Inside the tension between Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs - Woj

[RD2191]

To me the whole thing boils down to something very simple. He is soft and refuse to play through a relatively minor injury. From everything we have heard this is not a serious injury. Players have played through worse. Nicks and pains, sprains and bruises. It’s a man’s game. You didn’t man up. Is this issue really that much worse than a player breaking their orbital bone? Or sprained ankle four or five times badly in a given season? No.

You're an idiot. From everything I've heard this is a serious chronic injury.

[DPG21920]

I know Magic and Pelinka will flame out eventually but you really think RC can con those two idiots into paying for $50mil for a brokedown Kawhi in a year or two?

Actually, looking back to what Jeanie gave Kirby in his thank you deal, I'm with you.

I think Blake Griffin probably is a good indicator that yes, he can be traded. That would be worst case scenario - best case is they move him in one year after letting him rehab some more.

[E20]

I feel really bad for Kawhi. He suffers from some sort of mental disability and his group is taking advantage of that.

He's probably oblivious to everything going on. He probably thinks everything is fine and he's in New York because of some sort of super secret mission he's being sent on, little does he know Uncle Dennis is ing him over.

[daslicer]

I feel really bad for Kawhi. He suffers from some sort of mental disability and his group is taking advantage of that.

He's probably oblivious to everything going on. He probably thinks everything is fine and he's in New York because of some sort of super secret mission he's being sent on, little does he know Uncle Dennis is ing him over.

Probably believes he's auditioning for the Avengers.

[dbreiden83080]

You're an idiot. From everything I've heard this is a serious chronic injury.

Players are playing right now in this post season with worse. Tim Duncan played an entire season and postseason on a bum foot. Get over it. He is soft.

[SAGirl]

I read words like "ossification" and "atrophying" and I get very concerned for Kawhi and the Spurs.

True... it doesn't sound like that injury has an easy solution... some things are irreversible... we don't know if this is, but the time lapse is not reassuring.

[spursistan]

Don't care about his piece of uncle. That's a secondary issue for me. It is his health prospects that's the most alarming thing.

This dude couldn't play for an entire year with nothing showing up in the scans and the team getting zero updates from "his group" ever since he left to do his own rehab in January. He promised to comeback but he still can't..

What are we supposed to do? Throw a $219 million at a gangrened quad for our next move. Get me outta here ..

Even if he were healthy, it would still be a debate..

[Hoops Czar]

Surreal that a new article on Kawhi pops up daily. It's almost as if they're in a queue and dispersed one by one to keep the news flowing, though they're getting kind of redundant at this point.

[John B]

I think it’s the failed Jordan Brand contract. His uncle blames the small market San Antonio for not getting the deal that they want, and manipulated the situation to potentially force a trade to a big market. My read on this is that Kawhi wanted to play but under the influence of his ambitious father-figure. At the end of the day, I feel for Kawhi. I hope Pops/RC can see through all these. I hope Kawhi eventually get a good advice to fire his uncle. Relatives around is great, but not necessarily good for business.

[exstatic]

I think it’s the failed Jordan Brand contract. His uncle blames the small market San Antonio for not getting the deal that they want, and manipulated the situation to potentially force a trade to a big market. My read on this is that Kawhi wanted to play but under the influence of his ambitious father-figure. At the end of the day, I feel for Kawhi. I hope Pops/RC can see through all these. I hope Kawhi eventually get a good advice to fire his uncle. Relatives around is great, but not necessarily good for business.

Relatives can screw you over as easily as strangers. People learn that one the hard way, most of the time.

[rjv]

well it didn't take long for the ST medical staff to show up.

[spursistan]

Good article, it confirms what many of us have been saying for months, Kawhi isn't calling the shots, it's his uncle and agent..Kawhi doesn't have that type of personality, he isn't LeBron or Chris Paul, he doesn't run his own ..

It's easy to say "Kawhi should get real representation" or "Kawhi should get his uncle to back off", but that's typically something you hear from white people who don't understand the hood dynamic of bringing your mans and family along for the ride..

Tough situation for the Spurs, looks almost exactly like the Derrick Rose saga(uncle rather than brother, in this case)..Kawhi has a mental disability, it wouldn't be that difficult for family or friends to manipulate him, it's very typical in pro sports..

I do feel bad for Pop, though, very difficult year for him..beginning with Aldridge asking for a trade, to this terrible season with the superstar not playing all year, obviously his wife passing away, and now the possibility that Donald Trump may win a Nobel Peace Prize..wow, money is nice, but that's a stressful year for a 70-year old..

The similarities are uncanny sadly. Are we sure Kawhi passed his ACT test too?

I'm very interested to learn what was his true educational pedigree in college. He just doesn't across as the sharpest tool in the box here and the signs are there. It is his seventh or eighth year in the league and the dude still can't string together two generic statements without stuttering some..

