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

[Hoops Czar]

No the Spurs are not in any control. If you keep Leonard then the Spurs are going to get back very little in any trades or nothing at all because Leonard is just going to sign with the Lakers after the season. There is no reason for Leonard to stay with a sinking ship as the Spurs will not be in contention with the Warriors or Houston and he has made it clear he wants out.

There's a pretty good chance he would think hard about a supermax contract if he had to play out another season in San Antonio. He'd lose 80M guaranteed money and for a guy with a lot of injury woes throughout his career, it's a big deal.

[Birn]

The Spurs are in total control. No, the Lakers won't be able to sign KL next season. They'll have no cap room if they get LBJ and other FA's to sign this off-season. KL's options dry up once the Lakers fill out their roster this off-season. Maybe the Clippers will have room but not the Lakers.

If LBJ picks the Lakers, he runs the show. He's not going to keep a max salary slot open until next season. He wants to win now and isn't interested in waiting a year.

It's very possible LBJ resigns with the Cavs. If that happens, PG probably stays in OKC. That likely means that the Lakers will be in full tank mode again this next season unless they decide to pursue other FA's this off-season.

[marinoman]

There's a pretty good chance he would think hard about a supermax contract if he had to play out another season in San Antonio. He'd lose 80M guaranteed money and for a guy with a lot of injury woes throughout his career, it's a big deal.

But Kawhi is an artist, he doesn’t care about money.
Ignore the fact that he balked on a shoe deal that didn’t offer what he felt his value is

[Budkin]

The Spurs hardly ever made trades when they needed to at the trade deadlines of seasons past. Why would they all of a sudden make one now when they don’t need to?

[TekXX]

Yea the Spurs have never been a trigger happy club when it comes to trades.

[HankChinaski]

He's traded out east or plays out the season with the Spurs.

If both sides reconcile differences super max will be placed down an offered. I wouldn't be surprised they listened to Kawhi's perceived issues and said they would like to get together with the rest of the front office/coaching/medical staff to see what they MAY be able to do. BUT we (the Spurs) need some reassurances from you moving forward. We (the Spurs) still want you in a silver n black, but if you want to be traded after all that we will look at the best offers available to continue to make the franchise a marketable an compe ive team if nothing can be worked out we need to not have this circus continue once training camp/preseason starts. The staff an players don't deserve to deal with this regardless whom is at fault.

Spurs will treat this as a business decision. Tell Kawhi to behave befitting a professional while still under contract, fulfill his contract till next summer, if you want to walk then walk. You pull last seasons BS with the team prepare for ramifications regarding playing time an another year of your prime wasted.

You want your medical staff to handle further issues, fine. We just want to be in the know with what they recommend perhaps our own staff has some suggestions as well.

That's my notion what will happen. Fans will be pissed watching him walk for nothing potentially.

I honestly don't know what will happen, just throwing hypotheticals out based on the organizations history. But I am taking everything I am hearing from the media with a grain salt. Until we (the fans) have R.C., Pop an Kawhi out in front on a mic addressing this issues I can't trust a single word that is cited by "sources".

Media narratives an the gullibility of their audience.

I personally like nba off season. So much happens from draft day to the first couple days of free agency. I like watching the Spurs an I like watching kawhi also. This last year is unfortunate in regards to the Spurs an Kawhi.

But I am not going to lose sleep over it or go emo an blast explicitives about a player or a organization in the ENTERTAINMENT Industry.

[objective]

Another plot point could be Parker clapping back. He probably knows a whole bunch of ish on Kawhi and his faking.

Spurs probably begging Parker to not go back at Kawhi and his kidnappers.

[BackHome]

271 pages and RC has not folded. Trust The Process.

[TimDunkem]

271 pages and RC has not folded. Trust The Process.

More like the guy has probably been passed out drunk in his car for the past two days.

[HankChinaski]

That's part of the process too.

[LakerHater]

There's a pretty good chance he would think hard about a supermax contract if he had to play out another season in San Antonio. He'd lose 80M guaranteed money and for a guy with a lot of injury woes throughout his career, it's a big deal.

Problem is, the Super Max isnt offered!

[toki9]

Deleted

[024]

Laker fans are already holding their noses up like Ingram is untouchable and the Spurs should be grateful with whatever the Lakers offer. I don't even want their trash assets, including Ingram. The Lakers drafted 3 low potential players in 3 straight years and now treating 2 of them like golden assets.

Just ship Leonard East to the highest bidder and be done with it.

[atlfan25]

No the Spurs are not in any control. If you keep Leonard then the Spurs are going to get back very little in any trades or nothing at all because Leonard is just going to sign with the Lakers after the season. There is no reason for Leonard to stay with a sinking ship as the Spurs will not be in contention with the Warriors or Houston and he has made it clear he wants out.

Imagine yourself as a GM early next season. Around a quarter way through the regular season, you team is a solid contender, but not on GS level(like Philly, Boston, any .600+ franchise not GS). Kawhi is still "toiling" away with the spurs, yet killing it. It's Dec/Jan, trade deadline looming. Would you trade heavy for Kawhi thinking he'd make you legit le contenders? Now if you're now good enough for the finals, isn't it reasonable for Kawhi to want to stay with a team who just went deep in the playoffs(after being traded mid-season)? Especially if the LA teams are still trash after getting nothing this off-season.

