Kawhi Leonard plans to play for coach Gregg Popovich, Team USA in 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games

[duncan2k5]

I know you say this sarcastically, but I hope it happens. I think there will be a lot of star players backing out of this Olympics, and would make a good opportunity for Demar to step in and win a championship.

Lol

[duncan2k5]

Just wants to check another box to pretend his affluenza ass is more accomplished than he is. Showed little to no interest in giving the program the time of day in the past. Also, the arrogance to speak as if he's already on the team.

If the puke actually follows through, if I were Pop I'd tell Colanegelo and company that I'm not putting on an act and pretending, I'll resign if he's selected and they can clean up the PR mess.

Saying he plans to try out is talking as if he is already on the team? I know the education level is low in the US, but good lord

[Collins21]

Saying he plans to try out is talking as if he is already on the team? I know the education level is low in the US, but good lord

Are you really comparing the U.S to St Croix lol?

[MultiTroll]

Will Bam make Craigs team?

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

He said he planned to playing the 2018 World Cup too, and came up with some excuse at the last minute. He’ll bail, and realistically, with his quad tendonosis, he should. He only has so many minutes left in that leg, and shouldn’t waste them playing internationally.

Exactly this. He already threw his usual disclaimer out there by saying "If I feel up to it and feel ready to go..." When does he ever feel "up to it"? He'll bail.

[Russ]

Exactly this. He already threw his usual disclaimer out there by saying "If I feel up to it and feel ready to go..." When does he ever feel "up to it"? He'll bail.

Why would he address it either way if he didn't intend to play?

He doesn't give a damn about his reputation or the media. (I live in LA and he's talked about less now than when he was with the Spurs.)

He's probably being (relatively) honest this time.

[exstatic]

Why would he address it either way if he didn't intend to play?

He doesn't give a damn about his reputation or the media. (I live in LA and he's talked about less now than when he was with the Spurs.)

He's probably being (relatively) honest this time.

I’m guessing someone asked him a question, and rather than not answer, he threw out a highly qualified ambiguous one.

[EricB]

Leonard is one of the biggest assholes in sports and the media never talks about it.

its amazing how still to this day, the stories of how it went down are out there and the nba media still just is like “meh no clue what happened, meh he’s so awesome ohmahgerd”

[KaiRMD1]

He says "if I feel up to it". He ain't gonna play

[MultiTroll]

its amazing how still to this day, the stories of how it went down are out there and the nba media still just is like “meh no clue what happened, meh he’s so awesome ohmahgerd”

From what site owner revealed he put it at 50 Spurs 50 Kwa

You don't want that 50 Spurs coming out ever, do you?

[TheGreatYacht]

Should get his jersey hung by the Spurs just for this. He’s really gonna help save the old never-was’ career when he didn’t have to. Hero

[daslicer]

From what site owner revealed he put it at 50 Spurs 50 Kwa

You don't want that 50 Spurs coming out ever, do you?

From what I have heard Brian Wright who was the Spurs assistant GM at the time called him a pussy for sitting out. Kawhi took offense and asked the Spurs to get rid of Wright but the Spurs refused. That's where the spurs get 50 percent of the blame for not silencing Wright but still what Kawhi did was bush league.

[Uriel]

From what I have heard Brian Wright who was the Spurs assistant GM at the time called him a pussy for sitting out. Kawhi took offense and asked the Spurs to get rid of Wright but the Spurs refused. That's where the spurs get 50 percent of the blame for not silencing Wright but still what Kawhi did was bush league.

Here's my take on the story ...

From what I understand (and I'm not saying this is fact, just what I was told), Kawhi got his feelings hurt because someone in the organization (not a player, not Pop) said in not-so-kind words that he was being a wimp about the injury. Kawhi wasn't that riled up about it, but was offended. Mentioned it to his Uncle, and Kawhi's group then got Kawhi really riled up about it (saying he was being disrespected, not appreciated, Spurs were too controlling, Kawhi wasn't having input on player signings, etc.) Side note: I believe that Kawhi really only cares about playing basketball, but he trusts his advisors completely, when maybe they are just looking out for their own best interest not necessarily his.

At that point, anything the Spurs did or said to Kawhi was met with resistance by the group and blown out of proportion by the media. (For example, when Tony talked about Kawhi's injury, that was actually a comment in support of Kawhi -- go watch the video again. "Worse" things were said by other players privately, but none of them were trying to slight Kawhi - they were just confused/frustrated by the lack of communication. Kawhi was just trying to rehab and had turned over most communication to his group.) Kawhi was never pissed off at any of his teammates or even really with Pop. He thought he was physically not able to play at that point, and he had become convinced that the grass was greener elsewhere. And he was right... he just won a Championship.

