or Stephenson very easily, and he may have been a player Indiana dumped along with Gerald Green and a first. Even if he stayed, Kawhi would probably struggled in the psuedo-star role more than George is, and the Pacers would have been a middling playoff team in the East the past couple years.

For the Spurs, the trade would have meant George would have started at the two (and not have taken off like he did in Indiana), which would have meant no emergence for Green and RJ potentially staying longer. It also would have meant no James Anderson and probably Greivis Vasquez. No Joseph and perhaps Parsons or Butler the next year. No RJ trade, the team would have had their pick. It goes on and on. Likely, though, the Spurs would not have been as good with a George/Jefferson (lol) or a George/Parsons wing duo as they are now.

[Spurs9]

Portland could also have already had a championship if they had drafted Durrant by now tbh.

[skulls138]

Leonard would not have helped that loser team. They would have sucked the life out of Leonard with their loser attitude.