RC Buford on Kawhi: “The relationship is challenging”

[TD 21]

I didn't direct it all you got, but if you thought I did, check yourself for a vagina.

I'm going to let this one slide, because of the stupidity (I'm the one who suggested a trade, so even if it wasn't intentional, it was still directed at me) and because I know you wouldn't dare step to me.

[DAF86]

So one journalist posts that Kawhi is not like Duncan because "he goes to work and then goes home to his family" and folks are already presuming he might be a cancer?

It can't be that he's just a reserved person. Who the says that a player has to become friends with all the folks in the organization? How many cases do we have of teammates not only having a distant relationship, but a truly toxic one, and still winning championships?

In fact, if you read the next tweet by Jabari you can see that he thinks that the ones that should change their ways are the people in the Spurs management, not the player. So, according to whatever inside info he has about the relationship, he doesn't see much wrong with the way Kawhi is conducting himself.

I'm sure that if Kawhi were truly being toxic, Jabari wouldn't have said: "Would be wise for #Spurs to accept him (and his camp) as they are. If not, lose/alienate a top 5 player in the #NBA"

[Chinook]

What do you mean pre-injury Rose vibe?

Rose wasn't all that vocal when he was a superstar, and people confused that for humility. However, Rose was anything but, and it led to him pretty much refusing to recruit free agents in the summer of 2010.

[bklynspursfan]

I know the answer is no and it can’t be addressed every damn time but can we please cut out the “f*ggot” & racist stuff?

It'd def be nice to not have that here but like you said, the answer is no. Too many kiddies here

[daslicer]

So one journalist posts that Kawhi is not like Duncan because "he goes to work and then goes home to his family" and folks are already presuming he might be a cancer?

It can't be that he's just a reserved person. Who the says that a player has to become friends with all the folks in the organization? How many cases do we have of teammates not only having a distant relationship, but a truly toxic one, and still winning championships?

In fact, if you read the next tweet by Jabari you can see that he thinks that the ones that should change their ways are the people in the Spurs management, not the player. So, according to whatever inside info he has about the relationship, he doesn't see much wrong with the way Kawhi is conducting himself.

I'm sure that if Kawhi were truly being toxic, Jabari wouldn't have said: "Would be wise for #Spurs to accept him (and his camp) as they are. If not, lose/alienate a top 5 player in the #NBA"

But the Warrior players are friends on and off the court and they are friends with the front office.

[bklynspursfan]

Accepting Kawhi and his camp is interesting. I heard a Sam Amick (i think it was him) podcast and he said Kawhi's camp initially was fine with the Spurs the way they handle the media, and the amount of info they put out, etc...

But he said he thought that was something they started to not be so thrilled about (Btw i'm paraphrasing a bit) and thinks contributed to whatever disconnect was going down.

Gotta find that link

[Chinook]

So one journalist posts that Kawhi is not like Duncan because "he goes to work and then goes home to his family" and folks are already presuming he might be a cancer?

Sure, if you ignore why people were actually concerned (the need to specify that Kawhi is not SA's friend), it would be hard to figure out.

How many cases do we have of teammates not only having a distant relationship, but a truly toxic one, and still winning championships?

Who knows outside of Jordan (who even then was close with Pippen)? It's not nearly as common as you think, especially for a team that relies so heavily on chemistry and culture.

In fact, if you read the next tweet by Jabari you can see that he thinks that the ones that should change their ways are the people in the Spurs management, not the player. So, according to whatever inside info he has about the relationship, he doesn't see much wrong with the way Kawhi is conducting himself.

I'm sure that if Kawhi were truly being toxic, Jabari wouldn't have said: "Would be wise for #Spurs to accept him (and his camp) as they are. If not, lose/alienate a top 5 player in the #NBA"

This is why I'm starting to think this is a leak by Kawhi's camp more than anything else. That tweet definitely sounds like a favor. The reality is that Kawhi can't have his cake and eat it too. He can't be a leader if he doesn't act like one. He can't both "want to be great" and be unwilling to play. It's very possible that the Thomas situation scared him. I can understand that. However, one great thing about PATFO not changing is that Kawhi should know the team will take care of him no matter what happens if he buys in. Pop won't pull an Ainge to dump him, and if he really thought Kawhi was in risk of getting hurt, he wouldn't play him.

[dabom]

I'm going to let this one slide, because of the stupidity (I'm the one who suggested a trade, so even if it wasn't intentional, it was still directed at me) and because I know you wouldn't dare step to me.

So you understand you were wrong and I called you out on it, and you think I wouldn't step on yo got ass. Makes no sense, got.

