Asked on Thursday night about the Kawhi Leonard situation, Spurs general manager R.C. Buford admitted that the relationship between the team and its star player needs work, but said San Antonio’s preferred outcome would be to keep Leonard on its roster going forward, per Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News.
“Kawhi and his family mean a lot to our organization and to our community,” Buford said. “While none of us would wish we are where we are, we are going to do what we can to build the best relationship we can with him. We will explore all of our options, but the first one would be to keep Kawhi as part of our group.”
After being at odds with the Spurs during the 2017/18 season over the treatment of Leonard’s quadriceps injury, his camp informed the media last week that the star forward would like to be traded, preferably to the Lakers. However, the Spurs hadn’t yet had a face-to-face meeting with Leonard to discuss the situation at that point.
Leonard reportedly met with head coach Gregg Popovich in San Diego within the last few days, and while it’s not clear whether any progress was made during that sit-down, the Spurs still sound like they’ll do all they can to mend fences. Asked about a potential timeline for resolution on the situation, Buford didn’t offer any specifics.
“I don’t know that timing is a factor in this,” Buford said, per McDonald. “[Leonard] is under contract for another year. Our goal is to keep him as part of our program for a long time.”
The Spurs have reportedly been listening to other teams’ inquiries on – and offers for – Leonard, but haven’t been making calls themselves and aren’t actively trying to move the two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
Can “hope” all you want. You should trade him for something gonna look stupid when he goes to lakers for nothing next year lol.
They don’t have to trade him now. If things can’t be fixed, they can wait until the trade deadline. Keeping Kawhi is by far their best option, so it’s worth letting it play out and seeing if his mind would change.
But then they don’t have time to get a replacement. If they move on now they have more options to fill the hole.
People said OKC trading for PG was stupid, since it was apparently a foregone conclusion he was going to LA.
Fans need to stop pretending like they know more than everyone else. You don’t know Kawhi, I don’t know Kawhi, so sit back and absorb.
It still is, most of okc rumors of pg are floated by westbrooks agent. Colin cowheard confirmed this on air.
Colin cowherd is just as big a clown as skip Bayless
If the Lakers use their cap space this year, he isnt going to the Lakers for nothing next year. The Clippers would be in play though
Spurs know magic was making backroom deals with kawhi, George and LeBron. The spurs just won’t trade him to the Lakers. They are getting good offers still and they can keep him from the Lakers and LeBron isn’t coming and waiting a year till kawhi comes. He won’t punt a year at his age. Lakers better pay cause pop won’t help magic in this situation. George stays in OKC and spurs hold kawhi for a year and lebron won’t come.
But waiting until the trade deadline in February means diminishing his value even more, as then he becomes a 2 months rental… For example DMC, though been a much superior player than Kawhi, & having a 1 1/2 year left on his contract, Sacramento didn’t get much for him, so the longer it goes on the less value Kawhi will have, also he will be looking more like a clown himself, so that isn’t gonna improve his value neither.
DeMarcus Cousons is not a far superior player to Kawhi Leonard lol. I like DeMarcus, but if Kawhi is healthy, he is a top 3-5 player in the NBA. But keep putting egg on your face by constantly hating on Kawhi at every possible turn. If you dont think he is a top 25 player, as you’ve said, why do you even care where he goes?
Boogie sucks and isn’t a wing and the kings suck.
Yeah, but it’s Sacramento, they generally don’t get value for anything.
I don’t like the idea of waiting until the deadline if he wants out, but there’s still value to be had then. The assumption is he’ll just walk at the end of next year, but what happens if the Lakers use their cap space this offseason to get Bron and PG? If that happens, and they still want Kawhi next year, they’re going to have to sign and trade for him.
I only don’t want the Spurs holding on to him into next season if he’s going to be a team distraction. If a short term peace accord is found, then hold on to him until you get the right offer.
In the event that LAL can sign Lebron & PG13, LAL will be obliged to fill out the roster optimally with no room for Kawhi. I suppose they could all hang out in LA until Pops gives Kawhi up but Pops has better things to do than serve the needs of other teams and players. There is EC interest.
Buford is delusional, I like them drafting Lonnie Walker man. He won’t be Kawhi but I think he can become a star on the Spurs.
If the relationship can be mended even slightly, then the Spurs could actually benefit by hanging onto him until the trade deadline. Right now his value isn’t extremely high because of the uncertainty around his injury. If he plays great in SA the first half of the season, I believe his value would actually be higher than what it is right now.
People somehow forget that money means a lot to players.
His trade value can’t be lower than it is now, unless he gets hurt. I think it has a good chance to get better as the summer unfolds. But, even if it doesn’t, it won’t be worse, and it will still likely be better than now at the trade deadline (because, at a minimum, there will be a defined rental market). The situation has made this an easy call for the Spurs. Casual discussions only until the summer FA and trade market winds down, then reevaluate.