...because I'm having a hard time telling myself it isn't.

It would seem this guy outright quit on his team for an entire season and is poised to strong arm his way off that team. If it were a shit club like Sacramento or Washington, I'd get it. But it's not a shit club, it's the best club. So I'm confused how this isn't some outright unforgivable hoe shit.

The weird thing is that because both he and the Spurs are so low-profile, this isn't as massive a story as it should be. It's a big story, sure, but imagine the noise if it were the Lakers or Knicks.

Next time you call Durant a "bitch" for choosing a new employer and doing it by the book, or call Lebron a "bitch" for appearing passive in the waning minutes of a playoff loss (when he's probably had like 45, 15, and 9 carrying some dogshit supporting cast), remind yourself that that isn't really "bitch" behavior - nothing compared to just quitting on your team. He's BEEN healthy - you know it, Pop knows it, team knows it, and Kawhi knows it.

And IT, Karl Malone, many others have showed us sometimes teams doctors are very, very wrong.

So I don’t totally agree with not showing up but I understand why

yesterday. There HAS to be some ill shit that we aren't privy to. I mean, ok, you and your uncle decided to rehab at the NBA facilities in NY or whatever. Cool. But damn, you can't be there to support the team? Your squad getting boat raced...you can't be on the bench in a poorly fitted sport jacket, matching v-neck and gold chain? Or...does the team not want him there? I dunno. I ain't gone question dude's character, but this looks bad.

if he aint gonna play idgaf whether he watches it at the game, at home on the virtual reality shit the nba is pushing or plays fortnite instead of watching the game.

not an NBA player who's teammate and best player has been ghost all season. I'm sure that shit matters to them.

if he cant play or dont want to then im not thinking about him. im going to war w/ who can/wants to be there.

There is plenty of info out there about there being a deeper issue at play....

Which means there's also not enough info out there to condemn him for being the ghost he's been.

.

but he's getting the benefit of the doubt for now because his entire persona until this season has been super low key. i'll wait and see what happens in the offseason because i really don't know what to think right now

pop continuing to say "kawhi and his group" sure doesn't sound great for a long future with the spurs, though

The SG for the Sixers known as the Boston Strangler shortly after they won the title in '83, complained of foot injuries. The Sixers doctors insisted that he was "cleared to play". It got somewhat ugly between the team and Toney, somewhat similar to how it' seems to be getting with Leonard. Pressured by the team, Toney played with it hurt a little bit, then missed a full season injured...came back, but was never the same, and was gone from the league by '87 (I think)

It took decades for the rift between Toney and the Sixers to heal...He wouldn't attend reunions of the Championship team, efforts from players and the front office went unanswered. A key player in them winning it all on one of the greatest teams in NBA history was left out of celebrations all because Harold Katz and the team physicians didn't want to listen to Toney's claims.

Because every word of your post seems to assume he's at 100% health, and you know better than he and his own doctors whats best for his health and the longevity of his career.

We don't know shit. Could bitch made, could be completely legit.

in a room with.

www.engadgethd.com - the other stuff i'm looking at

simple as that.

You have zero understanding of a quad tendopathy & how variable the recovery can be.

have fought through injuries in the playoffs (when they weren't even the favorite to win it) to jack up their career.

There are numerous reasons why his return to play timetable has been "indefinite"...that hasn't suddenly changed. The public loves attributing things to personal behavior, gossip queens all over the place.

If he does leave Spurs this offseason and plays 70 games next year it probably won't look too good. If he stays a Spur and still seems to be working back from injury, then who are we to say he should be playing. He probably doesn't feel close to 100% and is at odds with the Spurs medical staff and teammates and coach who think he should be playing right now.

IMO, the bitch assed ness has nothing to do with his health

Injured or not, this is unacceptable from an NBA franchise player

He is suppose to be the SAN Spur's leader

The fact that it's gone on this long

and he is still sulking in the shadows is character unfitting a top 5 player IMO

Pressers
Media statements
Traveling with the team
Training with the team
etc...

That's part of the job

This isn't 20Y.O, Kwahi establishing himself

This is we've handed the keys to the franchise Kwahi

Bitchmade...and the behavior wouldn't be tolerated from any other franchise player I can think of...other than Boogie.

no offense, but real talk...loyalty don't get you SHIT in this league.

If Kwahi is still hurt...don't matter what anybody else says. By not being there, he's avoiding the media circus of having to answer "WHEN WILL YOU BE BACK, KWAHI?!?" after every fucking loss....and there will be losses...consecutive losses.

Add in the fact that this is (if I'm not mistaken) either a free agency year or the final year of that 5 year deal...so you in position to reup. Doesn't make no sense to go out there and risk potential long term injury on a "SLIM AT BEST" championship run with the Spurs current lineup.

Then season with a little if Kwahi DID come back and permanently ruptured some shit, that fucks up his earning potential...if he plays poorly, that fucks up his market value....

That nigga has NO incentive to ride that pine and these hoes ain't loyal.

If that's bitch behavior....I'llbeedat (c) Redman

D

they are probably the most loyal franchise in the NBA when it comes to star players. Plus their coach seems pretty fucking ride or die when it comes to speaking on Black issues"

Robinson
Duncan
Parker
Ginobli

Dude was going to be a the next great Spurs legend before this incident.

