Spurs: The Determining Factor In Kawhi's Potential Greatness

[Koolaid_Man]

It's always been a simple concept to me when evaluating player potential...and the question is: " Can he lead a team if he were the only star on it."

the answer is clearly no....Kawhi is a system player he cannot lead...anyone can look like a superstar on a balanced team...Kawhi is not leader potential he's more like the help...

[maverick1948]

How do you gage leadership Koolaid? You have a 22 year old, 3rd year player who just took over the last 3 games of the Finals and became MVP of the finals. True the system worked. But how does he become the leader of a team that has Duncan, Parker and Manu? He doesn't!! When these 3 leave Kawhi will not be the ONLY leader on the team, he will have at least 1 and maybe 2 others who lead the team. The Spurs system has leaders not Kobe the Brickman, LBJ the cramp man or Westbrick who would not feed the MVP of the league the ball in the conf finals. Given time Kawhi will be a team leader if not vocal by example. Like in the finals.

[Koolaid_Man]

Come on dude. You know Kawhide doesn't have Kobe, Lebron, Wade, or Durant potential. He's more of a Robert Horry , Glen Rice, Derrick Coleman type potential. Dude has a nice basic game. He didn't outplay Lebron compare their stats...he got schooled by Bron he just had a better team around him.

[ohmwrecker]

Come on dude. You know Kawhide doesn't have Kobe, Lebron, Wade, or Durant potential. He's more of a Robert Horry , Glen Rice, Derrick Coleman type potential. Dude has a nice basic game. He didn't outplay Lebron compare their stats...he got schooled by Bron he just had a better team around him.

He is not like any of those dudes . . . at all. You are really terrible at this.

[TDMVPDPOY]

this clown has time to determine kawhis potential, but has no time to determine if kirby will live up to the 48m

[Thread]

I think you're wrong, Kevin. They handled it right all the way down the line and now the rewards are there for the (giving) & taking. It's textbook preparation & grooming. There is nothing wrong with humility & a stillness. And Leonard possesses these traits.

It would take an act of God to derail it.

[Mori Chu]

I don't see Kawhi as a #1 guy right now, but hey, he's 22. He has plenty of time to grow into that role if that's to be his fate. Spurs still have plenty of talent around him and don't need any hero-ball.

[ohmwrecker]

Kawhi is a great basketball player, but he will need a very solid running mate throughout his career to maintain this level of success.

[Buddy Mignon]

Come on dude. You know Kawhide doesn't have Kobe, Lebron, Wade, or Durant potential. He's more of a Robert Horry , Glen Rice, Derrick Coleman type potential. Dude has a nice basic game. He didn't outplay Lebron compare their stats...he got schooled by Bron he just had a better team around him.

Rice was a stud for most of his NBA career. Leonard is not an alpha male. He'll do just fine in The System.

[ohmwrecker]

Rice was a stud for most of his NBA career. Leonard is not an alpha male. He'll do just fine in The System.

The both of you are clueless, but I guess that's why you're Laker fans.

[Buddy Mignon]

The both of you are clueless, but I guess that's why you're Laker fans.

Every year there is a player that plays above his level... Leonard is that player. There is nothing in his game that leads me to believe he's a number 2 option, let alone a number 1.

[Koolaid_Man]

He is not like any of those dudes . . . at all. You are really terrible at this.

I haven't looked up the stats but I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Robert Horry was a better all-around player than Kawhide. Robert was a better shooter especially early in his career, Robert could dunk with the best of them but what made Robert truly special is that he could defend positions 2-5 and Kawhide cannot...Horry defended Karl Malone and Charles Barkley because of length and he was very effective ...Kawhide would get shredded by Malone and Barkely....all I'm saying is I've thought this through and Kawhide is not a top tier player with top tier potential he's a decent 2nd tier player...and that's no insult....

[Koolaid_Man]

Every year there is a player that plays above his level... Leonard is that player. There is nothing in his game that leads me to believe he's a number 2 option, let alone a number 1.

I agree...he's a junk yard dawg type player....he's this generations version of Larry Johnson or Derrick Coleman...he can score and defend and that's it....nothing overly special...Can you imagine how wack as this kid would look in an All-star game around players of that Caliber...or even in the Olympics...he'd fail miserably...just like Duncan did in the Olympics

[Mad Bonner]

Every year there is a player that plays above his level... Leonard is that player. There is nothing in his game that leads me to believe he's a number 2 option, let alone a number 1.

