What a terrible trade...
Why in the world would Pop even sniff at that offer?
And why do users here seriously think that the Spurs would give up Kawhi Leonard without either Jaylen Brown, or Kings pick as the starting point or without offering either one?
Like seriously, can we stop being delusional? This isn't NBA 2K18 with trade override.
Because Kawhi is a rental who's pretty much made it known he prefers Clippers/Knicks/Lakers.
So of course folks will hesitate to give up Jaylen Brown or a Kings Pick for a guy who could easily just bolt a year later to the Lakers, and if that happened then who would really look delusional?
Now I'd consider it, but ultimately I'll trust CBS & Ainge's judgement.
Wasn't Kyrie Irving the same case?
Winning changes attitudes. Leonard would also love it here in Boston... He would beloved. He craves attention? Well, every Boston fan is going to stop him in the streets until his head spins and goes numb from the amount of attention and love he's gonna receive. Everyone that has come to Boston has generally 75% of the time enjoyed their stay.
Also Leonard could definitely sell sneakers in BOS, if that is one of his major concerns.
And that is the risk you have to take... This isn't Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins... This is Kawhi freakin' Leonard. A MVP type of player that can literally make any terrible team a playoff team on his defense/2 way versatility alone.
At the end of the day, anything Ainge does, I have 100% faith in him.
I exploded from my seat when Fultz was traded, and was upset when Isaiah was shipped out.
But regardless of whether or not we get Kawhi, our team is still great.
Agree with most of what you say, but it was a little less risky with Kyrie because he had 2 years left on his deal (not 1 at the time). Likewise, I think if Ainge really wanted George, he could have gotten him since at the time, OKC's offer didn't look great, but Ainge didn't want to give up any premium asset(s) for a rental. Might be the same case with Kawhi. That said, I honestly don't know anymore what Kawhi wants, what truly happened between him and the Spurs, etc. lol.
From the gist of research and countless articles I've read. It seems like this is what I gathered.
Kawhi Leonard was injured during that Pachuila incident. Went out with a time table of a few months, and was expected to come back by the first month of the regular season. (Supposedly.)
He comes back in December, gets injured due to a shoulder injury that's unrelated, but then Jan 13th he's out for the season after it was announced 4 days later. After that happened, there was supposedly a 'rift,' between the Spurs.
Asked when he hopes to return, Leonard said, "Soon. I don't have a set date right now. I just have to keep doing what I'm doing. The progression that I am making has been great. I just have to keep doing what I'm doing." #Spurs
Asked if his course of treatment has created friction between him and the #Spurs, Kawhi said, "Everything was done as a group. I don't feel like nothing was friction. I talk to Pop everyday. He knows what the progressions were, he knew what I am doing the whole entire time."
This is really where it gets weird...
A Spurs well known reddit user, (I can't say his name since he got 'banned,' for a while due to leaking information from an NBA agent,) released some information saying that Pop and Parker/Ginobli allegedly accused Leonard of refusing to show up to practice, and causing malcontent in the organization.
Later on, it was reported that they had a players meeting to try to convince Kawhi to come back.
He didn't think he was healthy regardless of whether or not the doctors cleared him medically, and asked for a second opinion, to which Pop was urging him to make it his number one 'priority,' to come back. The reddit user then theorized that since Pop was going to retire soon, he wanted to have the streak of 50 win seasons not broken, and hypothesized that is one of the key reasons why Pop wanted to have an everlasting legacy before he retired officially.
Parker then comes out with:
Tony Parker on his return from the career-threatening quad injury he suffered last May: I’ve been through it. It was a rehab for me for eight months. Same kind of injury (as Kawhi), but mine was a hundred times worse. But the same kind of injury. You just stay positive."
Tony also said he never considered getting a second-opinion after he tore his quad: "I could have gone anywhere, but I trust my Spurs doctors. They have been with me my whole career. They know my body better than anybody…I feel like we have the best medical team in the world."
That is when Leonard leaves the team to go to New York to get a second opinion.
My thoughts?
You are in ABSOLUTE control of your destiny. You SHOULD BE able to choose who should cater to your injury, and you are never contingently forced into listening to your teams doctor. Of course, they will try to have the best rehabilitation treatment, but can you guarantee that they'll have your best interests at heart? Yes, I'm blown about how Leonard responded to everything. He mishandled it. It could've also been a guise that was thrown out by his agents, who are telling him what to do.
But it seems like the Spurs tried to force him to come back. To which he did, and then injured his quad, (I don't believe the shoulder injury story at all,) once again, and because he believed he wasn't 100% healthy; is now upset at how everything was handled.
Now, if Ainge can get the medical history and see that Kawhi is indeed healthy, and passes all tests.
It would be foolish to pass on him, unless there is a clear answer that Kawhi will not resign.