Young: sources tell @ExpressNews that Kawhi Leonard wants to be traded from Spurs

[SpursDynasty85]

If you believe your “franchise player” faked an injury and sabotaged your season so he could trick you into trading him to a specific team, don’t you already have your answer?

It's definitely somewhere in the middle. He obviously has had chronic quad issues. He probably did not want to play on it and focus on health as part of a long term health and financial leverage play. Throwing a way a season to get 100% healthy is not normal but teams like Boston really screwed players like IT over as well.

[Killakobe81]

I don’t see a path to SA and Kawhi making up. I hope Kawhi signs some extension with SA that way SA can keep him or get more value with an understanding that he will be moved if signed as long as his camp expands their list of teams.

Waiting until after July 7th other than it killing your own free agency plans is wise because LA may lose a ton of leverage depending on what they do.

Pressure will mount too. La sold all the fans on the mega summer. They have two stars publicly clamoring for La and if they whiff or muck it up??! Wow.

Mehhh media narratives and Laker casuals.
I am glad there are some fans on LG unwilling to throw away the entire core for KL.

Look I get our core is underrated on here and overrated on LG ...truth is they are somewhere in the middle of that but with POTENTIAL to be much more or bust.
But if Spurs dont think Lakers young pieces offer enough value I prefer we stick with our young guys and you guys make KL stay.
with
IF we dont get two max guys im okay. I dont love PG but If my young guys develop the way I think they can we will be fringe playoff team with just PG.
IF pg stays in OKC and we keep our cap space and KL comes next July and we throw the war chest at Klay Thompson or someone else to join KL.

the Lebron or bust mindset.

[objective]

I don't think Kawhi and his status were going to affect the Spurs Free Agency plans either way.

There's no rats leaving a sinking ship with Green not opting out.

Gay opted out but I think that was expected because he can actually get more than the mle with a non-bird raise from the Spurs

They were going to have the MLE to work with in every situation that didn't involve salary dumping Mills and junking Gasol

MLE split for Milutinov and other small pieces, either that or mle for Noel as a favor to Dejounte's agent

Spurs were never in play for Cousins or George, and there's not many free agents who would even get minutes on the team.

Market so bad, Dedmon opted in for next year.

[DPG21920]

It can absolutely impact SA free agency.

1. Pau - if Kawhi is staying you can pay to dump Pau and pursue cap space to sign better players. If he’s gone? You don’t do that probably.

2. Danny - if Kawhi is here you keep Danny. If not you look to maybe move him.

3. LMA - if Kawhi is gone then he may want out. If he’s here he will want more talent


Lots of potential impact and that’s just SA side of FA let alone other players views.

[Marcus Bryant]

How do you build a franchise around someone you can’t even trust to show up to play? What’s the next scheme the harebrained uncle will dream up?
How do you do business with someone whose value system is so screwed up that he gives unquestioning loyalty to a two-bit crook who will screw you over again and again at the first chance? LaVar Ball is merely annoying by comparison; he doesn’t hold Lonzo out of games.

That was their play and it failed. Unfortunately this is also a top player in the league and your best player. Continued non-performance is not an option for him. Both sides stand to lose significantly in most trade scenarios, so the effort by the Spurs to reconcile makes sense.

[SpursDynasty85]

It can absolutely impact SA free agency.

1. Pau - if Kawhi is staying you can pay to dump Pau and pursue cap space to sign better players. If he’s gone? You don’t do that probably.

2. Danny - if Kawhi is here you keep Danny. If not you look to maybe move him.

3. LMA - if Kawhi is gone then he may want out. If he’s here he will want more talent


Lots of potential impact and that’s just SA side of FA let alone other players views.

If Kawhi absolutely needs Danny then ok. Otherwise Danny needs to go so these young guys can play. Kawhi might like the idea of playing with a Derrick White and Lonnie Walker. (Hopefully).

As far as LMA, that's a big maybe. I think his contract last year solved 90% of his real gripes. I'm assuming the main reason he joined us was for family not necessarily Kawhi.

[DPG21920]

That was their play and it failed. Unfortunately this is also a top player in the league and your best player. Continued non-performance is not an option for him. Both sides stand to lose significantly in most trade scenarios, so the effort by the Spurs to reconcile makes sense.

Even if “reconcile” just means signing an extension knowing you’ll be traded so both sides can win

[YGWHI]

Damn Bruce...now whatever Bowen said is all over the news. We know Leonard has a frail ego now. So it doesnt help when current or former players talk sh1t even if its true because then all the San Antonio news stations report it as “Spurs player BLAST Leonard”ect... its not helping.

It's not helping to keep Kawhi nor to get decent offers in trade talks.

As much as they bash him in public, this gets worse.
Other teams know the relationship between the player and the franchise is damaged and those GMs can't trust in an angry player's camp.

Never got why the Spurs wanted to irritate his camp with these many comments in the middle of negotations.

