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

[r0drig0lac]

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...

[cd98]

Deng is owed $18 million for this season and the next. If Spurs are giving up the best player in a trade, they cannot take back salary like that attached to a garbage player.

Spurs know that Lakers will never have the assets to get Kawhi b/c any deal that gets rid of Deng will require them to give up one of their assets that they'll need to do a Kawhi deal. Clippers don't have jack that the Spurs want.

So here's what you do if you are the Spurs. Assuming Kawhi does not want to play for the Spurs, you just tell him that the deals with the Lakers and the Clippers are too bad for the Spurs and that they are better letting him walk (and free salary). So let him play out a year. If he can't possibly play another day in S.A., fine, force his hand and tell him the teams you will trade him to and let him choose. You find a trade that benefits both sides. I'm sure that's what they are telling Kawhi in private.

If the Spurs don't extend Kawhi, then he's going to play next year with the risk of injury or otherwise losing his market value. But he can pocket additional millions if he is traded (bird rights) vs. signing as a free agent. So he is always better off being traded. It's just he won't get traded to the Lakers or Clippers.

[Marcus Bryant]

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...

"Hey Dennis, it's RC, does Kawhi want 219 million dollars? Let me know by EOD tomorrow. Kthxbye."

[DPG21920]

Anyone have a subscription to The Atlantic?

[Mugen]

I don't think Deng will come back (that would just mean the front office is just completely incompetent). But they'll cave to LA.

Wouldn't surprise me if Uncle and the group start leaking that they will only re-sign with the Lakers and that should force RC/Pop's hand pretty quickly.

Ingram/Kuz and some garbage picks. It sucks but I don't think RC and Pop have the stomach for this as i've said many times. This entire drama affects the rest of the team and they won't be held hostage by Kawhi. He'll be a Laker when free agency starts.

[exstatic]

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...

I don't think they're doing anything but playing for time. Both sides are saying the "right things" publicly, but running their own agendas behind closed doors.

[Marcus Bryant]

I don't think Deng will come back (that would just mean the front office is just completely incompetent). But they'll cave to LA.

Wouldn't surprise me if Uncle and the group start leaking that they will only re-sign with the Lakers and that should force RC/Pop's hand pretty quickly.

Ingram/Kuz and some garbage picks. It sucks but I don't think RC and Pop have the stomach for this as i've said many times. This entire drama affects the rest of the team and they won't be held hostage by Kawhi. He'll be a Laker when free agency starts.

They already did that.

[baseline bum]

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 emotional ones are the ones crying trade him now, I don't want anything to do with him

I imagine that's the exact reaction Uncle Dennis and Company were hoping to get, but from the front office, not the fans.

[exstatic]

I don't think Deng will come back (that would just mean the front office is just completely incompetent). But they'll cave to LA.

Wouldn't surprise me if Uncle and the group start leaking that they will only re-sign with the Lakers and that should force RC/Pop's hand pretty quickly.

Ingram/Kuz and some garbage picks. It sucks but I don't think RC and Pop have the stomach for this as i've said many times. This entire drama affects the rest of the team and they won't be held hostage by Kawhi. He'll be a Laker when free agency starts.

You haven't been paying attention. They've already played that card. It didn't work. The draft went by, and Kawhi is still here.

The period between 1 July and training camp has very little effect on "the team", so they can wait Magic and his minions out. Magic IS actually under the gun, needing to wrap up signings quickly after FA.

As MB said, the trades will be there any time. No need to rush.

[Baam]

He won't be a Laker in any universe. Someone will always gamble like OKC with Paul George, too easy to beat LA's offer so it's just impossible he ends up there.

[look_at_g_shred]

I don't think Deng will come back (that would just mean the front office is just completely incompetent). But they'll cave to LA.

Wouldn't surprise me if Uncle and the group start leaking that they will only re-sign with the Lakers and that should force RC/Pop's hand pretty quickly.

Ingram/Kuz and some garbage picks. It sucks but I don't think RC and Pop have the stomach for this as i've said many times. This entire drama affects the rest of the team and they won't be held hostage by Kawhi. He'll be a Laker when free agency starts.

Nah they are gonna keep him to play next year..and if he doesn't want to play here you tell him that philly and boston are the alternatives. If he doesn't like that, then he can walk next summer but risk another or same injury this coming season.

[Mugen]

They already did that.

Nah, it's been "prefer the Lakers"...

They're liable to drop the hammer and escalate their demands any day now. And RC/Pop will cave. They care too much about PR and the integrity of the organization that as soon as the tide turns and people start turning against the Spurs for "holding Kawhi hostage." (the LA driven media will push this narrative tbh), he's gone.

I hope i'm wrong but it'll happen. RC and Pop don't have the stomach for this.

[YGWHI]

Spurs haven’t done much wrong other than maybe getting a little frustrated.

A little frustated meant they questioned their franchise player in public.

It never led to good things in a league were status is more important than les.

It's not like I share that perspective but it's how it works for most players, agents, media...

Kawhi has done far more wrong yet I don’t see you harping as much on that side. Odd.

This is not about who did it more wrong...Both sides made mistakes. Now, it's time to move on and try to make things work in a trade, in an extension, whatever...

For Spurs' sake, the "good people" should close their mouths.

[Mugen]

You haven't been paying attention. They've already played that card. It didn't work. The draft went by, and Kawhi is still here.

