[QUOTE=TD 21;6774570]That can happen to anyone. Unless it becomes a career long trend in those situations, I wouldn't read into it, especially considering that he scored the Spurs only two field goals in overtime, then was one of their two best players in game seven.[QUOTE]
Not more than once and definitely not to a future perennial All-Star. I'm not saying he's going to be the next Nick Anderson, who never recovered from missed FTs in the Finals but it remains to be seen how high his ceiling is. I'm definitely looking forward to him taking the next step, whatever and/or whenever that is but it better happen next season if we still want to be contenders.
I honestly thought we'd be fine with him making one. Also, compared to a lot of the other players out there at the time, he's being paid far under his worth. He also did a lot of the other things needed to win; missing a free throw doesn't change that.
I don't know if offensively he can ever be really good at anything other than offensive boards (which is already really good at) because his of his handles--not that he has Bruce Bowen handles or anything, but he just doesnt have the kind of command of the dribble you see in top flight SF's like Bron, Carmelo, George, Durant etc. Maybe he improves on that, he's still so young. That's the great thing about Kawhi--he might have the biggest question mark in terms of his ceiling than anybody in the league. He's just still so raw, but skilled at the same time.
Hard to predict his ceiling because of his rawness and because Pop kept him pretty much boxed into that 4-5 scoring option until game 7 of the Finals. I think his role will increase next year and I think we'll have a better handle of key factors that determine his ceiling as a result. Like, can he create for others off the dribble via the pass, can he negotiate his way through traffic using the dribble, is he comfortable in the pick n roll, can he change pace with his dribble etc etc. I think in a bigger role we will see if he has these abilities or at least the capacity for these abilities, which are in a lot of ways innate.
At minimum, he's a perennial all-defensive team player that compliments great offensive players well with his ability to hit the 3 at a nice respectable rate, clean up the offensive boards, and score off the dribble on occasion. Great jack of all trades player.
I think kawhi can be an all nba type player, but the spurs need to get him some actual looks...instead of Manu drunkenly dribbling the ball around.
Kawhi has special rebounding ability with unlimited defensive potential. If he can develop offensively, and at this point it's a big IF for me, he could be an MVP candidate. He's limited over offensively at this pt
You can teach offense tbh. Defense and rebounding are things more built-in to a player. Leonard's improvement on O in two seasons has been astounding.
Yeah, but it doesn't mean he can't finish what he started and making that free throw would've meant finishing what he started. There's no way out of it. Oh well, that's my point and I'm sticking to it just as you're likely to stick with yours. But I'm sure we can agree the kid's got a potentially really bright future ahead of him.
This must be a joke. Posters think he'll be the 2nd best Spurs player of All Time? LMAO He's Scottie Pippen? He's in the top 5 of SF's in the league? LMAO....let me tell you what this guys ceiling is...he is the next Sean Elliott. He'll give you 12-14 points/gm...5-6 rebs.....shoot 800% from the free throw line and hover around 45-47% from the field. There's your ceiling. Sean Elliott was no slouth so its not like its a bad thing but lets not act like Kwahi Leonard is the 2nd coming of LeBron.
If he shoots THAT well from the line, we'll never lose another game. Just force feed him in the post or coach him to take it to the hole Harden-esque style and we're good!
Realistically, KL is almost putting up those type of numbers NOW without having plays drawn up for him and not being the offensive focus for the Spurs. Once Duncan and Manu have retired, most would agree that he has much more potential than Elliott (although, as you stated, is no slouch). I haven't read any serious posts stating that he is "the 2nd coming of LeBron" - in fact, every one is in agreement that he is far behind the top 3 currently in the NBA.
Yeah, he just about is.
Roof, top 20 all time player
Likely, LeBron light
probably a top 10-15 player in the league. But who knows, he's 22 and has great work ethic.
Tony is a top 5 player in the league and no one thought he'd be in this position he is now.
He needs to learn how to euro step.
Kawhi is already playing close to his ceiling imho, he'll play smarter as his age & experience grow but I don't see any significant improvement being made in his game as an individual. Dude has good physique especially his wingspan which's very impressive for a SF, but skills aren't always the certain result of hard training. Sometimes it also takes some inborn talents in order for one to be a good dribbler and shooter imho, like I barely train myself in basketball but I can still hit almost every shot at the freethrow line without defense, or 60%+ shots from behind the 3pt line without defense. You can bring a horse to the water but you can't make it drink.
The best estimate of Kawhi's ceiling might be to look at how he performed in that Bulls game when the big guns were resting and see that level of activity (if not production) on a more consistent basis.
While its true everybody has limits (or else there would be new goats everywhere), its hard for me to acknowledge that Kawhi is already playing at his ceiling when it was only his second season and he hasn't even been featured in the offense yet.
your ceiling projections are 12 points 5 rebounds 80% FT and 45%FG...
do you know his averages this past season?
12 points, 6 rebounds, 83% free throws, 49%FG
so according to you, Kawhi in his sop re season at age 21 has already hit, if not surpassed, his ceiling. your fake spurs fan shtick has grown old. i called you out from the beginning and you've done a poor job concealing yourself as nothing more than a troll posing here
Hemi's a troll. Don't bother.
your ceiling projections are 12 points 5 rebounds 80% FT and 45%FG...
do you know his averages this past season?
12 points, 6 rebounds, 83% free throws, 49%FG
so according to you, Kawhi in his sop re season at age 21 has already hit, if not surpassed, his ceiling. your fake spurs fan shtick has grown old. i called you out from the beginning and you've done a poor job concealing yourself as nothing more than a troll posing here
i'm on it boss
A lot depends on how his knees hold out. He is believed to have jumper's knees. I don't think that goes away with time, especially for athletes so really depends on his knees being healthy.
If he has a healthy career, then I see a lot of Scottie Pippen potential on him. I've seen his draft workouts and practice clips and it looks like Kawhi can definitely dribble the ball, he just doesn't do it much since he's like the 4th option on the team.
I expect him to be the 3rd or 2nd option for the next two years until Duncan retires. Scottie Pippen was a point-forward so if Kawhi pans out, he can make an excellent sidekick to another superstar much like the way Pippen did with Jordan. Definitely a bad idea imo if the FO ever decides to make him the franchise player or number one option. Like I said, he can be a terrific second option.
A lot of you are doubting this guy's potential on offense. His form looks great. We know he has a 3 pt shot. He's shown he has a mid range game. He needs to get stronger and finish better under the basket. We've seen him take LeBron off the dribble, on more than one occasion, in a half court set. He finishes great on the break, with or without the ball. The spurs need to get him more involved. Period.
I agree. With time, if he continues his growth, he can become an elite second banana. I'd love to be wrong, but I don't see him as a championship first banana unless you're on a balanced team like the 04 pistons or the 2011 Mavs, although Dirk did go god mode throughout the western conference playoffs.
but as far as the FO deciding to make him the franchise guy? its not entirely up to them. there's also the task of having a franchise player fall into your lap...
Kawhi's ceiling is Prime Kirilenko.
And he is only 22 now. He was 21 when we last saw him play(unless any of you have seen him play this month.)
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