2018 San Antonio Spurs Offseason Thread -- Into the Great Unknown

[Ricky Butler 2,732]

5 minutes ago, Dutchrudder said:

So they could not pay him 20 million, and make it to where he can't be a free agent next season?  Does that fat fuck Uncle Dennis know this, cause he may want to brush up on his CBA knowledge...

You guys are acting like he's the first player to ever want to be traded. The Spurs win championships because they aren't stupid enough to cut off their noses to spite their faces. They actually want to win games.

[Patrick Bateman 3,920]

30 minutes ago, C-Man said:

 

I think he’s said he’s prepared to sit out the season if we don’t move him. I’m willing to call that bluff rather than get a shitty package back for him.

 

No, he didn't.  Stephen A Smith trying to be relevant said he heard from other executives they wouldn't rule it out...... Everyone took it and ran.  I wouldn't rule out he goes and plays in Brazil, but I don't think it's very likely....

 

[conVINCEd 21,469]

The Spurs are one of the few organizations in any sport that I could see taking a stand here and letting him sit indefinitely.

[Grade of D as in David 13,253]

If he tries to sit out again I think the union will step in otherwise it will come back to bite them in the ass come next CBA

[youdunnf'dup 2,147]

1 hour ago, Horn of Gabriel said:

This is the reason PATFO makes their money.  Rushed, panic decisions rarely work out well.  If all we're going to get it a shit sandwich, that same shit sandwich will still be there for a few months.  Or it might get better.  Probably won't get worse.  So there's not a ton of downside now; could we have gotten something marginally better pre Decision 3.0?  Who knows.  For all anyone knows, LA knew that they had LeBron on lock and it was already affecting their trade offers for Kawhi.

You’re probably right, but this dude seems so fucking spiteful that I bet he does something ridiculous like throw games for us. 

 

Ok, that’s going over the top, but I bet he does sit out the whole season. I don’t think there’s a bluff to be called. I don’t see a scenario where he logs even a single minute for us next year 

 

edit: Jesus fucking Christ i can’t deal with auto correct today 

Edited July 2, 2018 by youdunnf'dup

[Ricky Butler 2,732]

5 minutes ago, conVINCEd said:

The Spurs are one of the few organizations in any sport that I could see taking a stand here and letting him sit indefinitely.

lol

[NoRagrets 1,125]

Unless we get decent value, make him play. He has to play well to get his next contract. He knows it. Uncle Dennis knows it. They overplayed their hand. So dumb to go to the media with the trade request. If they had been discrete, Spurs would have made a great trade for both sides.

[Horn of Gabriel 1,669]

18 minutes ago, conVINCEd said:

The Spurs are one of the few organizations in any sport that I could see taking a stand here and letting him sit indefinitely.

The fact that we're quoting CBA language in this thread about failure to render contractually agreed services and talking about the viability of suing a top 5 player shows how shitty a situation we're in.

[Eskimohorn 5,642]

You guys are acting like he's the first player to ever want to be traded. The Spurs win championships because they aren't stupid enough to cut off their noses to spite their faces. They actually want to win games.

In this scenario, Kawhi would have pretended to be injured for one and half years, at least. Not sure there’s a precedent for that.

The Spurs will not win championships without the potential for great players. Trading well below Kawhi’s level as a player and paying him to pretend to be injured is not savvy.

[youdunnf'dup 2,147]

18 minutes ago, NoRagrets said:

Unless we get decent value, make him play. He has to play well to get his next contract. He knows it. Uncle Dennis knows it. They overplayed their hand. So dumb to go to the media with the trade request. If they had been discrete, Spurs would have made a great trade for both sides.

I don’t think he does though. I think the lakers are ready to pay him as soon as the opportunity presents itself.

[NoRagrets 1,125]

He would have theoretically not played competitive basketball for 2.5 years (may 2017 to oct 2019). His skills and thus his market value will have plummeted.

yes I'm ignoring the nine games he played last season.

[Patrick Bateman 3,920]

I think we all need to slow down and not be prisoners of the moment..... All that's really happened is Lebron went the Lakers, which most people have expected for 6 months.  Nothing more.  This was all expected.

Good news:  Paul George stayed in OKC, thereby setting a precedent that teams know they can keep players under expiring deals if they are competitive and well run.