[Koolaid_Man]

this clown has time to determine kawhis potential, but has no time to determine if kirby will live up to the 48m

this is a serious discussion bro show me how intellectual you are and stop the Kobe parroting

[Mad Bonner]

I agree...he's a junk yard dawg type player....he's this generations version of Larry Johnson or Derrick Coleman...he can score and defend and that's it....nothing overly special...Can you imagine how wack as this kid would look in an All-star game around players of that Caliber...or even in the Olympics...he'd fail miserably...just like Duncan did in the Olympics

[ohmwrecker]

Leonard has improved in every possible way in every year he has been in the league. There's .no reason to think he will not continue the trend. I understand that this is very difficilt for you as a Lakerfan, but if you don't see that potential, you are blind or jealous. Which is it?

[Koolaid_Man]

Yes I'm salty but I'm also accurate

[Koolaid_Man]

Leonard has improved in every possible way in every year he has been in the league. There's .no reason to think he will not continue the trend. I understand that this is very difficilt for you as a Lakerfan, but if you don't see that potential, you are blind or jealous. Which is it?

Horry improved too but then hit a ceiling....I think when Duncan is no longer there as a presence as he ages you will see Kiwi's game get further exposed....all I'm saying is Kiwi is not a viable option to lead the Spurs post Duncan....he's not an big presence player...he's out on the margins and when his confidence is going he'll play great for you....Kiwi being a star is as bout a sure thing as AI going to practice....real talk

[ohmwrecker]

Horry improved too but then hit a ceiling....I think when Duncan is no longer there as a presence as he ages you will see Kiwi's game get further exposed....all I'm saying is Kiwi is not a viable option to lead the Spurs post Duncan....he's not an big presence player...he's out on the margins and when his confidence is going he'll play great for you....Kiwi being a star is as bout a sure thing as AI going to practice....real talk

Kawhi is a great basketball player, but he will need a very solid running mate throughout his career to maintain this level of success.

[Buddy Mignon]

I haven't looked up the stats but I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Robert Horry was a better all-around player than Kawhide. Robert was a better shooter especially early in his career, Robert could dunk with the best of them but what made Robert truly special is that he could defend positions 2-5 and Kawhide cannot...Horry defended Karl Malone and Charles Barkley because of length and he was very effective ...Kawhide would get shredded by Malone and Barkely....all I'm saying is I've thought this through and Kawhide is not a top tier player with top tier potential he's a decent 2nd tier player...and that's no insult....

I think Kiwi has Horry ceiling. Not on the defensive side. Horry also guarded Jim and Webber. The hype of Kiwi reminds me of Cedric Maxwell after he won the finals MVP with the C's. Good player on a great team, but never a lead man. Kiwi is not a second option... you give him too much credit. He's not a Pippen... he's not a Dumars... he's not a Wade... he's not a Manu.

[ohmwrecker]

I think Kawhi has Pippen ceiling potential, but it will depend on who his "Jordan" is tbh.

[ambchang]

Is leading the team to missing the playoffs, then two first round exits leading, or do you have to do better than that?

If Kawhi is the only star on a team surrounded by decent level talent (say a borderline allstar SF, a couple of good role players and a HoF coach), I'd say he can lead the team to the playoffs.

[jARS mEsH sEt]

It all depends on how he develops his handles. His handles are borderline awful right now. He's clunky on drives and his offensive game is just unrefined save for his post game which is pretty decent (even though he didn't go to this during the finals this year). His footwork on layups is pretty bad as well.

If he ever learns how to dribble properly and under control he might be a 3x All star player non-HOF guy. If he doesn't, then he'll always remain a key, complementary piece on a championship team.

[Mad Bonner]

Yes I'm salty but I'm also accurate

You are half right.

I get it. You are upset because Achilles will never be the same. When I was in grammer school I used to like this one girl Bethany Steubens. I used to chase her and chase her trying to get her to notice me. I finally worked up the nerve to swing with me during recess. She refused so I tripped her in front of everyone and kicked gravel on her. I was salty once too, bro. You know what I did though? I started getting popular in high school because I could ball like a muthafukka and she came up to me. I beat that up two ways to Sunday then blew my load in her hair.
Point is I was really hurt that she rejected me, that she didn't want anything to do with me. I acted like the child I was and then banged the outta her like the immature kid that I was. Don't get me wrong, I'd do it all over again if I could. I just feel bad that you'll never get that feeling of blowing your load or in your case Achilles getting 6.