Basically, the "narrative" truly changes week to week until February 2019. If some reports are true, Kawhi truly cares about playing in a compe ive locker-room for which he's also happy playing with. So if he hits it off with the new team, absolutely he would sign there long term. All is needed is a franchise desperate to win this next season, one with the pieces necessary to make a compe ive trade.

[NickiRasgo]

Laker fans are already holding their noses up like Ingram is untouchable and the Spurs should be grateful with whatever the Lakers offer. I don't even want their trash assets, including Ingram. The Lakers drafted 3 low potential players in 3 straight years and now treating 2 of them like golden assets.

Just ship Leonard East to the highest bidder and be done with it.

If they didn't suck drafting a lottery players in the last few years, this could've been a done deal already.

[NickiRasgo]

Anybody here as well being anxious before going to sleep because of what might notify you of the apps installed in your phone related to NBA once you wake up?

[Slippy]

There's a pretty good chance he would think hard about a supermax contract if he had to play out another season in San Antonio. He'd lose 80M guaranteed money and for a guy with a lot of injury woes throughout his career, it's a big deal.

This. Said this probable 100 or 200 hundred pages ago. Espn stating spurs have no leverage is only looking at it from lakers pov. Kawhis group would be crazy to go out into an FA market with his injury history. He got paid 20 mill for sitting & rehabbing. Why wouldnt he want that same security next season . Just to spite the spurs he won't care . Yah right as if.

[gambit1990]

degenerative disease.

[Lostwingman]

More like the guy has probably been passed out drunk in his car for the past two days.

It's how he plays hardball, acts like he's too busy to pick up the phone but really passed out.

[MoSpur02]

But Kawhi is an artist, he doesn’t care about money.
Ignore the fact that he balked on a shoe deal that didn’t offer what he felt his value is

It mostly definitely is about the money. They want the$219 million. They haven't been offered it from what I know. Not sure if that has changed, but I don't think it has been offered.

You can't ignore the shoe deal fact. They were very disappointed in the $20 million offer from Jordan. They felt he was worth more than that. So how can you say it's not about the money?

[picnroll]

If the Spurs cave and trade Leonard for peanuts what kind of precedent have they set for themselves? What is to stop the next Spurs player signed to a long term contract who feels like going somewhere else pulling the same ish and expecting the same results?

[tbdog]

Leonard signs the super max. Spurs won't offer super max unless he is on the same page. Leonard's group wants full control instead. So they request a trade to LA to make up the coin lost.

[venitian navigator]

It mostly definitely is about the money. They want the$219 million. They haven't been offered it from what I know. Not sure if that has changed, but I don't think it has been offered.

You can't ignore the shoe deal fact. They were very disappointed in the $20 million offer from Jordan. They felt he was worth more than that. So how can you say it's not about the money?

if its about money and deals, then ne and his group have chosen the best possible way to play their cards.
From the Spurs side because they made them lose confidence in the player and in his will more than his health (that they know well and have an opinion on). So he probably loses the max offer and the Spurs are right in asking at least a declaration of will before offering him any extension...no reason to go on with a disgruntled player and in any case that's never been Spurs policy (See Deadmon, Simmons).

From the Lakers side because they are now in the situation to risk not only this season outcoming but also next one...'couse its becoming clearer and clearer that their (probably tampering) plan was from the beginning to form a super team of LBJ, PG and Kiwhi. The point is that the plan is all in danger now that's been discovered (see Simmons on the doctors research, plus the declarations from magic on kiwhi and from lakers on the non tampering policy) So spurs have every reason to play it hard with Lakers. And moreso considering LBJ and PG are probably both sold on the idea of the three amigos (in fact they made the necessary first step to became both free agents), but only for long term contracts (LBJ is 34 and PG has already been badly injured) and with the assurance that Kiwhi will already be there. That's why, talking about leverage, Spurs have the leverage...if I'm LBJ or PG no way I still sign again a 1+1 deal...putting all the injury risk on myself. Expecially 'cause they have alternatives of 4/5 years contracts from other more compe ive teams (both have reasoned on the perspective to be highly compe ive next season). So then Lakers have to make a godfather proposal, otherwise...bye bye Magic. And if I have to sell Kawhi, I sell him to someone else in then east.

From dealing perspective with companies...simply bacause he his losing steps on his image...that will from now on possibly be considered the one of a not reliable player, both from a phisical stanpoint and from an ethical standpoint. In any case playing games with your health status, from a sportsman market standpoint, can have the one and only effect to lower your value from all points of wiew.

[venitian navigator]

...obviously when I say best way I'm sarcastical...

[kobyz]

i don't have any blame for kawhi, since the 2014 le spurs management and pop is such a mess, not having the desire and care for winning with so much too cute act!
leave kawhi alone, he is justifiably want out of here!!