IF Kawhi Does Not Return This Season, SHOULD Spurs Offer the SuperMax?

[tbdog]

He is absolutely worth the risk. Top 5 NBA player will give you a shot at an NBA le. Unless other top 5 players openly collude and join forces. You cant always trade that contract. Heck, even Melo got traded.

[Down Under]

The strange thing is, Kawhi seemed consumed by basketball ever since his dad was killed - all he's ever wanted to do was to just keep getting better at basketball. He'll have already made $100 million in salary alone by the time this contract is up & doesn't seem like someone who would want a bigger slice of the pie in order to empower players against owners like a lot of the stars today. He just doesn't seem like someone who would sit out in case of re-injury, just to get the supermax. The Spurs could use that argument against him, but they really have no choice - he's a top 4 player in the league - that doesn't grow on trees and has been historically impossible to get that talent into San Antonio (never in free agency) unless they have a lottery pick. Weird stuff.

[YGWHI]

They absolutely can. If he’s not playing games, regardless of the diagnosis, then that is what matters. They can point to him not playing games, not the evaluation.

No, they can't.

One thing is saying "He's cleared to play but he's not playing, we won't offer him a deal, better trade him before he hits FA..."

Other is..."We're concerned about his injury long-term, we won't offer him a deal, better trade him before FA..."

If they were worried about the severity of injury, if they think it's a career-altering injury, they shouldn't allow him to play...That's why they can't use the injury as excuse.

[SAGirl]

The strange thing is, Kawhi seemed consumed by basketball ever since his dad was killed - all he's ever wanted to do was to just keep getting better at basketball. He'll have already made $100 million in salary alone by the time this contract is up & doesn't seem like someone who would want a bigger slice of the pie in order to empower players against owners like a lot of the stars today. He just doesn't seem like someone who would sit out in case of re-injury, just to get the supermax. The Spurs could use that argument against him, but they really have no choice - he's a top 4 player in the league - that doesn't grow on trees and has been historically impossible to get that talent into San Antonio (never in free agency) unless they have a lottery pick. Weird stuff.

I have genuinely been concerned Kiwi's career is in jeopardy and until I see him play again at an elite level with standard 30 minutes (at least) in B2B situations, this fear and concern is not going to be assuaged.

[DPG21920]

No, they can't.

One thing is saying "He's cleared to play but he's not playing, we won't offer him a deal, better trade him before he hits FA..."

Other is..."We're concerned about his injury long-term, we won't offer him a deal, better trade him before FA..."

If they were worried about the severity of injury they shouldn't allow him to play...That's why they can't use the injury as excuse.

Kawhi doesn’t get his cake and to eat it to. “Kawhi, you were right and we were wrong. So based on what you and YOUR people said, your injury truly was severe and because of what you and YOUR team said we cannot offer that SuperMax. We agree with you and as evidenced as you not being able to play. Etc. Etc..

[vander]

No, not unless he proves it on the court next year. His at ude and injury concerns are huge, supermax for unhappy unhealthy Kawhi would ruin the team for a long time. And what leverage does he even have right now?

[YGWHI]

Kawhi doesn’t get his cake and to eat it to. “Kawhi, you were right and we were wrong. So based on what you and YOUR people said, your injury truly was severe and because of what you and YOUR team said we cannot offer that SuperMax. We agree with you and as evidenced as you not being able to play. Etc. Etc..

Do you really think they would admit a mistake to avoid the supermax and trade him?

I doubt any FA could feel comfortable knowing that Spurs doctors ed Kawhi's career, then the team refused to take care of him not giving him the supermax

They aren't Boston. They don't have many top young assets to hide what happened to their best player.

Spurs margin in FA market and even in the draft is minimal, I wouldn't add some..."our doctors ruined a top MVP candidate"... It won't help.

[Down Under]

I have genuinely been concerned Kiwi's career is in jeopardy and until I see him play again at an elite level with standard 30 minutes (at least) in B2B situations, this fear and concern is not going to be assuaged.

That's true. I'm not sure if doctor's can tell definitively that cell death is occuring through scans or not, which would mean a degenerative thing.

[spurs10]

Well I imagine we all hope Kawhi wants to be a ‘Spur For Life.’ He will likely get a supermax offer this summer. It is is also obvious he’s going to need to be able to play. His injury, like them all, was untimely and something he needs to get behind him. Hope I’m not missing anything.

[DAF86]

If he comes back next season and proves he can play at the level he was playing before the injury, of course you offer him super max. He's a ing top 3 player in the World. I don't know if you know anything about the NBA but those players are hard to get. Heck, there are franchises with decades and decades of existence that still haven't had a top 3 player, ever.

[DAF86]

I voted "yes" but I'm somehow on the "no" list.

[BillMc]

He's already qualified by winning DVOY and was all NBA the past two seasons

As I understand it, it has to be within the last 2 years. So, he'd need to make an All NBA team again if they don't offer it this summer. Certainly possible, or even likely, but not guaranteed.

[cd021]

As I understand it, it has to be within the last 2 years. So, he'd need to make an All NBA team again if they don't offer it this summer. Certainly possible, or even likely, but not guaranteed.

That's wrong, IIRC, its 2 of the last three seasons he's already made it twice, in addition to winning a major award (DVOP) he's already qualified in multiple ways.

