[joe2324Participant]

 the spurs are a class act organization and have been for a long time. with the western conference as competitive as it is, he has really put the spurs in a no win situation. Would you trade valuable assets for a guy who is most likely bailing for the lakers or clippers the following season? The other option is he sits out the entire season? Total dick move on his part because now the spurs get nothing out of him and nothing in return. i know its a business, but when you’re a superstar and you pull this stuff, your character comes into question. why would anyone want to invest big mone into someone like this? 

[OllstarParticipant]

I think both parties have shown some blemishes to their otherwise perfect characters. Spurs put some stuff out to the media about Kawhi not playing when he was cleared and I think that’s when Kawhi really went awol. Kawhi was getting information that refuted the Spurs doctor’s recommendations and he went with the least biased source.

Without knowing all the facts here I want to give Kawhi the benefit of the doubt. As a longtime Raptor fan who remembers Carter’s injury derailed season before being traded for pennies, this stings a bit.

I actually think Kawhi on the Raptors next to another Cali player in DeMar DeRozan would instanly become favourites to make it out of the East. Not sure Kawhi would OK the trade to Toronto but he might if he gets to become the #1 SF in the East and play next to DeMar.

Would help ease that Carter sting if we’re on the receiving ends of one of these trades.

 

 

 

[ChoppyParticipant]

 He doesn’t get to veto the trade, he goes where they send him. If the Raps wanted a 1 year rental and they gave up assets the Spurs want, I say send him. 

[Reptilian MonkParticipant]

 Kawhi is injured and his teammate Tony Parker goes, " My quad injury was 100 times worse and Im fine" that is such an ego douchey thing to say. Questioning Kawhi’s heart and toughness when he was finals Mvp and defenisve player of the year for the Spurs is disrespectful 

[mowestenParticipant]

Sounds like a really convienent cover story for a guy who is threating not to play at all if he doesn’t get his way.

[I.C.Y.U.NV.MEParticipant]

 So “doesn’t get his way”= waiting until he feels he’s comfortable and fully ready to play without the worry of re injuring himself? Y’all are unbelievable.

[cohenbc1Participant]

 The thing is, for 20 years the Spurs have been prioritizing players’ long-term health over winning in the short term. I’ve seen ex-Spurs going back to Bruce Bowen and even Avery Johnson testify to this. That’s the system Tony Parker has played his whole career in and benefited from. I don’t believe he’s the kind of guy who would tell a teammate to man up and play through the pain.

Most of the comments Pop made about Kawhi, throughout the season, seemed to express frustration with a lack of communication more than anything else. It seems that for whatever reason, Kawhi’s New York doctors and/or his management team decided to not to keep the Spurs in the loop. Maybe it was just incompetence on their part, I don’t know. I read somewhere that the Spurs doctors and the New York doctors disagreed on the diagnosis, and courses of treatment for each diagnosis were pretty much polar opposites. So maybe the doctors decided they couldn’t work together?

Anyway Parker’s comments may have come out of frustration at the lack of communication and information. And while "100 times" is subjective, Parker literally fell and couldn’t get up, in that Houston playoff series a year ago. He was carried off the court. As far as I’m aware no one can even pinpoint the moment when Kawhi injured his quad.

The bottom line is the Spurs have a 20+ year track record of *not* doing the things Kawhi’s camp says they’ve done. And Kawhi’s "camp" has been taken over by an uncle who fancies himself a sports agent, which is never good. 

 

[r377Participant]

 Didn’t the lakers offer Ingram and a first round pick ?  The spurs should of taken that

[HawklanParticipant]

So at least not damage the franchise which paid you millions is mandatory!

[negguaryParticipant]

 He made them 100’s of millions, this not a slave trade in with way more than that 20 mil! 

[HawklanParticipant]

An employee normally brings the employer more money than he costs. Loyality is demanded nontheless.

[The GoatParticipant]

Theres 3 sides to every story – his, theirs and the truth. He is sticking to his guns. It takes character to do that and not cave in if you believe its the right thing to do. So, i cant imagine the Spurs are free of blame here. There is something that has happened to totally break that trust – he is turning down the supermax, the best coach and the only organisation that he has known. He has not made a peep since being drafted so you cant say hes a guy with ongoing issues. I never side with guys being petulant asking to be traded to a particular location, so it makes me wonder. 