[exstatic]

Brown is better prospect than any but simmons who probably isn't even on the table. and they have better picks including one next year much better than some mediocre late 1st round useless pick 3 years later that the post-PATFO regime would use to draft another undersized guard

They haven't offered Brown. Their offer is Kyrie, plus filler. Through seven seasons, he's had four where he's played 60 games or less, and he's coming off surgery.

[DPG21920]

It's not helping to keep Kawhi nor to get decent offers in trade talks.

As much as they bash him in public, this gets worse.
Other teams know the relationship between the player and the franchise is damaged and those GMs can't trust in an angry player's camp.

Never got why the Spurs wanted to irritate his camp with these many comments in the middle of negotations.

Or maybe good people are pissed at Kawhi doing SA wrong and don’t care to bite their tongue?

[Marcus Bryant]

Even if “reconcile” just means signing an extension knowing you’ll be traded so both sides can win

Correct. Leonard under contract for 4+ seasons is a much more valuable asset and you are likely to realize commensurate value.

[ernest787]

Correct. Leonard under contract for 4+ seasons is a much more valuable asset and you are likely to realize commensurate value.

I don't understand why so many posters here cannot grasp that concept. The best thing that can happen is Kawhi signing an extension. If he still wants out, you trade him and actually get a real return for him.

[DPG21920]

Correct. Leonard under contract for 4+ seasons is a much more valuable asset and you are likely to realize commensurate value.

Gives his camp an out too. Get him paid and away from SA

[Mugen]

RC will panic and cave. I'd be surprised if he's not a Laker by July 1 or 2 tbh

[cd98]

RC will panic and cave. I'd be surprised if he's not a Laker by July 1 or 2 tbh

Whoa, not likely. Spurs can make that trade whenever with the Lakers. Those Lakers players are likely not going anywhere and we all know no one wants Deng. LOL at him going to the Spurs. Like RC is going to give up any Kawhi deal that involves taking Deng back.

[YGWHI]

Or maybe good people are pissed at Kawhi doing SA wrong and don’t care to bite their tongue?

Then good people is acting very stupid and ruining Spurs' options.

There is no need to burn bridges before to finish a deal with other team. Like it or not, this is a mistake.

The Spurs can bash him all they want after trade him but they should have kept classy and polite until then...

Like I've said before I expected way more from the best sport organization in the world. At least, being smarter than this.

[Marcus Bryant]

I'm pissed by Leonard's bull (let's be clear, he's not a 5 year old who did what the adults told him to do. Why it's assumed he wasn't an active participant by many on here I am not sure). Still, the best path forward for ensuring the compe iveness of this team continues well into the future is to find a way to get him under contract past next summer.

[SAGirl]

[DPG21920]

RC will panic and cave. I'd be surprised if he's not a Laker by July 1 or 2 tbh

I’m fine with Ingram if LA can do other this and get a few more assets.

Then move LMA for Josh Jackson

After the dust settles and Kawhi and LMA are gone end up with:

Ingram + other assets + Josh Jackson or

Fultz + Zhaire + Saric + Josh Jackson or

Jaylen Brown + asset + Josh Jackson

[spursistan]

RC will panic and cave. I'd be surprised if he's not a Laker by July 1 or 2 tbh

Nah..

Rewarding that kind of behavior is simply front office malpractice. People need to stop this bull about "oh you are emotional!"; there are professional ethics in any business field that are simply off limits.


It seems like people are yet to realize the magnitude of Kawhi craven and treacherous act.

[DPG21920]

Then good people is acting very stupid and ruining Spurs' options.

There is no need to burn bridges before to finish a deal with other team. Like it or not, this is a mistake.

Bash him all the Spurs want after trade him but they should have kept classy and polite until then...

Like I've said before I expected way more from the best sport organization in the world.

Spurs haven’t done much wrong other than maybe getting a little frustrated. Yet? I see you always commenting. Kawhi has done far more wrong yet I don’t see you harping as much on that side. Odd.

[spursistan]

RC will panic and cave. I'd be surprised if he's not a Laker by July 1 or 2 tbh

Nah..

Rewarding that kind of behavior is simply front office malpractice. People need to stop this bull about "oh you are emotional!"; there are professional ethics in any business field that are simply off limits.


It seems like people are yet to realize the magnitude of Kawhi craven and treacherous act.

The Spurs will not only shut on the door on the Lakers, but they will be fighting this disgraceful in the next collective bargaining agreement..

[Marcus Bryant]

RC will panic and cave. I'd be surprised if he's not a Laker by July 1 or 2 tbh

Ha. It'll be Philly if it's clear they can't work something out.

[DPG21920]

I really hope SA isn’t wasting their time though. Makes sense that they need to try but I hope they have a good read here...

[Mugen]

I’m fine with Ingram if LA can do other this and get a few more assets.

Then move LMA for Josh Jackson

After the dust settles and Kawhi and LMA are gone end up with:

Ingram + other assets + Josh Jackson or

Fultz + Zhaire + Saric + Josh Jackson or

Jaylen Brown + asset + Josh Jackson

Would never happen. Pop looks to be in the thick of things and he's not coaching a rebuild. LMA will stay and the Spurs will probably bottom out as a 7th or 8th seed again.