>:[

Kawhi's dead to me

Kawhi was one of my favourite players, but this nearly puts him in Deron Williams/Jazz territory for me.

On the plus side, Spurs should be able to bring back a haul, but they'd have to be shooting for a top 5 pick as well. Who cares where Kawhi wants to end up, I'd be on the phone to the teams picking 1 through 5 right now.

Has any star player disgraced himself more than this guy in recent times? He decided he didn't want to be there anymore last year so basically just sat out the year even though he was cleared to return medically numerous times and even had Parker questioning his heart publicly. He's ruined his career with this stunt and the sooner the Spurs cut out the cancer the better.

Agree with some others above...pretty pissweak from Kawhi, but then again if it means there's another team in contention apart from GS and the rockets that can’t hurt.

I agree I highly doubt the Spurs now turn around and give him what he wants. They'll likely trade him to any teams other than the Lakers or Clippers. Trade him for a second rounder who cares just don't trade him to where he wants to go so he can then re-sign with that team for big money this time next year.

This is a dog act by him orchestrating this two years out from free agency. He knew he couldn't pull this stunt next season because the Spurs would refuse to trade him and would try and work things out like they did with Aldridge and thus he would have to sign with the Lakers as a free agent leaving a good $80 million on the table.

By doing this two years out he's trying to force the Spurs hand to trade him to the Lakers now so when he becomes a free agent next offseason the Lakers can pay him more as a returning player rather than as an incoming player in 2019.

Trade him anywhere other than LA for whatever you can get for him or even keep him on the roster next season and play him shitty minutes or even not at all thus severely damaging his stock for his 2019 free agency if he hasn't played in two years. You could spin it in the media that he's putting no effort in practice, poor attitude or whatever might not be able to suspend him that's fine keep paying him just damage his brand.

This is one of the more disgraceful acts I've seen in the NBA.

send him to Toronto so he isn't even in the same country

@ anon 2602; completely agree. Without Pops and the Spurs, I honestly don't think Kawhi would be half the player he is today. An undersized PF with good athleticism and a wonky shot... If he'd wound up on 95% of the other teams in the league, I wonder if he'd ever have developed a jump shot, let alone All-NBA level defensive skills.

Ball Ingram kuzma for Leonard and mills.

Spurs got Time to work the best deal

He and his people have wanted him at the Lakers for some time. He's from LA and they were the team he supported growing up. Leonard was also pissed about the shoe deal offer from Jordan Brand for only $4-5 million a season because he plays in a small market which is another reason he's done this. The guy refused to even sit on the Spurs bench during the playoffs. Defend him all you like.

Zodiac may have said trade trade Kawhi for a second rounder...

I'd like to see him traded to a team like Charlotte which is basically in the middle of bum fuck and if wearing Jordan's means so much to him then why not be under the man himself.

Maybe trade him for Kemba Walker and draft picks?

How come all this talk of players going to Los Angeles and it's always the Lakers?

If you want to be a legend in LA then win a championship for the Clippers... or go to Lakers and you'll almost be guaranteed they won't retire your jersey (Leonard isn't in the class of those with their jerseys retired.

Good luck Kawhi but I really hope the Spurs fuck you over

I've seen a few news articles saying that the Spurs are losing/have lost their mystique.

I'd argue not at all.

Kawhi is just being a brat. Kawhi is the one losing his mystique.

Used to think very highly of Kawhi but he's made a mess out of this situation.

Kwahi getting bad advice!

If the Spurs call his bluff and make him get back on the court and the mystery injury hinders his performance he might find himself not getting the max.

The Spurs now have until February to make a deal so those coming up with low ball offers to get him to the Lakers are dreaming! Don't underestimate how much a BAD or under performing team would give up to get Kwahi to them even if only for a year for a playoff push with the view they'd at least be in the position to offer the most cash for Free Agency Time when next year doesn't trend for the Lakers to have Max room if they sign George/Le Bron so if i'm a GM from a poor performing team why not take the punt...not like they are getting any worse!

Also Spurs could punt on the above and wait him out...Kwahi might not be getting paid in LA if they sign others to the Max and suddenly San Antonio and the Supermax doesn't seem so bad after all!

Why go to the Lakers @anon?

LA is a franchise still talking about the past and being is disarray since Buss died.

If the Lakers don't get any of the free agents the media keeps talking about they are a lottery team again so compared to two more years of Pop and whomever they choose after him is a safer bet than the Lakers with the Balls.

I read the other day that Kawhi switched agents recently (maybe sometime over the last few months). His agent is now his uncle, and is rumoured to be behind the rift between Kawhi and the Spurs. "Bad advice" seems to be an understatement.

https://www.sportsgossip.com/nba/kawhi-leonards-uncle-dennis-robertson-continuing-to-advise-him

Not sure about the Lakers "era of disarray" being over. Every year, theres always being talk of "X" and "Y" free agents, but none have really eventuated.

FA's are going to continue to be weary whilst they are a young team; and remember they are coming off a losing season (and they did have 2 20-something win teams in their conference).

I think FA's would be more keen on the Lakers if they had another year or two to evaluate just how far Kuzma, Ball, Randle and Ingram had come along together and get a better view on calibre of team.

But I think right now there's just that (minority but still present) element of doubt i.e. are these guys capable of taking it to the next level or are they benefactors of playing big mins/getting shots in an average team.

May suit someone like Kawhi who at 26 has some years left and George at 28. But Lebron wants to challenge and win now (At 33).

Kawhi is my favourite nba player but have lost respect for him. I highly doubt he would be the player he is if he didn't go to the spurs.

I’d trade him to the kings - near L.A. ask for pick 2 and fox. Might need to throw in an overpayed player to make it work.

I only mention disarray because it was less than 18 months ago and the Lakers just woke up to the fact Mozgov and Deng where on the worse contracts in the NBA.

The new management at the Laker have thus far draft Ball and let the circus that is make them look unprofessional plus now the distrack thing makes it look like a situation Magic & Co have no control over.

This year alone they had to give up a former top pick to move Mozgovs contract and now people talking up trades for Kwahi are throwing in Deng's contract like its a good deal.

With Cap sapce being tight no one wants to eat Dengs contract...not even the Kings unless the Lakers got crazy and they got a major young piece back like Ball/Ingram.

Until Magic/Pelinka prove otherwise we can only look at recent history and for the Lakers that isn't is exactly great and hell i'm a Lakers fan but its facts we keep make terrible decisions and arrongatly think we the "lakers" so it means we'll get FA's

Yinka, they should do that just for the potential Doncic+Pop combo. Fox would be a bonus.

Kings giving up pick 2 and fox for a 1 year rental of Kawhi would be a very Kings thing to do.