The Spurs know hes gone so they need to take the best offer before training camp. They are holding out for Ingram, Kuzma, Hart, 2 picks and 2 pick swaps. I think there is a standing offer elsewhere that is  less but still comparable, so they are trying to drag the Lakers to the level. The Lakers better not get too cute if they want him cos if the Spurs send him to the Clips or Knicks he may just re-sign there. 

 

[celtics1982Participant]

 The team called him out, that never ends well. If your a Spurs fans I get being upset, but blame the team. Blame the players calling him out. Actually thank him for speaking his mind now, rather then just leaving for nothing after next year.

[halfdecayedParticipant]

 I said it from the beginning the Spurs have no leverage ans got negged for whatever reason. They will most likely lose him for nothing. If im the Lakers im not giving up anything this year beside Ingram and picks and salaries dont match I think.. 

[kobyzParticipant]

 The reason kawhi wants to leave is only cause Spurs are not care enough about winning anymore, too his believe Spurs are having too much other stuff other than winning in their mind, like pop being to much politic instead of focus only on coaching, like being too much loyal to players instead of making the team the best, like making moves only to look good on media like signing woman coach… Kawhi lost trust in the franchise, while being all about winning all those years he don’t think the franchise is the same, that why he wants out of there!

[phwillParticipant]

relationships fail due to two incompatible parties rather than one flawed individual. I think Kawhi just wants to go home and play for his city since he’s from LA and apparently doesn’t care if its the Lakers or Clippers. I think a lot of the ugliness is just a conflict that has existed for a while and probably escalated out of control. We probably don’t have the initial context of how everything got started.  

[XYRYXParticipant]

I can’t rally believe some people give Kawhi the benefit of the doubt with this whole case. First of all, what Parker said has nothing to do with the Spurs as an organisation since the coaches and front office can’t control what a player is saying. If I remember correctly, Pop never said anything beside that he doesn’t know about the injury status of Kawhi anymore and that the media should ask him about what’s the status. I also don’t remember that Kawhi officially said any word over the last months regarding his status which is crazy. 

The Spurs never played any player minutes and games he should not and I don’t see any reason why the Spurs should rush any player into something let alone their franchise player. And why didn’t Kawhi and his camp just come out at any point to clear things up, also to the media? There was plenty of time to do so, didn’t happen. 

So the facts are he was cleared to play by the club, he refused to do and looked for doctors who backed up his point of view, which by the way is the easiest thing in the world. The club is/was unhappy how the player and his so called entourage handled this thing which is not surprising at all and now he wants to be traded to a specific club. 

Totally lost my respect for Kawhi and still don’t see any true reason why HE should be upset about anything. He didn’t want to play and for the record he didn’t beside this 9 game stretch so actually he got his will. I would not touch this guy at all if I‘m not named the Lakers or Clippers and aside from that, Kawhi doesn’t seem to be the guy at all who is looking for the spotlight he will have in LA.

 

I‘m still under the impression that there is more to this whole thing then the wish to play for the Lakers. Would not surprise me at all if he has some mental health issues and can’t handle the NBA pressure but this would the whole LA thing even more stupid.

[FuqdatassParticipant]

 He didn’t feel ready to play and playing through an injury is stupid as hell. 

 

[XYRYXParticipant]

except it seems he wasn’t injured. Why on earth should the Spurs clear him if there is any concern regarding his health and long term status? 

What he did last season was already very questionable and when he now refuses to play and demanding a trade to a specific club or town then I really can’t think other then he already did this shit last year cause he already wanted to be traded and that is exactly the point where I don’t buy this I‘m still hurt thing anymore. 

Like I said before he either made up his mind about leaving last season and pulled this whole thing just to cover his real thoughts or he is in a mental health state where he is torn between loyality to his circle and stupid uncle and stuff and somehow afraid to step on the court. Maybe he has some serious problems nobody knows like depressions.