Mind you, the fact that the Spurs organization is an elite franchise in the league goes without question. They are the cream of the crop when it comes to executives and coaching. Their roster tho....

The Spurs rode the Tim Duncan surprise bonanza as far as they could POSSIBLY take it. Now David Robinson been gone, Timmy gone, Manu and Tony are extras from The Walking Dead....so you basically got Aldridge (fringe star at best), Gasol (he's on the next season of The Walking Dead) and....DeJonte Murray?

That's not fucking with the Rockets or the Warriors in the foreseeable future. Minny is on the quiet come-up....and the Spurs have NEVER been a top free agent destination.

You know who comes to the Spurs? Late career ring chasers. Free agents? They choosing the big markets.

So that means that, if you about to lock in for a 5-7 year deal....you're basically going to have to beat the odds and Tim Duncan the lottery again to have a chance at a chip.

Now, mind you....he would have been the face of the franchise, playing for a premier coach in a rabid fan base....but you not getting a chip.

just seems odd seeing this play out with the Spurs who seem pretty loyal when it comes to franchise players.

Kawhi is up for a contract soon and doesn't want to mess up his money by getting injured. Pop going to a BLM protest is not gonna change that

Same goes for being a 'Spurs legend'. Would be nice, maybe, but he can easily be a 'legend' elsewhere

but his money is for sure gone, and no one in Boston is pitching in to fix that for him.

‘Insulted’ pro-Trump Spurs fans feel forced to choose between their team and the president

Not long ago, Cassandra Casanova would plan her weeks around the NBA playoff schedule. She’d wear her San Antonio Spurs gear and spend days talking about her favorite team, dissecting their postseason matchup. Not this year.

“I have no idea when the games are,” she said. “I could not care less.”

Casanova ignored the Spurs’ playoff opener over the weekend, a Game 1 loss to the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, and doesn’t feel as though she missed a thing. She has no problem with Kawhi Leonard, Manu Ginóbili or Tony Parker. Her anger is directed solely at Coach Gregg Popovich.

“I am completely turned off. After all those years supporting the team, and now I just have no interest,” she said. “Popovich really messed up.”

Sports fandom in 2018 can be complicated, particularly when athletes and coaches have no qualms about espousing their political views. Fans such as Casanova are the inevitable result: someone who feels insulted and can no longer bring herself to root for her favorite team, which is making its 21st consecutive playoff appearance. When Popovich got political, Casanova got a garbage bag and filled it with 30 or so Spurs T-shirts, banners and trinkets. It all went immediately to Goodwill.

“That’s how angry I got. It ruined my basketball life,” she said. “I took it personally. I was such a loyal fan and he insulted me. Why would you start attacking the people who had been so loyal?”

For years, national politics either wasn’t relevant in the sports world or sports figures made a concerted effort to steer clear. But as athletes and coaches become increasingly vocal on political and social issues, some fans have seen their ideological loyalties at war with their sporting interests.

Since the presidential campaign, Popovich has shared his disdain for Trump. He’s called the country “an embarrassment to the world” and the president a “soulless coward” and a “pathological liar.” The veteran coach is disgusted by comments he called “xenophobic, homophobic, racist, misogynistic” — “and I live in a country where half the people ignored all that to elect someone. That’s the scariest part of the whole thing to me,” he said after the election.

That’s a lot to process, especially for those who considered themselves both Spurs fans and Trump supporters. While the city might lean blue, many of the surrounding communities and certainly the state as a whole are reliably conservative. While Hillary Clinton won 53.7 percent of the vote in Bexar County in 2016, there are a half-dozen military bases around San Antonio and no shortage of fans who felt Popovich personally attacked them and their views.

“I often curse Pop for doing what he did,” said Bob Mulherin, a Spurs fan for more than 25 years. “He insulted more than half of the Spurs’ fan base and no sign whatsoever of an apology.”

Mulherin watched Saturday’s playoff game, but he did so alone. Spurs games were once a family affair, but his wife and son want nothing to do with the team now.

“It is sad that Pop basically told my wife and my son and me for that matter that we were fools for supporting Donald Trump,” he said. “What happens when someone calls you a fool? You avoid them.”

The team declined to comment on any effect Popovich’s comments have had on the team or its fan base, but others have noticed at least a minimal impact. Jason Minnix has been around the team for 20 years and hosts the afternoon drive-time show The Blitz on ESPN San Antonio radio. He says he’s heard of fans canceling season tickets and sponsors bailing on the team, but many in San Antonio have become somewhat immune to Popovich’s political commentary and most of the angry callers these days want to talk about the Leonard situation and the team’s uneven season.

“It’s hard for many to just quit your love for the Spurs or any pro sports team over some specific comments from a coach or stuff that’s going on with a player,” he said. “I think you combine the fact that the Spurs have ‘struggled’ this year — I say ‘struggled’ in air quotes — and I think there’s just an overall level of frustration from Spurs fans that we haven’t seen in over 20 years.”