[dbreiden83080]

I think it’s the failed Jordan Brand contract. His uncle blames the small market San Antonio for not getting the deal that they want, and manipulated the situation to potentially force a trade to a big market. My read on this is that Kawhi wanted to play but under the influence of his ambitious father-figure. At the end of the day, I feel for Kawhi. I hope Pops/RC can see through all these. I hope Kawhi eventually get a good advice to fire his uncle. Relatives around is great, but not necessarily good for business.

You know how you get a better shoe contract? Go out kick ass and win a league MVP. He was picked to do that this season. He decided to lay down and die. Yeah I’m sure the endorsement offers are rolling in now.

[DPG21920]

With Kawhi’s Uncle and his agent, if we are to believe the reports, they are going to dig their heels in. They are all in on Kawhi. Kawhi’s agent lost all his nba clients, appears to be in debt and Kawhi’s Uncle is trying to start a Lebron-like empire and it all hinges on Kawhi.

If after all that has gone on, they get neutered by Pop/RC and Kawhi stays with SA? Who on earth would go with them after all the drama they played a huge role in creating?

[Stabula]

Kawhi Leonard has a disease of his tendon that isn't every going away to the extent that he can become a superstar in the NBA ever again. Ship him out for a high price.

[Mugen]

With Kawhi’s Uncle and his agent, if we are to believe the reports, they are going to dig their heels in. They are all in on Kawhi. Kawhi’s agent lost all his nba clients, appears to be in debt and Kawhi’s Uncle is trying to start a Lebron-like empire and it all hinges on Kawhi.

If after all that has gone on, they get neutered by Pop/RC and Kawhi stays with SA? Who on earth would go with them after all the drama they played a huge role in creating?

If that's the case and they truly do speak for Kawhi, then he's gone. I'm ready to move on from the relationship as well tbh.

[John B]

You had me at o.. o Kawhi you there??

[TD 21]

Get him to sign. Anything. Doesn’t matter if you have concerns about 2-5 years down the road. Get him to sign and you control everything and can trade him anywhere you want.

Sign him, that is all that matters. Once that happens you have full control.

Obviously, they have to have a certain level of confidence that this is not a Roy, Stoudemire, Granger, etc. situation. If they attain that, then it becomes a no brainer to make the offer.

As you alluded to, beyond that, once he's signed, it almost doesn't matter what happens relationship wise in the next 2 years (the soonest they could trade him). Worse comes to worst, they'd be trading a 28 year old superstar, with 3 seasons remaining on his contract. Suffice it to say, the return would be mammoth.

The similarities are uncanny sadly. Are we sure Kawhi passed his ACT test?

I'm very interested to learn what was his true educational pedigree in college. He just doesn't seem too bright here and the signs were there.

It is his seventh or eighth year in the league and the dude still can't string together two generic statements without stuttering some

..

I understand and share the frustration, but insinuation or pontificating that he's autistic or has Asperger's and that it automatically equates to intelligence or lack there of, is incredibly ignorant.

[exstatic]

Kawhi Leonard has a disease of his tendon that isn't every going away to the extent that he can become a superstar in the NBA ever again. Ship him out for a high price.

If that were true, the Spurs doctor would never have cleared him to play. That’s the groups bluff, to try to either get him traded, or SuperMaxed. I would never personally play poker with Pop. It’s not going the way they think It will. Pop can butt this agent, and there will be no blowback, because he’s an independent with no agency behind him, and when others see what a hash he’s made of the Kawhi situation, he’ll never get any More clients.

[Budkin]

Ramona Shelburne on ESPN 1250 with Jason Minnix and Rob Thompson right now. Hopefully they will have the audio available later.

[DMC]

Highlighting some of the interesting tidbits:












Bolded the part that many were asking about. Not a ton of new info, but some stuff that some may not have known. Full story: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2...-leonard-spurs

EDIT: It's not Woj, it's Shelburne/Mike C Wright, my bad. Feel free to change the thread le, Woj just retweeted it

The "multiple sources" comment early on said to me "not Woj".

[Mugen]

Solid article overall but i'd be remiss if i didn't point out that Ramona isn't exactly bias free in writing this, she's very close to the Lakers and is Jeanie's personal Duff tbh.

[DMC]

With Kawhi’s Uncle and his agent, if we are to believe the reports, they are going to dig their heels in. They are all in on Kawhi. Kawhi’s agent lost all his nba clients, appears to be in debt and Kawhi’s Uncle is trying to start a Lebron-like empire and it all hinges on Kawhi.

If after all that has gone on, they get neutered by Pop/RC and Kawhi stays with SA? Who on earth would go with them after all the drama they played a huge role in creating?

Damn, Kawhi getting ed out of his money by his agent. He's following in Tim's footsteps after all.

[Leetonidas]

Ramona Shelburne on ESPN 1250 with Jason Minnix and Rob Thompson right now. Hopefully they will have the audio available later.

Anything interesting?

[Budkin]

Ramona Shelburne on ESPN 1250 with Jason Minnix and Rob Thompson right now. Hopefully they will have the audio available later.

Her ultimate conclusion: The league is a different place now, there is a divide between the old way and the new way, and the Spurs need to "evolve(let him operate how he wants - similar to LMA last season)" to avoid losing one of the top players in the league.