Where in the world is Kawhi Leonard?

[MikeSU02]

I don't think it's possible to overrate a guy that's proven he's a top 5ish player in the NBA. Nobody here is saying he's better than Lebron or Durant or anything, but he's been a starter for 5 years, and during that time, he's finished top 3 in MVP voting twice and won DPOY twice.

I consider him better than KD. I'll state that.

 

[Melancer46]

Maybe im the only one here who thinks Kawhi’s, at this point in his career, very overrated.

Ill keep my young talent and draft picks

I consider him better than KD. I'll state that.

Okay Trueblue, I give you permission to say that Mike overrates Kawhi.

 

[moqui]

I think Kawhi ends up staying in San Antonio, but to the question, if he's healthy, I would trade Jaylen Brown + more for him in a heartbeat.

yup . . . the conundrum is on the other side. assuming you can't fix the relationship: how in the world do the spurs get anything close to fair compensation for him?

 

[Knicks411]

I don't think it's possible to overrate a guy that's proven he's a top 5ish player in the NBA. Nobody here is saying he's better than Lebron or Durant or anything, but he's been a starter for 5 years, and during that time, he's finished top 3 in MVP voting twice and won DPOY twice.

Also he was finals MVP in his third year in the league.

Kawhi is an absolute mega star. He could easily be the best player in the NBA next year.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Isn't the absolute best case scenario for any of the guys they have that one of them turns into...Kawhi Leonard?

If you have to get rid of 4 guys to get him, then no, it's not worth it.

Just look at what happened to the Knicks, who were building a nice core under then-GM Donnie Walsh, but Melo couldn't wait for free agency to join them, he wanted his max deal from Denver and a sign and trade. It gutted the Knicks roster of 4 or 5 promising (affordable) young role players, and it took 2 or 3 years of maneuvers just to try to build a decent team around him again.

One guys doesn't win a title for you. It takes 8 or 9 or 10 of them.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I don't think it's possible to overrate a guy that's proven he's a top 5ish player in the NBA. Nobody here is saying he's better than Lebron or Durant or anything, but he's been a starter for 5 years, and during that time, he's finished top 3 in MVP voting twice and won DPOY twice.

Sure it is! He just sat out a whole damn year, in the peak of his career, over an injury that they can't diagnose, and the front office thinks is being faked.

I don't need that. I think a lot of GM's would agree. Kawhi Leonard may be a top 5 talent in the NBA, but if you asked Philly for Ben Simmons or Joel Embiid, or the Pelicans for Anthony Davis, or the T-Wolves for Karl Anthony Townes for him, I think all those GMs would turn the Spurs down.

 

[Knicks411]

If you have to get rid of 4 guys to get him, then no, it's not worth it.

Just look at what happened to the Knicks, who were building a nice core under then-GM Donnie Walsh, but Melo couldn't wait for free agency to join them, he wanted his max deal from Denver and a sign and trade. It gutted the Knicks roster of 4 or 5 promising (affordable) young role players, and it took 2 or 3 years of maneuvers just to try to build a decent team around him again.

One guys doesn't win a title for you. It takes 8 or 9 or 10 of them.

Depends on the 4 guys, but I don't think anyone is talking about 4 rotation guys from the Celtics roster for Kawhi.

Also the Knicks were a playoff team their first full season with Melo and were the 2 seed the next season and they didn't make the playoffs before they got him, so I think you're overstating it a little. It would've been better if they signed him as a FA, for sure.