Raptors assistant coach Phil Handy provided an encouraging health update on Kawhi Leonard during a recent appearance on Toronto Talk Sports (hat tip to Mitch Robson of The Score).
Handy expressed confidence that Leonard has mostly overcome the issues with his quad that limited him to nine games with the Spurs last season.
“He’s doing great,” Handy said. “He’s in great shape. Body looks good, he’s feeling good, he’s moving well. I don’t anticipate any issues or any problems. He’s working hard and he’s a hard worker.”
The Raptors acquired Leonard from San Antonio in July and added Handy to their coaching staff shortly afterward. He served as an assistant with the Cavaliers for the past three years and was in charge of player development for the last two.
Handy also discussed Leonard’s recent workout with LeBron James and Kevin Durant and said Leonard is fully focused on the season ahead.
“He’s a gamer man,” Handy said. “He is a gamer. Players like that just want to compete. … However [his situation with the Spurs] played out, however it happened, he’s just looking forward to what’s next and what’s in front of him right now and [putting] his best foot forward for the Raptors organization this season.”
That means Toronto and Boston, then everybody else. Just like last season.
Philly?
Are you older, a year wiser, been to the playoffs….
Washington? Pretty good squad, added a big man who can get 14 rebounds a game and block a couple shots.
“they are a year older”
I completely agree, saying Philly is way behind is a bad look. Ben was a rookie last year, he will take a leap forward. Joel should be able to handle back to backs this year and should also take a step forward. The supporting cast is at least as good as well.
Boston has 3 all stars and Brown and Tatum could be. Philly has Embiid and maybe Simmons. That’s it. Washington will be better, but not as good as Toronto or Boston. Last year it was Boston on top until Kyrie got hurt. Cleveland all the way down was interchangable. Philly only got the 3 seed after they acquired Belineli and Ilyasova, and had by far the easiest schedule the rest of the season. Indy, Washington, Milwaukee, Philly, and I think Detroit could go anywhere from 3-7.
Philly is a year older, but they don’t have the 3 point shooters. Putting Simmons and Fultz out could be a potential nightmare with no perimeter shooter. Philly is a year older, but Boston added Kyrie and Hayward, and Toronto added Kawhi. Philly didn’t really add anybody. Washington added Dwight and Jeff Green. Indiana added Tyreke Evans. The Bucks added Illyasova and Brook Lopez. Boston and Toronto improved the most and they were already on top.
Kyrie has a long injury history, so he very well could miss more time this season. Tatum and Brown may see less growth or ever recession with two more stars in the line up taking possessions and minutes.
Embiid’s injury history is worse than Kyrie’s. He still hasn’t played a full season. Simmons missed his entire rookie year. Boston will play as a team. Like Tatum said if we want to win we’ll have to forget about stats. We have to play together. They showed last year they can. They also showed last season if Kyrie needs rest, Rozier can step in. All GM’s are asking for Celtics players and picks. Philly won’t trade Embiid or Simmons. GM’s don’t want anybody else (see San Antonio and Kawhi trade offers).
Kyrie has a long injury history, so he very well could miss more time this season. Tatum and Brown may see less growth or ever recession with two more stars in the line up taking possessions and minutes.
Because of the Warriors everyone wants to declare the winners before the season. Celtics, Raps, 76ers all have a good shot, none of them are near the Warriors level of domination.
Hot take here:
BOS could beat the Warriors. 4 all stars and an aging Iggy versus 3 all stars and a plethora of young talent with Tatum, Smart, Brown & Rozier. Not to mention possibly 4 1st round picks and one of them being a top 5 most likely next year. I see them trading Smart, Baynes and SAC 1st for Butler at deadline, Especially if MIN struggles, then they would have way more talent than GSW. Smart is definitely a Thibs kind of player and having a top pick would fit the Towns/Wiggins timeline.
I hear you, and if you look at the last few years Boston plays The Warriors very tough and beats them quite a bit.
If they make a trade it won’t b for another wing guy. They need a second big guy. I think Ainge is gathering assets to try to make a run at Anthony Davis
I don’t see how Toronto can be ahead of Philly, Kawhi isn.t & can never be the best player in the east. In my opinion Philly is the top team in the east & isn’t even close. Embiid is unstopable so is Simmons, with his improved shooting or without, Fultz is improved his shooting & he will be great this year, Dario is very good too. So they have all it takes to be in the Finals. No fooling about it. Also they don’t play small ball like GSW very often which is a big plus for me.
lol. You say that a lot!
Raptors Assistant coach Phil Handy AKA Captain Obvious reports ”He’s doing great,” Handy said. “He’s in great shape. Body looks good, he’s feeling good, he’s moving well. I don’t anticipate any issues or any problems. He’s working hard and he’s a hard worker.” ”He’s a gamer” Well, Thanks Captain O that certainly clears up nothing about why KL could not play in 82 games. Translation: “Basically, we are Rolling the dice & hoping for the best while putting his best quad forward” Has KL ever played a full season? I don’t think so, even his great 2013/14 season he was hurt a good deal, played in 66 games. If Raptors get 66 games from this guy, Toronto will be lucky…
I see also that he declined a bit in 2017 in his sixth season, even before last year.
The philly and Boston love on this site is absolutely ridiculous lol. Raptors and Kawhi will be fine.
I’m a Boston fan because Hayward and Stevens are from Indy, me too. I don’t like LeBron because of his ego. cesc and these guys hate Kyrie because he left Cleveland because he was tired of playing 2nd fiddle, just like Kawhi may stay in Toronto because he doesn’t want to play 2nd fiddle to LeBron. We know who the guys are saying Toronto and the Celts will be at the top. Kyrie will be an All Star again. cesc may talk trash, but what he says doesn’t mean anything.
why not just be a fan of the home team? Pacers look really good actually.
Which KL are you talking about bro they have 2 lol
Kyle Lowry doesn’t count, oh except on payday- they know who he is on payday.
Giannis is the best player in the East so Milwaukee in contention too