Who knows what happens this year, though if they win it...he jumps up significantly probably but he’s the only guy with multiple finals MVPs without a regular season MVP (and honestly we know he’ll probably never win one of those).

The resume is crazy.

2x Finals MVPs
2x DPOY
4x All Star
All Star MVP
3x First Team Defense
2x First Team All NBA

And playing for another title with another team at only 29.

Where y’all ranking him?

Feels weird to try to do so.

He's only been a truly elite all-around player for, what, five years? Six? Like, do you put his legacy over a guy with a decade filled with ASGs and All-NBA teams?

Like, how would you compare Kawhi with, say, Gary Payton, who never won a title as The Guy but made 9 ASGs, 9 All-NBA teams, 9 All-Defense teams, along with one title as Not The Guy? Is he better than Kidd? Or Barkley-- Barkley's an MVP, 11 ASGs, 10 All-NBA teams... but no ring. Kawhi's behind Barkley, right?

I think longevity matters a great deal-- I think if Kawhi continues like this for another 3-4 years, especially if he wins another ring, he will be *high* on the all-time list. But right now? I'd put him somewhere between... 30 and 40? I feel like that's right?

edit: but even then, it's crazy to me that I'm considering a *four time All-Star* a top 40 guy! I dunno, man. such a tough call.

better than bron

He closing in on that best perimeter defender of all time ...Scottie still holding it.

However booker killing him wasn’t a good look.

iono mayne.

hes never really been in the running for the best player in any season during the actual season.

people considered him in the conversation after last years playoff run. but then this year...when he could have solidified it...he was prolly outside the top 5. and i feel like players like luka and dame are increasing their stock while kawhi has remained stagnant (just in terms of current mvp caliber players).

its hard to see where to slot him. hes obviously elite and racked up some great accomplishments. got the postseason success. but for some reason i feel like players like kd, giannis, steph, harden, etc are more era defining.

The last two years the load management has killed any chances of him being in the MVP race, and rightfully so.

But he’s had a legit argument as the best overall player in the game the last two years - and going back to his last couple healthy Spurs years. He’s been top 3-5 at the absolute lowest.

>hes never really been in the running for the best player in
>any season during the actual season.

he and PG have more pressure for a ring this year than Bron.

Fairly or not Tim gets credit for those Spurs rings like people try to give Shaq credit for Kobe's...

The Lakers are the Lakers and Lebron is LeBron. Pressure is way more on the Lakers, even though most pundits are taking the Clippers.

will have a lot of PLEAS to COP

Luka's ankle might get them to the 2nd round

I’m still waiting for him to show up and take over a series.

last season.

he won a chip and a finals mvp against lebron. kd wasn't exactly breezing through to the finals every year in the west

teams didn't advance to the Finals.

Most intelligent people agree that the outcome of last years Finals would've been different if the Warriors are healthy but everyone is entitled to their opinions.

and his ascendancy to Elite has been surreal to watch. The raw defensive ability is why he got in the league and the transformation to elite all around player has been insane.

He’s hard to rank because I feel like we really haven’t seen someone not take the regular season that seriously. It’s like he’s of the new mentality and the regular season is midrange shots.

Bron has 3, and lots of championship Ls

Kawhi has 2 and 2 defensive player of the year awards!

Come on dude

I think you under estimate how deeply talented the SF position is in the NBA, today and historically

Bron
KD
Giannis

I’d still rank those 3 ahead of Kawhi

Then historically you’ve got Scottie, Bird, Nique, Dr J, Worthy...

When it’s all said and done...top 10 SF all time feels right.

“And playing for another title with another team at only 29.“

You made this post yesterday...and it already aged badly.

Look at the damn facts instead of rushing to crown someone in attempt to make yourself look good.

Kawhi won a Finals MVP on the Spurs averaging 17/6/2.

Why did he win the MVP? For his defense on a Lebron holding him to 28/8/4.

Then he steadily improved and we saw him go up on the 73 win Warriors by 26 in Game 1 prior to getting injured.

Then he didn’t really play until he got to Toronto.

In Toronto he had 1 of the best playoff runs with a team that had the essentially the same record before he got there.

What was the difference? He didn’t have to go up against either Lebron or KD and we know Lebron in the East was the one thing the Raptors just couldn’t get past.

Now he’s on the Clippers and the team he left is having just as good of a season and very well could go back to the Finals without him.

You know what his career average is? 18.7.

I love Kawhi, and I love the run he went on last year but damn...let’s pump the brakes.

People are in here talking about Top 3 playoff players of all-time?

Smfh

Show you work:Boogie Stimuli

Now we see that team is solid as fuck even without Kawhi.

Not knocking Kawhi, dude is good but maybe last year wasn’t all about Kawhi when it came to the Raptors.

>What was the difference? He didn’t have to go up against
>either Lebron or KD and we know Lebron in the East was the one
>thing the Raptors just couldn’t get past.
>
>Now he’s on the Clippers and the team he left is having just
>as good of a season and very well could go back to the Finals
>without him.

nothin but respect for dude

Lol

where is he?

Who's your top 3?

Who's your top 5?

Giannis, MJ, Dream, D-Rob and KG are the only people to win league MVP and DPOY. MJ & Dream were the only ones to do it in the same season.

This raptors teams is ass city without him....

They might get swept...

That’s where we at with Kawhi ...kats in here taking a lot of Ls

>This raptors teams is ass city without him....
>
>They might get swept...
>
>That’s where we at with Kawhi ...kats in here taking a lot
>of Ls

last year getting Kawhi combined with Bron going west was the perfect storm for them and they still needed that late rim-rattler against Philly...