Dawn Hold started following the team 20 years ago, from the inception of the Tim Duncan era, a stretch that produced five NBA titles. She says she’s no fair-weather fan and is hoping she’ll be able to someday cheer on her favorite team again. “I don’t think I could desert them forever,” she says.

But for now a whole portion of her wardrobe is off-limits, including about 75 shirts and Spurs-decorated jewelry, purses and shoes. Hold describes herself as a “crazy fan” and has a spare bedroom she calls her “Spurs room.” The walls are covered with framed photos and everything from the rugs, comforters and lamps feature the team logo. There’s even a carousel horse with a Spurs paint job, which includes a series of Larry O’Brien NBA championship trophies adorning the horse’s backside.

She’s hit the road in previous years, traveling to Memphis or New Jersey to cheer on her team in the playoffs. On Saturday, as the Spurs took on the Warriors, Hold instead went bowling.

“I refuse to go to a game right now or even watch on TV,” she said. “I was really hurt by what he said. He’s basically accusing all the people who voted this one way of being racists and misogynists. It feels very personal.”

Casanova, 65, says basketball occupied a particular place in her life. She didn’t tune into the games to get lectured or criticized — “He’s there to coach and entertain,” she said of Popovich — and she can’t separate what the Spurs coach says into a microphone with what the players do on the court. Similarly, she says she’s not watching the NFL while players protest during the national anthem and avoids movies that feature actors who espouse liberal views.


The Spurs hit the court Monday night, trying to even their opening-round series with the Warriors. Without an injured Leonard in the lineup, San Antonio could be facing only its second first-round exit of the past seven years. Casanova will be among the Trump supporters who can’t bring herself to tune in as long as Popovich is in charge.

“I’m hoping things will change,” she said. “Maybe they’ll end up with a new coach who doesn’t feel the need to talk politics. I just want to watch basketball.”

Of irony.

These ‘life long fans’ of a predominantly black sport
are bailing because the coach spoke up for black
players??

Oh and these supporters of the reality star turned
clown president don’t think an NBA coach should
Be political?

Jesus Christ. I hope pop is the coach for another
ten years and they win more rings too.

Because a few years ago this same energy was not present when Rose was sitting out playoff games a year after tearing an ACL.

IT's situation is probably factoring pretty heavily into how willing players are to risk their health in a contract year right now, though.

KL been owning that moniker ever since draft day so I'm not really shocked mum's the word here too

>IT's situation is probably factoring pretty heavily into how
>willing players are to risk their health in a contract year
>right now, though.

No doubt

I just hope Kawhi gets right and gets back to form somewhere next season. Maybe the Spurs situation is salvageable, maybe not.

if he's completely leaving the Spurs clueless and in the dark as to what is going on. It seems Popavich is implying that's what's going on, but I truly haven't been following this to say that is the case.

Unless dude is planning to go into another field altogether to pay his bills ala Andrew Bynum, I don't see how it suits Kawhi's best interests to quit on his team and professional basketball in general, especially while he's in his prime. I have to think he's legitimately hurt.

Kawhi has said NOTHING other than he's hurt.

Pop has dropped passive aggressive comment after
comment.

But I guess I'm making that up because...well...OE

it's ultra wack and prettay, prettay, prettay racist. Popp is better than that and needs to knock that shit off.

same catty comments by coach & staff, same radio silence from the player

so then the media in a update-vaccum creates its own story, to the point they had fultz not able to lift his arm higher than his chest and resigned to a nba career of scoop shots and underhand free throws


woulda been crazy to see kawhi come back right before playoffs, lock down KD and bounce the warriors out before they got back to full strength


but meh, just gotta see how it plays out

AND not acceptable for a top 5 NBA player in his 7th season

?

I don't want to flat out say your comparison is off

...but other than giving a definitive date for Fultz's return...

the 6ers didn't duck the subject like this

I get what you're saying about the media hype and spin

...but Fultz is at practice and on the sidelines...erryday...

you would expect as much from an NBA franchise player, IMO

He's been praised for his professionalism and decency
from day ONE. Like, exclusively. His entire M.O. from
day 1 has been that he's not your "typical superstar."

And so FIRST TIME there's controversy, all of a sudden he's
an asshole?

How do you guys live with having perspectives that are
so warped? Like, does the world look like Jurassic Park
to you?

How can you have so messy a grasp on the universe?

These are serious questions.

my opinion of how he's handling this has absolutely nothing to do with the legitimacy of his injury

it has everything to do with being an NBA franchise player

...as I've said...Fultz is at practice with his team mates...travels with the team...the media has access to him...etc...

I don't even really care what the issue is...I have no investment in the Spurs

I just flat out think he's handling this very poorly

and the bitchassness description fits IMO

but hey, if you think it's unrealistic to expect a 7 year NBA vet to handle a situation better than a teenage rookie

do you

LOL@folks going at Pop now

you now why you can do that

because he's actually available and talking 'bout it.

…and it's pretty weird.

Can't say who is bitchassed or not until it all plays out but it is very weird.


Spurs really haven't had these types of issues between players and management and Pop and communicating with the public.

Kawahi has never done anything suspect to my recollection. Always gave off an image of reticence, but never unprofessional.