[Chinook]

Again, though, definitely seems to be affecting the rest of the team poorly right now. Pop can't let it go on like this, because there's more than a lost season at stake.

[SAGirl]

Rose wasn't all that vocal when he was a superstar, and people confused that for humility. However, Rose was anything but, and it led to him pretty much refusing to recruit free agents in the summer of 2010.

thanks for answering I see your point.

[hater]

Again, though, definitely seems to be affecting the rest of the team poorly right now. Pop can't let it go on like this, because there's more than a lost season at stake.

Lol let what go on?? The poor bas cannot even wipe his own ass, what can Poop do about it?

Plus having a bunch of has been scrubs and a 50 million dollar burger is affecting our team much more than kawhi situation

[Seventyniner]

Tim was a self-effacing leader. Kawhi is a self-effacing loner.

[Chinook]

Plus having a bunch of has been scrubs and a 50 million dollar burger is affecting our team much more than kawhi situation

I don't actually agree, especially not in the context I was talking about. The chemistry isn't awful because the guys suck. The team has had worst stretches of talent, including 2010 and 2014 when their top three wings were hurt. What's going on right now is most unprecedented from a chemistry standpoint, which is what I think Manu was going for.

[DAF86]

Sure, if you ignore why people were actually concerned (the need to specify that Kawhi is not SA's friend), it would be hard to figure out.

As you already know I tackled the friendship/closeness/distance in the next paragraph.

Who knows outside of Jordan (who even then was close with Pippen)? It's not nearly as common as you think, especially for a team that relies so heavily on chemistry and culture.

Jordan, Shaq and Kobe, Rondo, Ray Allen and the Celtics. And those are just at the top of my head.

This is why I'm starting to think this is a leak by Kawhi's camp more than anything else. That tweet definitely sounds like a favor. The reality is that Kawhi can't have his cake and eat it too. He can't be a leader if he doesn't act like one. He can't both "want to be great" and be unwilling to play. It's very possible that the Thomas situation scared him. I can understand that. However, one great thing about PATFO not changing is that Kawhi should know the team will take care of him no matter what happens if he buys in. Pop won't pull an Ainge to dump him, and if he really thought Kawhi was in risk of getting hurt, he wouldn't play him.

So once a Spurs' insider posts a tweet not sucking the PATFO it must be because he's doing a favour to the other side?

Regarding the rest of your post: there are leaders inside the court and outside of it. Sometimes those leaders outside and inside the court are the same, other times they are not. People have different personalities, some are more shy than others. I don't agree that just because a player is great inside the court he has to go against his nature and force a leadership outside of it. Just to give you an example, Lionel Messi, the GOAT player of the GOAT team sport is a known reclusive outside the pitch. It didn't work too bad for him, tbh.

[hater]

I don't actually agree, especially not in the context I was talking about. The chemistry isn't awful because the guys suck. The team has had worst stretches of talent, including 2010 and 2014 when their top three wings were hurt. What's going on right now is most unprecedented from a chemistry standpoint, which is what I think Manu was going for.

Lol who cares about chemistry when we have 3 mummies in gasoft, manur and porker that can bqrly log an nba minute?

And a 50 gazillion dollar aussie burger than could barly log a YMCA minute?

A 1 trick pony that cant even do his one trick anymore which is make 3s

A rookie level PG thats so far dumber than a bag of chicken bones

Who else do we have??

Our team is its awfully constructed and we are losing the games we are supposed to lose

You cant make an omelet with a bunch of

[UZER]

Kawhi "The Good Doctor" Leonard

[DAF86]

Lol who cares about chemistry when we have 3 mummies in gasoft, manur and porker that can bqrly log an nba minute?

And a 50 gazillion dollar aussie burger than could barly log a YMCA minute?

A 1 trick pony that cant even do his one trick anymore which is make 3s

A rookie level PG thats so far dumber than a bag of chicken bones

Who else do we have??

Our tqm is and we are losing the games we are supposed to lose

You cant make an omelet with a bunch of

Chinook just trying to find bigger faults in Kawhi than there are in real life, like he has done since he got here, tbh.

[Chinook]

As you already know I tackled the friendship/closeness/distance in the next paragraph.

So? It still doesn't make that first line any better.

Jordan, Shaq and Kobe, Rondo, Ray Allen and the Celtics. And those are just at the top of my head.

Two teammates not liking each other and the main player being disliked (not saying this is Kawhi) by the rest of the organization and roster are two different things.

So once a Spurs' insider posts a tweet not sucking the PATFO it must be because he's doing a favour to the other side?