The period between 1 July and training camp has very little effect on "the team", so they can wait Magic and his minions out. Magic IS actually under the gun, needing to wrap up signings quickly after FA.


As MB said, the trades will be there any time. No need to rush.

Uncle still has a couple more cards to play and they'll do it soon if RC/Pop keep up this narrative. It'll be "Kawhi will only re-sign with the Lakers" and then the ball is back in the Spurs' court and they'll fold.

[Marcus Bryant]

He won't be a Laker in any universe. Someone will always gamble like OKC with Paul George, too easy to beat LA's offer so it's just impossible he ends up there.

The Sixers will probably be the first.

[exstatic]

Nah, it's been "prefer the Lakers"...

They're liable to drop the hammer and escalate their demands any day now. And RC/Pop will cave. They care too much about PR and the integrity of the organization that as soon as the tide turns and people start turning against the Spurs for "holding Kawhi hostage." (the LA driven media will push this narrative tbh), he's gone.

I hope i'm wrong but it'll happen. RC and Pop don't have the stomach for this.

You don't know who Gregg Popovich is, at all.

[TD 21]

LOL going to the emotion card when I bring up that it's a ton of money and a huge commitment that could badly backfire without giving much upside. I'm conditioning on the only two possible events to explain this season: (1) he really couldn't get healthy coming back from a minor injury, in which case he'll probably be hurt again next season and impossible to trade or (2) he hates the team so much he held out for a season, in which case he's going to demand a trade in a year when the Spurs will be allowed to move him and will need to take $38 million worth of assets back. So not only do you get nothing approaching equal value as we have seen in the vast majority of superstar trades ever executed, you also get to take on a contract that puts you in the luxury tax just like if you kept Leonard.

I would absolutely want to have a motivated, healthy, and committed Kawhi at the expense of being in the luxury tax, but I don't want 45 cents on the dollar and still paying luxury tax in the best case.

The only way it could backfire, is if he suffers another significant injury or reinjury in the first year of it. Short of that, they'd either retain a top 5 player signed for the next half decade or be able to command a significant return for him. They wouldn't have to take bad a bad contract(s). Either he'd be traded to a team with the cap space to make a lopsided trade financially or if the team acquiring him lacked that, it would be in bent on them to find a third team and provide them with the requisite asset(s) to take whatever unwanted salary into their cap space.

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.

Yeah, I agree. The only other pivot point is if Aldridge requests a trade again if Leonard is dealt. If they don't think that will happen or are inclined to keep him either way, then Gay re-signing for 2 years (maybe with a partial guarantee on a 3rd) bumped up to $10.2M annually, is probably happening.

[cd98]

I don't think Deng will come back (that would just mean the front office is just completely incompetent). But they'll cave to LA.

Wouldn't surprise me if Uncle and the group start leaking that they will only re-sign with the Lakers and that should force RC/Pop's hand pretty quickly.

Ingram/Kuz and some garbage picks. It sucks but I don't think RC and Pop have the stomach for this as i've said many times. This entire drama affects the rest of the team and they won't be held hostage by Kawhi. He'll be a Laker when free agency starts.

Salaries have to match up in the trade. Deng would have to be included. I think that's why it's easy for the Spurs to say no.

[look_at_g_shred]

Honestly, i hope this gets worked out and he stays..but not for the supermax.

[K...]

The only way kawhi can reestablish the upper hand is to play, but cancer it up. Then the Spurs have to intervene and ban him or trade him.

[Mugen]

You don't know who Gregg Popovich is, at all.

You're still thinking of "CIA Pop" of the 2014 and earlier days. He's changed a lot since then.

Post championship Pop has definitely lost his edge and who know how he is now after the death of his wife. He doesn't have the stomach for this.

[cd98]

The only way kawhi can reestablish the upper hand is to play, but cancer it up. Then the Spurs have to intervene and ban him or trade him.

I don't know that any teams, including the Lakers, would be good with that and it would destroy his marketability. I mean, maybe people forget once he scores his first 30 point game, but I think it's a bad idea to be a cancer. I mean, he's injury-prone and then he gets a bad rep for being a cancer. And then you can see the Spurs leak out all kinds of bad stuff about him as well. I just don't think that's realistic.

Kawhi isn't getting traded to the Lakers. His best bet is to work with the Spurs to find a place that will mutually benefit both sides.

[jmard5]

They are opting for the "wait it out" strategy and daring the Uncle Dennis to continue the "rehab" charade for another season..

This dumb might destroy his nephew by making him sit out another year of his prime, though ..

Ball is on their court. They already reported that Kawhi is 100% healthy. Wonder what's the excuse next time.

[TD 21]

Interesting that the 76ers acquired the Heat's unprotected '21 1st (given their long term outlook, that could be valuable) and the Suns gave up that pick to acquire Bridges, who plays the same position as Jackson and Warren (I realize they can all play some together, but they're all primarily SFs). If it comes to a trade and the Celtics play hardball with Brown, I think Jackson will be the focus . . .

76ers receive: Leonard
Spurs receive: Jackson, Bender, Heat unprotected '21 1st (via 76ers)
Suns receive: Fultz, Covington

A minor piece or two to Spurs (Anderson, Luwawu-Cabarrot, Bolden, Pasecniks, 2nds, etc.) could be added to fill it out.

[Mugen]

Look, I hope I'm wrong but I really doubt it. LMA was a nice recovery for them but this is on another level.

To steal a line from the Godfather, RC and present-day Pop aren't war time consiglieris tbh