They were way better this year than anybody thought they would be...

If Porzingis was healthy Kawhi may not make it out the first round in the west...

People just love to talk and have 0 knowledge of the game.

You know why Toronto worked for Kawhi?

Because he didn’t have to be a leader. It’s hard to be a leader when you don’t talk and have 0 emotion.

Toronto had their team and system in place and all he had to do was ball.

On the Clippers, as the best player, and after the media and dumb ass people like you built him up to be something he’s not, he was now expected to be the leader.

He’s now on a team with clown ass Pat Bev, soft ass Paul George, Magic City Lou Will, and dumb ass Marcus Morris.

He is the biggest player pushing “load management” so I don’t really want to hear that “they didn’t have enough time together”.

Teams have dynamics. It’s said these dudes were asking to come out after 3 mins because they were tired. All that tells me is that they didn’t come to the bubble in good shape which means they weren’t working hard on their down time.

I be Kawhi was working. But I bet he wasn’t talking to anyone in their down time and was expecting his teammates to do the same. And they didn’t.

Because they’re not the Raptors.

Yes, the Raptors aren’t good enough talent-wise without Kawhi, but they have the right mentality whereas the Clippers have the talent but don’t have the mentality.

And you can put a lot on Doc.

But we are talking about Kawhi.

Last thing I’ll say is, I watched him last year with my son and I used to explain how Kawhi was about his business and just played ball. No talking, no complaining about the ref, even-keeled...and that’s why he was different.

Guess who I saw complaining about calls this year?

Kawhi.

That’s because he was frustrated with this team and he started to take on some of those bad habits and traits that the Clippers are known for.

And you said the Raptors were about to get swept. Lol...those dudes balled hard and showed resiliency period. That’s the type of energy Kawhi needed around him.

Basketball is a team game for a reason.

i think its an interesting contrast how he didnt want to play second fiddle with the lakers, but also didnt (couldnt?) make the necessary efforts to be the leader the clippers required

Maybe Kawhi didn’t want to be second fiddle but he has never shown any signs that he wants to be a leader.

He operates selfishly. He is only worried about Kawhi. Load management is some selfish ass shit disguised as “but I’m gonna show up in true playoffs”.

Load management worked for two reasons on Toronto. 1 because they weren’t much of a different team without him in the regular season and maintained their record and 2 because he did t have to face anyone other than Giannis.

That shit does not help your team gel at all and he’s over here talking about basketball IQ. Basketball IQ would tell you that you need to play as a team more and get your rhythm and that you can’t do that playing 2 out of 3 games.

That shit is worst than being out with an injury for the same amount of time because it doesn’t ever let you get your shot together. At least with a player going down with an injury you learn how to play without them and then work them back in. Load management just keeps your shit shaky for the entire year.

And he picked the wrong co-star. PG13 is never going to win. He and Russ should’ve stayed together.

>Maybe Kawhi didn’t want to be second fiddle but he has
>never shown any signs that he wants to be a leader.
>
>He operates selfishly. He is only worried about Kawhi. Load
>management is some selfish ass shit disguised as “but I’m
>gonna show up in true playoffs”.
>
>Load management worked for two reasons on Toronto. 1 because
>they weren’t much of a different team without him in the
>regular season and maintained their record and 2 because he
>did t have to face anyone other than Giannis.
>
>That shit does not help your team gel at all and he’s over
>here talking about basketball IQ. Basketball IQ would tell you
>that you need to play as a team more and get your rhythm and
>that you can’t do that playing 2 out of 3 games.
>
>That shit is worst than being out with an injury for the same
>amount of time because it doesn’t ever let you get your shot
>together. At least with a player going down with an injury you
>learn how to play without them and then work them back in.
>Load management just keeps your shit shaky for the entire
>year.
>
>And he picked the wrong co-star. PG13 is never going to win.
>He and Russ should’ve stayed together.

.

I don't care to elaborate.
______________________________________________________________________________

"To Each His Reach"

but.....

Fuck aliens.

Kawhi was tied with Manu for 3rd leading scorer on that Spurs team in the playoffs after Parker and Duncan.

Last year's injuries to KD and Klay give the 2019 award an asterisk.

He needs to lead THIS Clipper team to the promise land to really get into rarefied air.

*skatin' the rings of saturn*


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

But I bet he wishes he stayed in Toronto.

And undoubtedly has a serious chance.

And he orchestrates all of these moves away from a *championship squad* to have things end like this. What an epic L.

Then again...I certainly didn’t see him scoring 14 in a close out loss.

Yiiiiikes. He’s got the resume but....woof.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjZ91ZrAm-M

Clips talkin bout it.

https://thesportsrush.com/nba-news-clippers-players-resented-star-treatment-for-kawhi-leonard-pat-beverley-and-co-were-unhappy-with-kawhis-san-diego-load-management/

...

Unless you mean do you think he’ll leave the Clippers

But in each case the answer is hell no

even if he came back at 80% he'd still be worth it. Do people feel the same about Kawhi with his previous injury history?

Granted, Kawhi has lots of lower leg injuries but you max him 100/100 times, no question.

than the acl nowadays. nobody really doubts a near 100% recovery from an acl but there are still questions about that achilles recovery in general.

like you mentioned tho, that consistent lower leg injury history is prolly gonna be a concern.

Cause the Clippers know that if they don’t jump at the chance to sign him, another team will.

Dude was chilling with a torn ACL that needed surgical repair and Clips were pretty much acting like it was day to day knee soreness. Lol.