 

[SubZeroParticipant]

I get why people are giving Kawhi the BOTD, but I find it much easier to side with the Spurs, the most respectable and classy organization of the last 20 years, over a guy who’s been a total mystery his whole career. At least until the whole truth comes out, if it ever does

[I.C.Y.U.NV.MEParticipant]

People still think the Spurs can do no wrong. They fucked up. You NEVER call out your best player over an injury. What Kawhi is doing may not be the best for the Spurs, but at this point, why should he care about them? This is a guy who was being talked about in the same category as Lebron and KD, only to have old ass Tony Parker who hasn’t done shit in years come and belittle his injury on live television. The Spurs have the same opinion of themselves as a lot of you, “they’re the class act of the league and their shit doesn’t stink”. You didn’t see a single soul on the Heat roster try to call Lebron out for cramping and having to get carried off the court. If your STAR says he’s injured, and you send his teammates to talk shit about him in a weak attempt to get him to “man up” and play, that shows you don’t trust your STAR. If I’m Kawhi I would’ve give a damn how Pop or anybody from the org feels.

[HawklanParticipant]

It was Parker, not the Spurs!

[I.C.Y.U.NV.MEParticipant]

 You’re crazy if you think Pop had nothing to do with it. He’s the one who told the team to call him out.

[I.C.Y.U.NV.MEParticipant]

 https://youtu.be/btqU2MVEieU

 

 

 

Watch from 4:00 to 7:30. Stephen Jackson keeps it REAL.

 

 

 

 

[IlladelphParticipant]

 I was about to post the same Stephen Jackson interview.  He says that Parker would never have gone to the media about Kawhi unless Pops asked him to.  I think that Pops prob felt that Kawhi wasn’t getting with the program anymore and wanted to send a message.  That maneuver obviously backfired and it pushed Kawhi further away from Pops and the Spurs.

Problem is, Kawhi has not conducted himself in a professional manner.  Threatening to sit out a year, going awol, not communicating to Pops.  Unprofessional.  Does that make hima "piece of sh*t"?  No, not at all.  It just makes him naive and immature.  

What Kawhi should have done is let the club know he wanted out early on and not wait until there is a big showdown.  Also, he should never have threatened to sit out. 

Does Kawhi’s actions make him unsignable by other teams though?  Hell no.  He is oozing talent, and he is at the peak of his game.  I think that he winds up in L.A. with Lebron next year.

 

[cohenbc1Participant]

Um, Stephen Jackson was kicked off the Spurs for insubordination in 2013. He was washed up then, shooting 37% from the field and 27% from 3. But he repeatedly threw tantrums about not playing and insisted he was better than Manu and Danny Green and deserved their minutes. Finally Pop told him that if he couldn’t support the team from the end of the bench, he could kick rocks.

 

 

[I.C.Y.U.NV.MEParticipant]

 That doesn’t make all these baseless OPINIONS more credible  than his EXPERIENCE in the organization… Any of you ever picked up a check from the Spurs? I’ll take his insight over the board’s.

 

[cohenbc1Participant]

Well obviously we’re all just fans and we’re speculating.

But Jackson’s OPINIONS are tarnished, not justified, by his EXPERIENCE. I’m not saying he’s an awful person … he was just another jock who didn’t want to admit when it was over, and handled it really badly. Popovich still speaks fondly of him sometimes.

But he felt wronged by the Spurs, and he was clearly delusional to think so. 

 

[I.C.Y.U.NV.MEParticipant]

 WE’RE fans and are speculating. Again, Stephen Jackson is not. It would be one thing if Jackson were just straight up talking shit about them, but he wasn’t. He was speaking facts and giving inside info. It was all plausible. When has Tony ever gone after a teammate like that? He’ll go after your wife, but not a player personally. It’s clear as day Pop told him to say it. Maybe he felt his reasoning was just, but you DON’T do that to your star player. You just don’t. Funny thing is, Jackson even eluded to this unwavering perception that “the Spurs are a class and can do no wrong”. And yet here everyone is, proving him right lmao.

[Kwame33Participant]

 I think in the case where a player hides himself from the organization a teammate might be compelled to call out that player. What Kawhi is doing is unprecedented, Parker had no reason to speak out on teammates previously. I’m not claiming to have an inside scoop but an opinion from a laid off disgruntled former employee is one you take with a grain of salt.

[Author]

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