Pop is all good in my book. And saying "his group" makes sense if he has his own doctors and advisers who have asserted control over his situation vis-a-vis the Spurs and/or his public statements. Pop clearly isn't happy about it, but he has done nothing unprofessional IMO.


So…yeah, it's pretty weird. And I'm very curious to see how it plays out and who did what. In all likelihood, if this messiness is the result, the blame is going to be on several hands.

Nothing like posting a stupid premise and not returning when things go off the rails.

Trust, it was the epitome of killing time.

Meanwhile, you weren't busy "living a life" when you wrote a complete ppst calling a professional athlete "bitchmade" like you know better than himself and his own medical professionals.

Oh....and that "living a life" line is some b.s from anyone who still posts on a message board at *all*. For the most part, we're all wasting time on nonsense here whether we're poasting or lurking.... but you keep thinking you're "living a life" that the rest of us aren't also living when we're not killing time on OKP.

Not a surprise, considering the dumb, poorly thought out trash you normally spout off about..... well... everything.

Anyhow you can keep poasting to make this a "thing", and I'll oblige until I grow tired. The wife is putting the kids to bed tonight and I'm watching Raw, so ive got some menial time to burn this evening😙

But please, try and be relatively interesting for once. You could just chage course and write up a decent retraction, talking about how your OP was dumb as rocks, wtf where you thinking, etc, but we both know that won't happen.

Why art thou so dumb, and bullish in thy dumbness, in the face of reason?

I'd really like to know.

I'm fascinated.

What if you addressed the glaring, gaping, gargantuan flaws in your op, would your usually dumb, low iq, zero-aptitude for constructing a halfway sound argument assed persona be cool with that?

Or is it just better to keep up appearances?

Weirdo-dude with the vendetta notwithstanding, the Lakeshow right today has a better roster to compete in the future than SA. The majority of the Spurs main contributors are old, older, and old as fuck. Pop and Buford will need to work some serious magic to make that squad a viable option for a Kawhi-level player to commit to for the prime of his career.

(I'm a Huge admirer of Kawhi and the Spurs, for the record, would love to see them work it out)

you got a guy who has never been a problem..

with a coach and an organization that their players never have a problem with them...


not sure why or what is going on with him..

If he can't, he should make that known if to anybody to his teammates. Including letting them know why he can't play.

If he can't, he should make that known if to anybody to his teammates. Including letting them know why he can't play.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23204802/demarcus-cousins-controversial-flight-not-coachella

This fool...right on time

Boogie's not with his team either, as they compete in a 1st round playoff matchup

Who knew his behavior would end up being the model team mate and franchise player?

<shrug>

Boogie won...thanks Kawhi.

Do you really have to try though?

Article has coach saying he wasn't at game 1 because he isn't cleared to fly yet...

...oops....

Never thought I'd be comparing him to Kawhi as a team mate.

.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23248488/anthony-davis-prediction-standing-ovation-new-orleans-demarcus-cousins-comes-true

At least dude shows up

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/8cnbqn/the_kawhi_situation_for_dummies/

disappeared for a year, milked an injury, demanded a trade = bitch made or nah?

https://uproxx.com/dimemag/kawhi-leonard-san-antonio-spurs-trade-request/2/

Especially in public like that.

It's also pretty damn possible that Kawhi bailed on his team just about all of last year, used any sort of fodder the organization gave as an excuse for doing so, and then forced a move into a big market as all NBA superstars eventually do.

My gut tells me that SAS - a team that objectively has an unparalleled reputation in all professional sports for extending careers and respecting the severity of injuries - could've coddled him steadfastly throughout the last year to his *exact* desires, whatever they were... and this still would've been the end result.

It is what it is. This is the sort of league that the NBA is now.

>It's also pretty damn possible that Kawhi bailed on his team
>just about all of last year, used any sort of fodder the
>organization gave as an excuse for doing so, and then forced a
>move into a big market as all NBA superstars eventually do.
>
>My gut tells me that SAS - a team that objectively has an
>unparalleled reputation in all professional sports for
>extending careers and respecting the severity of injuries -
>could've coddled him steadfastly throughout the last year to
>his *exact* desires, whatever they were... and this still
>would've been the end result.
>
>It is what it is. This is the sort of league that the NBA is
>now.
>

I didn't realize had the quotes.

I know his type of injury pretty well and it's a really frustrating one to deal with - whether you're the provider or you're the athlete.

Once Kawhi did come back and was still having excessive pain than anticipated, my guess is that's where everything fractured.

He and his team believed he was misdiagnosed and the medical staff wasn't handling it right (compounded by how the Spurs players were talking about it...I've seen all their interviews and I didn't interpet any of it as malicious, including Parker's comments about "mine was worse and I came back", it was more matter of fact and confusion/uncertainy..but Kawhi by all accounts was seeing it through a very different lens) whereas this type of chronic quadriceps tendopathy is often a very jagged line of healing rather than steady progress.

At that point, both sides separated, you had the release of info that Kawhi was "medically cleared' and that's when shit really hit the fan with Pop talking about "his people" and communication avenues being shut down (which never happens between Pop, Buford, and players). At that point, Kawhi was likely disillusioned enough to say fuck it, I don't want to play here nor am I going to risk it in the playoffs.