Bad news:  Lakers have decided to fill up on expiring contracts thereby keeping cap flexibility although they still have one major move to make.  

No one is even allowed to actually sign papers yet..... Nothing has changed except an announcement of an expected FA signing.

Besides....  #championship

 

[PilotsError 2,317]

HOW THE FUCK DID WE GET HERE?????

I can't believe this is real.

[Patrick Bateman 3,920]

Just now, PilotsError said:

HOW THE FUCK DID WE GET HERE?????

I can't believe this is real.

Zaza..... Zaza.  And we underestimated how sensitive Kawhi was...... and how easily influenced he is.

[chainsaw 9,873]

Does anyone think maybe there's a woman at the bottom of all of this?

[Ricky Butler 2,732]

12 minutes ago, Eskimohorn said:

 

In this scenario, Kawhi would have pretended to be injured for one and half years, at least. Not sure there’s a precedent for that.

The Spurs will not win championships without the potential for great players. Trading well below Kawhi’s level as a player and paying him to pretend to be injured is not savvy.

 

I'm specifically speaking to the "force him to play" idea. I just think at some point, forcing Kawhi to rejoin the team would be incredibly awkward for Pop, Buford, and all the Spurs players that actually have to deal with the situation. If they can't repair the relationship, forcing the two parties together next year to prove some point to Kawhi just fucks everyone over. These are real people that would have to co-exist everyday for an entire NBA season. That would be toxic.

[Ricky Butler 2,732]

1 minute ago, chainsaw said:

Does anyone think maybe there's a woman at the bottom of all of this?

Toni Braxton?

[chainsaw 9,873]

Keep him off the Lakers and I'm good.

[Bill Brasky 1,450]

16 minutes ago, chainsaw said:

Does anyone think maybe there's a woman at the bottom of all of this?

I think uncle Dennis probably used to molest him which is why he has so much power over him 

[Dutchrudder 11,150]

22 minutes ago, Ricky Butler said:

I'm specifically speaking to the "force him to play" idea. I just think at some point, forcing Kawhi to rejoin the team would be incredibly awkward for Pop, Buford, and all the Spurs players that actually have to deal with the situation. If they can't repair the relationship, forcing the two parties together next year to prove some point to Kawhi just fucks everyone over. These are real people that would have to co-exist everyday for an entire NBA season. That would be toxic.

Forcing him to play, and him playing at 100% greatly increases his trade value at the deadline. It would benefit the Spurs for Kawhi to remind the league how good he can be when he plays healthy, and to show he is ready to play as soon as he gets to another team. We all assume he's OK now, but don't really have any proof. 

[Ricky Butler 2,732]

3 minutes ago, Dutchrudder said:

Forcing him to play, and him playing at 100% greatly increases his trade value at the deadline. It would benefit the Spurs for Kawhi to remind the league how good he can be when he plays healthy, and to show he is ready to play as soon as he gets to another team. We all assume he's OK now, but don't really have any proof. 

If there is anyway in the world they could pull this off, then they should just repair the relationship and keep him. It's not the result that flawed. It's how in the world would they actually accomplish this given where we are now.

[Eastwood 4,394]

After the LMA thing, I'm ready to believe anything is possible. But it doesn't seem like Kawhi's "team" is allowing him to have any kind of 1 on 1 with the organization.

[PilotsError 2,317]

23 minutes ago, Dutchrudder said:

Forcing him to play, and him playing at 100% greatly increases his trade value at the deadline. It would benefit the Spurs for Kawhi to remind the league how good he can be when he plays healthy, and to show he is ready to play as soon as he gets to another team. We all assume he's OK now, but don't really have any proof. 

Why would any team trade for him at the deadline?  Wait another three months and they can sign him for free.

[EvilCaseMcCoy 691]

16 minutes ago, Ricky Butler said:

It's how in the world would they actually accomplish this given where we are now.

Honestly, if they were able to repair the relationship and Kawhi had a response similar to Lamarcus, that he was unhappy but cleared things up with Pop,  I don't think people would be that shocked.

[Hate 20,136]

Does anyone think maybe there's a woman at the bottom of all of this?

I doubt a women is behind it, but it’s clear that a vagina is involved, specifically Kawhi’s.