"Sucking PATFO", no. But if they come out with "insider information" saying it's all Kawhi's fault, then yeah, that is most likely a reporter dropping a tweet supporting the team in exchange for some info. This happens all the time. Woj has made an entire career out of it.

Then, there are leaders inside the court and outside of it. Sometimes those leaders outside and inside the court are the same, other times they are not. People have different personalities, some are more shy than others. I don't agree that just because a player is great inside the court he has to go against his nature and force a leadership outside of it. Just to give you an example, Lionel Messi, the GOAT player of the GOAT team sport is a known reclusive outside the pitch. It didn't work too bad for him, tbh.

I'm a firm believer that you don't have to be THE leader in the lockerroom just because you're the best player. In that shallow regard, I can agree with you. On the other hand, you can't be a self-centered player in the locker room and be a leader on the court. There's a wide gap between not wanting to go have dinner with the guys and being aloof in practices or timeouts. There's a gap between not playing tweet tag with guys on other teams (or at all) and not trying to recruit others during free agency. And before you bring up getting LMA, Aldridge said he hadn't even spoken to Kawhi at the mid point that first season. Danny Green had to close for the team (even though Danny didn't even know he was going to be back). , even DeJounte seems far ahead of Kawhi in terms of the necessary off-court aspects of leading the team.

Kawhi doesn't seem like a complete leader, and that does matter, because is also means he's not a complete superstar. The Spurs are an extremely low-key organization, so it's not like Kawhi is being asked to go out and do a lot of PR crap. It's not a high bar to pass at all, but Leonard isn't hitting it right now. Young isn't just commenting on Kawhi's personality. He's reflecting on it as it relates to this particular situation. While there are certainly scenarios where it can be completely understandable for Kawhi to not be "the Spurs' best friend", it bodes ominously that this is one such situation. In the real world, you can't just act however you feel like and have a functional life. You don't just get to "do your own thing" when what you do affects other people.

[Chinook]

Chinook just trying to find bigger faults in Kawhi than there are in real life, like he has done since he got here, tbh.

Yeah, because you bragging about him being Duncan 2.0 earlier was obviously less biased view.

[Chinook]

Lol who cares about chemistry when we have 3 mummies in gasoft, manur and porker that can bqrly log an nba minute?

And a 50 gazillion dollar aussie burger than could barly log a YMCA minute?

A 1 trick pony that cant even do his one trick anymore which is make 3s

A rookie level PG thats so far dumber than a bag of chicken bones

Who else do we have??

Our team is its awfully constructed and we are losing the games we are supposed to lose

You cant make an omelet with a bunch of

The team has been worse than this before. That doesn't justify their lack of execution. It also doesn't explain why guys who used to hit open shots on the regular can't hit them now. It's a 2D excuse.

[Budkin]

Our team is its awfully constructed and we are losing the games we are supposed to lose

Ahh if only the legendary SpursDynasty was here to make it all better.

[DAF86]

Yeah, because you bragging about him being Duncan 2.0 earlier was obviously less biased view.

When the did I do that?

[Chinook]

When the did I do that?

Maybe it wasn't you. Pretty sure it was during the last time we talked about Kawhi. Anyways the quote was something along the lines of how lucky the Spurs were to go from Tim to Kawhi in terms of the temperaments of their superstars. Even if it was you, I'm not going to hold you to it, because a lot of folks confuse quietness for humility all the time, and even a lot of Spurs fans think Tim is anti-social.

[mo7888]

Maybe it wasn't you. Pretty sure it was during the last time we talked about Kawhi. Anyways the quote was something along the lines of how lucky the Spurs were to go from Tim to Kawhi in terms of the temperaments of their superstars. Even if it was you, I'm not going to hold you to it, because a lot of folks confuse quietness for humility all the time, and even a lot of Spurs fans think Tim is anti-social.

My question is this : do you think we should consider trading him? And secondly what kind if value would we get?

[DAF86]

Maybe it wasn't you. Pretty sure it was during the last time we talked about Kawhi. Anyways the quote was something along the lines of how lucky the Spurs were to go from Tim to Kawhi in terms of the temperaments of their superstars. Even if it was you, I'm not going to hold you to it, because a lot of folks confuse quietness for humility all the time, and even a lot of Spurs fans think Tim is anti-social.

The only thing I said about that is that I found funny that folks were ing about Kawhi saying he wasn't Duncan, when Duncan was so close to leaving for Orlando in the early 2000's.

I never said Kawhi and Duncan were the same, I just said Duncan wasn't spotless either. If we can consider free agents negotiations "spots", tbh. Which would be fair if folks are going to start freaking out and tearing our current best player apart for rumours that we don't even know if are true and that aren't really that bad to begin with.