One established unselfish team guy and superstar was hurt and couldn't play.

His team betrayed him and talked shit to the press. Kawhi
specifically never says anything ill of anyone to the press,
and is one of the reasons we've lauded him: he's a professional,
doesn't do petty.

His team betrayed him.

The only reason this isn't the narrative is because of...
....well, you know.

they thought they were gonna guilt/shame him into falling back in line?

I didn't like the way Pops was handling that situation with him. But to be honest, he seemed to not know very much on his end either. It probably could have been handled better from both sides. I genuinely understand Kawhi's side though, but it doesn't seem like the lines of communication were clear from both ends.

edit: i meant to reply a little above, not to this post specifically.

from the bottom teams in big markets (l.a. and nyc) to the attractive teams in terms of talent (say phi and houston) to the teams in the finals....the climates are all full of drama and toxicity.

kawhi's perspective is fine....and he deserves a change of scenery if he wants it...

but pop's communication issues are nothing compared to his contemporaries' habitual abuse (phil/riley/colangelo/karl) or the current generation's preference of letting the biggest assholes in the locker room have free reign to say whatever.

if he thinks moving on will fix that, his people are giving him bad advice.

i think he has better reasons, but we'll probably never know what's in his head.

Homie suffers an injury...does his rehab...team clears him to play...

then he decides to get a second opinion...which in the aftermath, could just be confirmation bias...looking for the 2nd opinion that confirms his own belief that he shouldn't play...

...and then he becomes a ghost for the rest of the season, disappearing to do rehab in NYC, not traveling with the team, not a presence on the sideline...

most importantly, never making himself available to the media to directly address it in the first person

which left his team, team mates, organization, etc...who hold daily press conferences in their roles as members of the SAS, to answer questions about a process they were no longer involved in

during an extremely difficult personal time for Pop, watching his spouse lose the battle with cancer

+1, the SAS have been THE model franchise in sports since Pop took over

and folks are blaming the organization?

this isn't the 4th or 5th guy in the rotation

this is all wordly, Bron's cryptonite, GSW's potential foil, 2nd best player in the game when healthy, SAS entire franchise...Kawhi

and ya'll are co-signing this bitch ass ness?

he just held a premier professional sports franchise hostage for an entire season

for what appears to be leverage in forcing a trade

now, he has not only burned every bridge in SAS

but he has also devalued his worth for potential trade partners

no way they get back Bron or Giannis

and now there are additional questions about taking on a headache like this for potential trade partners

FTR, I'm looking at this from the perspective of a fan

because that is what I am

folks want to clap to Kawhi getting his paper, let me know how that benefits me...?

he's also leaving the potential supermax deal on the table

good for him and all if they find a suitor, but for real, this whole situation is bitch ass ness and really shouldn't be excused by the plea cop gymnastics that are going on in this post

BITCH ASS NESS.

yup

what's the verdict here, folks? I'd still like to hear more about what happened behind the scenes, but this is a bit weird.

8 years (most of most players' careers) is a long time to wait for the right to add no trade clauses to your contracts.

I also read an update yesterday that intimated, because the Dr that was treating him in NY, is actually the 6ers orthopedic guy...the 6ers knew more about his health/injury/rehab than the Spurs did

at the least, on a board where folks clap to players 'getting their money'...this is bad business

but IMO, yes, BITCH-MADE.

We'll see if he goes full heel and threatens to sit out next year if traded to TOR...or some other shenanigans to jeopardize the trade

you have to compare apples to apples. so it only matters what he's losing going from SA to Toronto as they can both offer 5 year deals.

as long as he plays well and stays healthy he'll get what he "lost" from only being able to make a 4 year deal w/ any other team.

Your reply is based on him resigning with TOR...?

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/nba-trade-rumors-kawhi-leonard-news-spurs-contract-salary-raptors-demar-derozan/11nkg4xtpfb5w1kh3c5h1mushk

"That's a difference of $31 million if Leonard decides to re-sign following a potential trade to the Raptors, or $80 million if Leonard becomes a free agent in the summer of 2019 and signs with another team."

may limit his career. He's rich as hell either way, so I get it if he's looking out for quality of life, basketball environment, and all that. But he did sacrifice a lot of money by demanding a trade, and even more if he leaves Toronto after this year.

off the court opportunities in LA as opposed to San Antonio or Toronto.

you don't have to be in LA or NY to build a brand in 2018

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2018/02/17/the-2018-nba-all-stars-players-who-earn-the-most-from-endorsements/#3b93fb8f1755

can you pick out the Laker or Knick for me?

he doesn't even talk. I'd be shocked if he made up $40-$80 million based on endorsements. Especially if Uncle Dennis is doing the negotiations...

as a Spur...and not playing

http://www.businessinsider.com/kawhi-leonard-jordan-brand-shoe-deal-2018-3

Leonard and Jordan Brand were apparently "very close" to a four-year-deal which would have paid Leonard over $20 million.

"But discussions broke down abruptly because representatives for Leonard didn't feel that the new deal reflected the forward's accomplishments and standing within the league," according to the report.

