In the history of sports, there are many stories of how a player and his coach were at odds with one another, yet still found a way to win championships. One of the most famous was San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Bill Walsh and his star quarterback, Joe Montana. These two did not like each other whatsoever, but still found a way to win three Super Bowl titles together. That kind of relationship is not always possible, and that can lead to a fractured relationship that may seem irreconcilable. That seems to be the case with San Antonio Spurs superstar Kawhi Leonard and his coach, Greg Popovich. What makes matters worse is that the bad blood seems to extend across the locker room, making it unlikely the star can return.
What’s the Story?
Leonard has become the most recognizable face on the franchise since the retirement of Tim Duncan, and is a Top-20, maybe even a T0p-10 player in the NBA when healthy. Sadly, he has not been that this year.
The Spurs star has sat all but nine regular-season games with a lingering injury to his quadriceps. According to NBA insiders, his coach and several players asked Kawhi Leonard to return to the court to help the team as they were making a run for a playoff berth. He refused. Even after the team made the playoffs, he was not willing to return and a great deal of animosity developed between the 2014 NBA Finals MVP and his teammates.
In all fairness to Kawhi Leonard, he has claimed that the injury has not properly healed and that may be the case. This may not be a player who simply does not want to play, but that has been the perception of his coach and teammates.
Adding to the growing tension is the fact that he is due to start earning a max contract of $219 million over five seasons starting in 2019. The team does not seem to want to pay a player that they feel they cannot trust to be on the court and play even when hurt.
The Tough Decision
While a team never wants to lose a superstar player, the truth is that Greg Popovich is not going anywhere. The Spurs Coach is arguably one of the best four or five coaches of all-time, and so he will not be going anywhere. In fact, while this is a player’s league, Popovich is one of maybe three coaches that management would favor over a player every time.
That leaves the organization in the unenviable position of having to try to figure a way to resolve the rift or to deal their star player to another organization. Something they would clearly prefer not to do.
With these choices, the speculation is rampant on where Kawhi Leonard will be for the 2018-19 season should the team opt to trade him. Here are the odds on where we think he will be next season, most recently provided by BetDSI Sportsbook.
San Antonio Spurs (-170) – while neither side may be pleased with each other right now, stranger things happen in sports and it would be nearly impossible to acquire a talent like Leonard in return. Thus, with the big contract and the fact that San Antonio is in no rush to deal him with the star signed through 2024, there is no real rush to get rid of him.
Philadelphia 76ers (+400) – the Sixers are becoming a popular choice among many because of the talent they have. Consider that this is a team that finished near the bottom of the league since what seemed like the turn of the century, so they have star talent to send back to San Antonio. In fact, should the Spurs deal Leonard, maybe no team can offer more in return without gutting their own squad.
Los Angeles Clippers (+700) – the Clippers have been trying to step out of the shadow of their neighbor for decades and this could be a real coup for them. The question is whether they have the players to make such a big blockbuster deal. They clearly have the cap room.
Los Angeles Lakers (+900) – no team is more desperate to find a star to build their organization around. While Lonzo Ball may become a talent, the interference of his father may be too much for the team, and he may find himself playing somewhere else in three or four years. The Lakers are supposedly trying to woo Paul George and Lebron James, and Kawhi Leonard would be a great trio with that group. Maybe Ball heads east to bring in Leonard, but Lavar Ball’s mouth may be too much for Popovich to handle.
Boston Celtics (+1100) – the Celtics are another team that is not afraid to make a bold move. Last season they traded their star player to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving. Could Irving be headed to the Spurs for Leonard? It would be quite a deal.
Other Teams in the Top 10:
Cleveland Cavaliers – +1200
New York Knicks – +1400
Charlotte Hornets – +1500
Milwaukee Bucks – +1500
Dallas Mavericks – +1600