[EvilCaseMcCoy 691]

7 minutes ago, PilotsError said:

Why would any team trade for him at the deadline?  Wait another three months and they can sign him for free.

If the Lakers are willing to wait that long then they really don't care that much about obtaining Kawhi.  Kawhi said he'd be interested in playing for the Clippers as well.  Plus, the Paul George scenario shows there are no guarantees.  

[texasstrong12 4,668]

 

Edited July 2, 2018 by texasstrong12

[SHOOTER12 8,819]

3 hours ago, youdunnf'dup said:

Bleacher report update basically just said the offers for Kawhi (from the lakers) are starting to get worse and worse, basically contradicting what Alex Kennedy said. I’m a pessimistic person at heart, but I don’t see how that wouldn’t be the case at this point. I feel like the “godfather” offer from the lakers was to make the situation more appealing for lebron. Now that they have him, why would they part with Ingram, Kuzma, and randle if they don’t have to. I don’t know man, i feel like we really fucked this up. Just get this toxic situation the fuck out of our lockeroom, wash your hands of the situation, and move on.

Username checks out......

[C-Man 27,254]

28 minutes ago, EvilCaseMcCoy said:

Honestly, if they were able to repair the relationship and Kawhi had a response similar to Lamarcus, that he was unhappy but cleared things up with Pop,  I don't think people would be that shocked.

Just talked to my dad and based on what he's heard, I would be completely shocked if this is resolved like the LMA situation. My dad is a long-time season ticket holder and he's in the same office (and is friends with) with a couple of guys who own a very small portion of the team. One of these guys told my dad the situation was so bad this spring that other Spurs  not named Kawhi were calling him to complain about Kawhi's bitch-assness and overall shitty attitude.

My dad also added an interesting tidbit that I either forgot or wasn't made public. He said Kawhi was actually cleared to return to the GS series two years ago following the ankle thing and begged out of the lineup. I found that hard to believe and figured it was Pop protecting another franchise player from making an injury worse (see Duncan in first title defense year).

[Gut Wagon 8,087]

2 minutes ago, C-Man said:

Just talked to my dad and based on what he's heard, I would be completely shocked if this is resolved like the LMA situation. My dad is a long-time season ticket holder and he's in the same office (and is friends with) with a couple of guys who own a very small portion of the team. One of these guys told my dad the situation was so bad this spring that other Spurs  not named Kawhi were calling him to complain about Kawhi's bitch-assness and overall shitty attitude.

My dad also added an interesting tidbit that I either forgot or wasn't made public. He said Kawhi was actually cleared to return to the GS series two years ago following the ankle thing and begged out of the lineup. I found that hard to believe and figured it was Pop protecting another franchise player from making an injury worse (see Duncan in first title defense year).

I've followed the NBA for nearly a half-century, and this whole mess is simply mystifying. You almost never hear of such a crazy thing in pro sports. And for it to happen with an ultra-low-key "anointed" player with a franchise renowned for its player-friendly culture is even harder to fathom. Maybe it just shows things aren't always as they seem.

But regardless of when this really started or what's behind the idiocy, it seems clear there's going to be a parting of the ways before long. I can't imagine PATFO wanting this circus to linger as training camp approaches. I wouldn't even think they'd want to have to deal with it during summer league. I don't mean they're going to rush to make a deal, but you have to think they've had multiple scenarios in mind since Kawhi started trying to leave the reservation...whenever that was.  

  

[ultimaton 2,982]

Executive at Kawhi Leonard's agency has long history of anti-LeBron comments

For those that don't know, Joseph Sutton is the trust-fund kid who's New York real-estate mogul dad basically bought him Impact Sports, which is the agency that represents Kawhi (and basically only Kawhi). Oops.

Edited July 2, 2018 by ultimaton

[C-Man 27,254]

So looks like it's down to making something work with the Lakers or the Sixers. If PATFO can really get Fultz, Saric, Covington and a 1st, I think that likely trumps any Laker offer, no? And it also washes our hands from creating a new Lakers super power. I have faith in Engelland to remake Markelle's jump shot.