LOL&WTF

I hope we don't have to wait for Kawhi's 30 for 30 to find out WTF is going on with him and his 'group'

To your point though...that could be used as a marketing campaign angle

Let's say dude balls the fuck out and looks every bit of the MVP caliber player he was

You could use his reserved character as an asset in marketing

say...Match.com...or something like that...LOL

I mean 'Rie was every bit the smug know it all pretentious pre-madonna superiority complex duke dick head

and he still got Nike checks and movie deals

.

just cause we didnt have any stars for a bit doesnt change the fact that LA is still LA and there's more money to be made there.

Golden State got a good thing going with their silicon valley connects they set up for the players.

~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

>you don't have to be in LA or NY to build a brand in 2018
>
>https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2018/02/17/the-2018-nba-all-stars-players-who-earn-the-most-from-endorsements/#3b93fb8f1755
>
>can you pick out the Laker or Knick for me?

because those team haven't been good but if the Lakers are contenders yes the endorsement money plus other opportunities will be huge

Kawhi goes to LA, he's still in Bron's shadow

and as I posted above, he was offered a $20M Jordan deal last year

You think he gets more than that on the deals Bron passes on?

SAN w/Kawhi was a contender

?

>Kawhi goes to LA, he's still in Bron's shadow
>
>and as I posted above, he was offered a $20M Jordan deal last
>year
>
>You think he gets more than that on the deals Bron passes on?
>
>SAN w/Kawhi was a contender
>
>?

Exactly and Tim didn't get a ton of endorsements either lol

Duncan declined to become a spokesperson

The endorsements were offered, he passed on almost all of them

bad example to pick

seriously, was Pau Gasol getting YUGE endorsement spots playing next to Kobe?

>Duncan declined to become a spokesperson
>
>The endorsements were offered, he passed on almost all of
>them

that was part of "The Spurs Way" that's why Kawhi bounced lol

>bad example to pick
>
>seriously, was Pau Gasol getting YUGE endorsement spots
>playing next to Kobe?

in Spain

LOL

>you don't have to be in LA or NY to build a brand in 2018
>
>https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2018/02/17/the-2018-nba-all-stars-players-who-earn-the-most-from-endorsements/#3b93fb8f1755
>
>can you pick out the Laker or Knick for me?


If you're good and interesting, the marketers will come to you and build a brand wherever you are in the US.

Now, if you want to get deeper into media, like producing tv shows and movies, it certainly helps to be in LA so you can mingle with that media crowd... sorta like being in San Francisco is great for Durant's venture capital efforts.

But if you're just going to do a couple photoshoots or commercials a year, they'll come to you or you can fly out to LA or NY when you need to.

I just can't deal with a cat saying nothing. I know the dude is reserved but damn. Too many factions speaking for him is just a bad look.

that's straight up the story in a nutshell

and I got clowned for saying so. But I'm right. He got hurt, then got sick of being where he was, then his feelings got hurt and he threw a (mute) fit about it. It's quintessentially millenial behavior.

I think the guy is weird, and I think he may even be embarrassed about acting like a bitch. But there's no denying he acted like one.

.

a) If Kawhi had been taken underhanded shots at Pop
to the press, you'd be saying that exactly. Popovich
did just that. Kawhi is actually the more mature one.
He gave no one any gossip, didn't say anything negative about
anyone in the press.

He let YALL be petty and bitchmade and make shit up.

b) The guy that Kawhi had a problem with on the
team, Tony Parker, is gone. So LOL @ loyalty. That's
a win for Kawhi.

c) Kawhi was the last MVP on the last contending
Spurs team. The Spurs aren't winning shit without Kawhi.
Hell,if he's healthy, Toronto is a better team *next year*
than the Spurs are.

And then if Kawhi takes his destiny into his own hands,
goes where he wants after next year?

>that's straight up the story in a nutshell
>
>and I got clowned for saying so. But I'm right. He got hurt,
>then got sick of being where he was, then his feelings got
>hurt and he threw a (mute) fit about it. It's quintessentially
>millenial behavior.
>
>I think the guy is weird, and I think he may even be
>embarrassed about acting like a bitch. But there's no denying
>he acted like one.


----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

>a) If Kawhi had been taken underhanded shots at Pop
>to the press, you'd be saying that exactly. Popovich
>did just that. Kawhi is actually the more mature one.
>He gave no one any gossip, didn't say anything negative about
>
>anyone in the press.
>
>He let YALL be petty and bitchmade and make shit up.
>
>b) The guy that Kawhi had a problem with on the
>team, Tony Parker, is gone. So LOL @ loyalty. That's
>a win for Kawhi.
>
>c) Kawhi was the last MVP on the last contending
>Spurs team. The Spurs aren't winning shit without Kawhi.
>Hell,if he's healthy, Toronto is a better team *next year*
>than the Spurs are.
>
>And then if Kawhi takes his destiny into his own hands,
>goes where he wants after next year?
>
>>that's straight up the story in a nutshell
>>
>>and I got clowned for saying so. But I'm right. He got hurt,
>>then got sick of being where he was, then his feelings got
>>hurt and he threw a (mute) fit about it. It's
>quintessentially
>>millenial behavior.
>>
>>I think the guy is weird, and I think he may even be
>>embarrassed about acting like a bitch. But there's no
>denying
>>he acted like one.
>
>
>----------------------------
>
>
>
>O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"
>
>
>
>
>"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."
>
>(C)Keith Murray, "


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

1 on 1 to 11. Who you got?