I think that communication could have been a lot better on both sides, and I think Kawhi could have done a lot more to improve that communication. I also think he could have played more than those 9 games, and if he really couldn't, he should have been sitting behind the bench in support of his teammates. But I'm not one of the many doctors he consulted, so what do I know?

Do I think he will stay in Toronto? Probably not. He's probably very happy there (especially right now), but again, "coming home" to California is a big appeal to him and the group.

Disclaimer: There's more to the story but this is the beginning of it, and timvp has some insight on that info that he may or may not ever share.

[Ice009]

Darn Daslicer, I didn't remember any of that. Great memory and also great find Uriel to backup what Daslicer said.

ing Brian Wright has screwed this team over with a ton of bad decisions. I don't see how he still has a job.

[Russ]

I doubt that Kawhi wanted out based on some nonpublic comment by a Spurs underling. He wanted out because it was part of a bigger plan.

[Ice009]

I doubt that Kawhi wanted out based on some nonpublic comment by a Spurs underling. He wanted out because it was part of a bigger plan.

The actual comment might not have been the total reason, but it might have been the thing that started it all. Either way, that clown Brian Wright should have kept his mouth shut, and IMO, should have been fired.

[daslicer]

Darn Daslicer, I didn't remember any of that. Great memory and also great find Uriel to backup what Daslicer said.

ing Brian Wright has screwed this team over with a ton of bad decisions. I don't see how he still has a job.

Wright shouldn't have said what he said but Kawhi was going to leave regardless. From what I have heard Wright had this moment around December of 2017 or January of 2018. Wright got fed up with Kawhi playing games with the Spurs and called him out. He should have been smarter and not said anything so Kawhi didn't have the leverage to make the Spurs look bad from a PR point of view.

[Russ]

Wright shouldn't have said what he said but Kawhi was going to leave regardless. From what I have heard Wright had this moment around December of 2017 or January of 2018. Wright got fed up with Kawhi playing games with the Spurs and called him out. He should have been smarter and not said anything so Kawhi didn't have the leverage to make the Spurs look bad from a PR point of view.

I just don't see Kawhi being motivated (touchy feely) by some comment. He's a bit too reptilian.

[daslicer]

The actual comment might not have been the total reason, but it might have been the thing that started it all. Either way, that clown Brian Wright should have kept his mouth shut, and IMO, should have been fired.

It wasn't the thing that started it all. Uncle Dennis had been poking the Spurs for years with his bs shenanigans but the Spurs were always smart not to bite. It was going to eventually end ugly. Wright lost his cool and snapped. Even if he kept his cool Kawhi is still leaving since Kawhi's uncle wanted LA.

[daslicer]

I just don't see Kawhi being motivated (touchy feely) by some comment. He's a bit too reptilian.

I agree 100 percent. Kawhi was leaving regardless of what Wright said. Just that it sucked to see the Spurs lose the PR battle. I felt if Wright didn't say what he did the Spurs could have fought Kawhi more successfully in the media war.

[exstatic]

Kawhi.

[Ice009]

Wright shouldn't have said what he said but Kawhi was going to leave regardless. From what I have heard Wright had this moment around December of 2017 or January of 2018. Wright got fed up with Kawhi playing games with the Spurs and called him out. He should have been smarter and not said anything so Kawhi didn't have the leverage to make the Spurs look bad from a PR point of view.

Alright, again, jumping the gun on my part. I didn't know the timeline. I thought he said it much, much earlier and then Kawhi's people started to use it against him and the Spurs organization for not firing him. Do you think it would have made any difference to Kawhi if they fired Wright? I think it may have shown him that they won't tolerate someone taking a shot at their star player, but I don't know. Bringing this stuff up just gets me mad again and it makes me think not clearly.

[daslicer]

Alright, again, jumping the gun on my part. I didn't know the timeline. I thought he said it much, much earlier and then Kawhi's people started to use it against him and the Spurs organization for not firing him. Do you think it would have made any difference to Kawhi if they fired Wright? I think it may have shown him that they won't tolerate someone taking a shot at their star player, but I don't know. Bringing this stuff up just gets me mad again and it makes me think not clearly.

It would have made zero difference if they fired Wright. Kawhi is Uncle Dennis' puppet. Dennis wanted Kawhi to have the same type of brand that Lebron James has and didn't feel Kawhi could achieve it in SA and thus wanted him to go to LA for endorsement deals.