Hoops

Kawhi wants to leave Spurs

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

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.

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).

Because players have boners for Lakers being a storied franchise etc.

Yes but from his viewpoint Spurs dynasty is ending with players around him aging/retired and Pop retiring soon too. Why stick around?

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

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.

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

Hahaha okay champ.

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.

Sat out because he, the person who knows his body best, didn’t agree he was ready to return. Wants to leave because the Spurs pushed him to play when he didn’t feel ready.

What a shit bloke I guess

Ball Ingram kuzma for Leonard and mills.

Spurs got Time to work the best deal

I saw Patty Mills could be in the trade with the lakers ?

@ 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.

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

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.

100% no way pop sends him to Lakers. Celtics have pieces and would only meet him in finals. If they can get Tatum, anything else is gravy.

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.

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.

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.

Man Spurs looking terrible if that happens.