>he was sad at work and had his feelings hurt

>that's straight up the story in a nutshell

What you presented isn't even a rough outline.

>and I got clowned for saying so.

Not nearly as much as you should have.

>But I'm right.

Not on any level, by any criteria that relies on an honest and objective evaluation of the known facts.

The only scenario where you're remotely right on this subject is if your take is viewed as fan fiction. To be fair, if fan fiction like 50 Shades of Gray can become a runaway hit in it's own right, I suppose you also have a shot.

He got hurt,
>then got sick of being where he was, then his feelings got
>hurt and he threw a (mute) fit about it.

This description reads like an entirely different story once all the facts you removed have been added.

>It's quintessentially
>millenial behavior.

Interesting. What label would you place on the behavior of discarding critical details and just flat out making shit up?

>I think the guy is weird, and I think he may even be
>embarrassed about acting like a bitch. But there's no denying
>he acted like one.

You're calling a professional athlete a bitch for exercising his power in a league where players are little more than commodities, against a team that runs like a well oiled machine primarily because they favor guys who don't rock the boat, and who had a take on his physical health that he not only disagreed with, but another doctor did as well, and publically threw him under the bus for placing his long term physical, and thus professional and financial well being above that of an organization that could ship his ass out at a moment's notice if he'd have wound up a lesser player as a result of relying on their priorities as opposed to trusting himself to know his body.

Your take is so dumb, full of obviously glaring holes, and laughably simple that it's a wonder you haven't gotten clowned far, far worse than you did.

..with all due respect to the coaching legacy that popovich has amassed, he gambled with his usual shtick and lost.

• kawhi was injured on the job
• spurs org/medical staff gave their assessment/diagnosis/recommendation
• kawhi didn't agree and sought out a 2nd opinion
• after further evaluation, kawhi chose plan B.

since then, er'ybody and their mama has chimed with an opinion about why kawhi isn't doing more to get back on the court.

in all this, he never broke any rules or disclosed any info to the public.

let that man live.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

https://www.mysanantonio.com/file/338/5/3385-New%20Kawhi%20Thanks.pdf

SMH, millenials man

IRT the logo, great idea, poor execution

obviously capitalizing on his combine record hand size...but that thing looks like it's set tripping

>https://www.mysanantonio.com/file/338/5/3385-New%20Kawhi%20Thanks.pdf
>
>SMH, millenials man
>
>IRT the logo, great idea, poor execution
>
>obviously capitalizing on his combine record hand size...but
>that thing looks like it's set tripping
>
>


----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

don't let that stop your hate-parade, doe.
https://www.kicksonfire.com/air-jordan-6-claw-kawhi-leonard-pe/

Nothing bitchmade about what he did with the letter.

.

Derozan posted a message to his SM account over 2 weeks ago thanking TOR

I'm not even sure Kawhi wrote that statement

Guess I was wrong about the logo unveil, but I've honestly never seen it

I was wrong about that

Still looks like arthritis

And there is plenty of bitch-made behavior to follow

Kawhi is a weirdo. Whatever.

But your initial reply was weirder.

"I was wrong about that"

You need me to take out a banner ad or something

...still excusing his behavior because of some team doctor plea cop...

?

lol

Being a grown ass man that can own up to my mistakes...happy to take an L on a logo that I've never seen before

Can you take an L for giving his BEHAVIOR a pass

"It would seem this guy outright quit on his team for an entire season and is poised to strong arm his way off that team."

Those are the facts

Still giving his BEHAVIOR the benefit of the doubt?

This post wasn't about his injury, the severity, legitimacy, organization handling, team docs (I'm running out of plea cops, add on if you like)

It was how he's handled it

He's publishing PR pieces...while team activities for the next season have already started

...and he has yet to speak on it...

Bitch-made.

>"It would seem this guy outright quit on his team for an
>entire season and is poised to strong arm his way off that
>team."
>
>Those are the facts

seems was used as a qualifier during the season

i.e. he still had the opportunity to show up, support his team/team mates, etc...like a franchise player should

he didn't

quit = fact

forced a trade...also fact.

Because the newly enlightened empathy warriors in here treated DRose and his torn ACL's the exact opposite. But I guess there were message board agendas involved with that one. No such agendas with Kawhi, who has clearly handled his situation like a true professional.

Good on you.

where it'll just be a handful of dudes speaking in metaphors alluding to old agendas

"drose, his skittles machine"

www.engadgethd.com - the other stuff i'm looking at

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24365520/bruce-bowen-la-clippers-game-analyst

as a LA resident, I have no problem with BB being let go

he's really not good as an on-air personality

I also take issue with how this story is being presented

...fired after...

HUNH?

Not because, not according to sources this is the reason

...just...after...

yeah, he's also fired after he decided to make those goofy ass bowties his signature

literally fired AFTER every damn thing in his life

BS reporting

but maybe we can talk about what he actually said some day

because he's right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kxSBja5h7g

"I'm a fine guy" and that laugh

Personsality wtf.