[cd021]

We going to loose him for nothing... why not make a trade now?? we can trade for bradley beal and a pick for KL and patty

he's under contract for next season, Spurs have plenty of time to figure things out. Head over to Chinooks Pick 3 thread and check out some of the options that could be on the table.

[BillMc]

That's wrong, IIRC, its 2 of the last three seasons he's already made it twice, in addition to winning a major award (DVOP) he's already qualified in multiple ways.

Right, its 2 of the last 3 seasons. He will not be All NBA or DPOY this season. So, if he is not next season too, then they can't offer it in the summer of 2019.

I believe the DPOY and MVP, like the All NBA selections, must be recent too. That's the only part I'm not sure about. If I am correct, then this season is the only one he's guaranteed to be eligible for the supermax.

[venitian navigator]

I voted yes but imho all this situation, as I wrote in another thread, should give the Spurs at least the chance to pay something less than the max and, ore than all, to have a contract with no player options for none of the years to come.

[coachmac87]

Yes...

I’m tired of hearing about how the small market of SA is hindering his endorsement deals etc. that’s total BS. Kawhi has been in the league for 6 years..EVERYONE including himself will admit he wasn’t the superstar player coming into the league..he’s been Top 5 elite since LMA signed and he showed the world Game 1 of that season against OKC..

Look at Kevin Durant for example..he got his endorsement money/recognition in OKC!!! Why?? Because he was dominating AND was winning on arguably one of the best teams in the league...Kawhi can do the same and was on path doing so in SA. He finished top 3 in MVP voting last two seasons and one of the reasons is he was WINNING..:heck you can argue that he was the favorite this year...it’d probably be between him and Harden right now if he was healthy..and some would probably use CP3 as a crutch against Harden case.

If Kawhi wants out of SA it’s all because of the injury or handling of it and I do understand his side on things if that’s the case..but the recognition or Spurs not being good enough is total BS and if true he will find out the hard way if he doesn’t have success in the “limelight”

[MaNu4Tres]

If Spurs don't offer this guy the max and do whatever they can to try to reel him back in, then they need to just to hang it up and retire.

How could they possibly give 98 million over 3-4 yrs to Pau/Patty but not offer 5-219 to Kawhi?

That makes no damn sense.

[r0drig0lac]

If Spurs don't offer this guy the max and do whatever they can to try to reel him back in, then they need to just to hang it up and retire.

How could they possibly give 98 million over 3-4 yrs to Pau/Patty but not offer 5-219 to Kawhi?

That makes no damn sense.

exact, like this thread

[daledondale]

If Spurs don't offer this guy the max and do whatever they can to try to reel him back in, then they need to just to hang it up and retire.

How could they possibly give 98 million over 3-4 yrs to Pau/Patty but not offer 5-219 to Kawhi?

That makes no damn sense.

Sadly, this.

[Canyonero]

Give the supermax to Manu, tbh...

[Seventyniner]

Do you really think they would admit a mistake to avoid the supermax and trade him?

I doubt any FA could feel comfortable knowing that Spurs doctors ed Kawhi's career, then the team refused to take care of him not giving him the supermax

They aren't Boston. They don't have many top young assets to hide what happened to their best player.

Spurs margin in FA market and even in the draft is minimal, I wouldn't add some..."our doctors ruined a top MVP candidate"... It won't help.

How is that part even remotely true?

[tbdog]

If he comes back next season and proves he can play at the level he was playing before the injury, of course you offer him super max. He's a ing top 3 player in the World. I don't know if you know anything about the NBA but those players are hard to get. Heck, there are franchises with decades and decades of existence that still haven't had a top 3 player, ever.

The extension can be signed in the offseason. Or are you risking the following off season?

[cd021]

Right, its 2 of the last 3 seasons. He will not be All NBA or DPOY this season. So, if he is not next season too, then they can't offer it in the summer of 2019.

I believe the DPOY and MVP, like the All NBA selections, must be recent too. That's the only part I'm not sure about. If I am correct, then this season is the only one he's guaranteed to be eligible for the supermax.

This season would be the 3rd season. He is eligible for the super max this off season. If he doesn't get offered that this off season then he would have to try and make an all NBA team next season to requalify, that last part is the only thing I am unsure of.

[YGWHI]

How is that part even remotely true?

I replied to DPG21920 who posted the Spurs could say their doctors were wrong and Kawhi's right admitting a mistake just to avoid to give Kawhi the supermax.

In that scenario I doubt any FA would be comfortable with that Spurs' version.

We saw only a few teams making a medical mistake with their superstar in NBA history. It didn't work well for them in the next years.

That's why I doubt the Spurs would use that card against Kawhi.

The Spurs just could say they don't want to give him the supermax for a future rebuilding process like Bulls did with Jimmy Butler...

Or just suggest that Kawhi won't lead them to a winning record, WCF or NBA Finals like Sacramento did to avoid Cousins supermax...

Or just because he didn't play in the last months of season when he was cleared to play...

But again, they can't use the severity to the injury to avoid giving him the deal while at the same time they're saying he's able to play.

That's why, even though it happened or not, the Spurs wouldn't admit a medical mistake like DPG said..A statement like that, would f*ck the the team in long-term.