[Eskimohorn 5,642]

Here’s my timeline of events

Family wanted to get more involved, Spurs pushed back

Family in Kawhi’s ear daily about each Spurs transgression

Family and Kawhi talking to Lebron about his future

Zaza injury and Spurs wanting him back in the lineup

Rehab communication issues, with family members getting involved, pushing back with Spurs plans

Spurs players going WTF as Kawhi quits team

Kawhi fakes injury, makes up BS about Spurs org for operation shutdown and play in LA

James signs with LA.

Here we are.

[texasstrong12 4,668]

Huge spike in the Lakers odds to win it all in the last hour. 

[EvilCaseMcCoy 691]

Lol, LeBron must be worth a lot because the Lakers finished 30 wins behind the rockets last year.  

[texasstrong12 4,668]

2 minutes ago, EvilCaseMcCoy said:

Lol, LeBron must be worth a lot because the Lakers finished 30 wins behind the rockets last year.  

Huge spike in the last hour which signals that Vegas thinks LA is going to land someone else. That's what Cranjis is saying with this tweet. 

 

[Rockethorn1978 6,102]

The dumb thought is how all these teams are going to get old over the next two years and then LeBron and the lakers will dominate the nba. Somehow in all these scenarios LeBron won’t age or ever have an injury.

[conVINCEd 21,469]

The Lakers with Kawhi (assuming they give up 2 of Ball/Ingram/Kuzma to acquire him) aren’t better than the Warriors.

Edited July 2, 2018 by conVINCEd

[texasstrong12 4,668]

1 minute ago, conVINCEd said:

The Lakers with Kawhi (assuming they give up 2 of Ball/Ingram/Kuzma) aren’t better than the Warriors.

Probably not but they're much better if they make that move. 

[Rockethorn1978 6,102]

worong Thread. Fuck me.

Edited July 2, 2018 by Rockethorn1978
Idiocy

[Patrick Bateman 3,920]

1 hour ago, C-Man said:

So looks like it's down to making something work with the Lakers or the Sixers. If PATFO can really get Fultz, Saric, Covington and a 1st, I think that likely trumps any Laker offer, no? And it also washes our hands from creating a new Lakers super power. I have faith in Engelland to remake Markelle's jump shot.

Ingram, Kuzma, Hart and a pick is better IMO..... basically because we have no idea about Fultz.

[C-Man 27,254]

3 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

Ingram, Kuzma, Hart and a pick is better IMO..... basically because we have no idea about Fultz.

I kind of lean Philly's way because of the Fultz mystery. I don't really watch much college basketball at all and therefore didn't really know much about him until very late in the year and then when it became apparent he might be the #1 overall pick. Injuries just killed his first season, particularly a bum shoulder that effected his shooting. We have a pretty good track record of figuring that out. Or did the Sixers completely screw the pooch not taking Tatum at #1? The added perk for me is not having a hand in helping the Lakers build something.

[Gut Wagon 8,087]

As a Spurs fan, my NBA world view remains pretty simple. There are my goals every year:

(1) Win the title.

Failing that...

(2) Make sure the Lakers don't.

 

[Mitch Cumsteen 18,551]

I don't care about the Lakers. I don't care about the Warriors. I care about the Spurs. If the Spurs are forced to go through a rebuild, might as well do it while the Warriors are invincible and Lebron ages out of his prime. 

[Patrick Bateman 3,920]

The most important thing to remember in any Kawhi-related matters: Three weeks until he's forced to be reunited with Coach Pop for Team USA practice

[chikin23 384]

The most important thing to remember in any Kawhi-related matters: Three weeks until he's forced to be reunited with Coach Pop for Team USA practice

I was thinking about that as well. Hadn't seen it mentioned but it's going to have to be awkward for him. Based on his track record he'll probably bitch out.

[Gut Wagon 8,087]

12 minutes ago, chikin23 said:

14 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

The most important thing to remember in any Kawhi-related matters: Three weeks until he's forced to be reunited with Coach Pop for Team USA practice

I was thinking about that as well. Hadn't seen it mentioned but it's going to have to be awkward for him. Based on his track record he'll probably bitch out.

Good thing Pop is a known connoisseur of whine.

[Radical Larry 28,660]

We’re going to need a 30 for 30 on this mess.

[EvilCaseMcCoy 691]

As much as things hint toward the long game, I don't buy it.  Something is going to drop soon.  

[XYZ 2,154]

I never thought I would use “bitchass” and “Kawhi Leonard” in the same sentence.