>Personsality wtf.

https://tinyurl.com/l3qlyek

talking about that laugh.

I'm suppose to believe this dude couldn't get back on the court last year...?

>I'm suppose to believe this dude couldn't get back on the
>court last year...?

Address that.

Toronto’s happy with it. Spurs came out of it better than they had any right to expect. Why hold on to this?

I wish he wanted to stay in San Antonio but I don’t get this angle at all.

.

I still think he and AD end up on the Clippers and oh God are they going to be a problem for the rest of the L.

Kawhi was misdiagnosed during his 2nd season too & Pop kept saying "they have never seen this kind of injury". Then last season they misdiagnosed him & had their panties in bunches when he asked for a second opinion......actually, they doubled up by calling him out.

The medical staff also misdiagnosed Danny Green & shipped him out like Isaiah but nobody batted their eyes b/c he's a role player.

This season, they misdiagnosed Pau & cut his minutes.....he also asked to be traded. Pop is basically the Arsene Wenger of the NBA but nobody cares b/c of the market.

You guys are an embarrassment

>


----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

Hi

After watching how well he fits in Toronto

Lmao this ain’t gonna end well for yall

>After watching how well he fits in Toronto
>
>Lmao this ain’t gonna end well for yall

Popovich chose his ego over the guy who is almostly
solely responsible for his relevance over the last decade

Its one of the worst coaching moves ever





----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

>Popovich chose his ego over the guy who is almostly
>solely responsible for his relevance over the last decade
>
>Its one of the worst coaching moves ever

no way they (of all franchises) couldn't see Kawhi's ceiling being THIS either

Will or won't do is certainly something.

Not even a Marine in sight to save this smoldering pile of shit.

https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1127750386381672448

Early in the MIL series, it was obvious his leg was an issue

I’ve already accepted my Kawhi L

He doesn’t owe anybody an explanation

But the KD injury ain’t it.

>But the KD injury ain’t it.

This is every last, miniscule, condensed drop of "it".

Yes, Kawhi is playing hurt.

Do you think there aren't degrees of "hurt"?

Do you think an ingrown toenail is the same as a broken foot?

Do you *not* think that he and his doctors would be in a better position to determine whether or not he can, or even should, play on a given injury on a given day, exponentially better than you, a guy on the internet?

He can play hurt. And if/when he does or doesn't? It's his choice.

Because it's his body and his career.

Both of which he is in a far better position to make critical judgment calls than you, a guy farting into a couch cushion as you hit the enter key.

Y/N

but he made the right decision.

His exit from SAS was about more than an injury, IMO.

>His exit from SAS was about more than an injury, IMO.

What we know, is that his decision worked out well for him.

What we know, is that you cannot possibly know his body better than himself or his doctors.

You're what happens when people become more interested in their own opinions than objective facts.

OkaySports, where we only post facts...FOH

Kawhi looks like he’s struggling with conditioning more than residual effects of an injury...

IN MY OPINION.

instead of addressing the actual words :)

>OkaySports, where we only post facts...FOH

There's a reason you're spewing this generalized, sarcastic nonsense instead of addressing the actual point I made

>Kawhi looks like he’s struggling with conditioning more than
>residual effects of an injury...
>
>IN MY OPINION.

Your opinion is worth a flaming bag of dog shit in this discussion, because you think that you, a person on the internet, has a better grasp on what the athlete in question, and his doctors, can and/or should be doing with *his* body.

Screaming IN MY OPINION doesn't change that.

Shouting "MY OPINION" isn't a magical incantation that changes the facts. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but opinions can be, and are, often wrong.

As is yours, on this subject, right now.

Which is totally cool, except that you seem to have a very hard time accepting the basic fact that Kawhi Leonard, currently the best player in the NBA, has, and always has had, a better grasp on his body and what he can and should be doing with that body, than you, a guy on the internet.

I’ve made that same mistake.

in basketball tho, with guaranteed contracts, why would I risk it all when I know I’m not completely healthy and I’m at the end of my contract?

Fuck that

Only thing odd was dudes silence but then again, if the team tried to force him on the court when he knew he wasn’t ready I get it.

No one wants to have a Grant Hill type career.

It's the same reason you also framed it as a yes/no proposition.

It's much easier than accepting that he, the athlete with the career to think about, and his doctors, actually know better about what he can or should be doing, than you, a guy on the internet.

www.engadgethd.com - the other stuff i'm looking at

.

www.engadgethd.com - the other stuff i'm looking at

... I'd have way bigger questions than those concerning your ability to run on a basketball court.

www.engadgethd.com - the other stuff i'm looking at

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<---- 5....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlgiritpmfo

=======================================

..can't wait to archive this dumb shit.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

He sat out a year, in great part because he and his employer had a significant difference in opinion regarding his health.

He stuck to his guns, took control over his health and his career, and brought an NBA championship to...

...ahem

...the Toronto Raptors.

sounds like a man firmly in control of his own destiny.

It's about as far from bitch-made as it gets.

So there's, you know, that.