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Latest On Kawhi Leonard

June 13th, 2018 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The long-anticipated offseason meeting between Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and star forward Kawhi Leonard figures to happen sooner rather than later, writes ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

As Wojnarowski outlines, the two men may actually have a series of conversations as they determine whether “a lasting trust and partnership can be rebuilt.” They’ll also discuss Leonard’s medical care and treatment going forward, his relationships with teammates and the coaching staff, and – of course – a possible contract extension.

While Leonard will be eligible for a super-max extension this offseason, that eligibility wouldn’t necessarily carry over to the 2019 offseason unless he once again earns an All-NBA spot – or wins the MVP or Defensive Player of the Year award – in 2018/19. That’s one reason why those extension talks will be so important, and why the Spurs not putting an offer on the table could theoretically prompt Leonard’s camp to push for a trade.

Here’s more on Leonard:

The Celtics made a trade offer for Leonard prior to the February trade deadline, but the Spurs turned it down and didn’t make a counter-offer, league sources tell Wojnarowski. So far, San Antonio’s unwillingness to discuss trades involving the club’s standout forward has carried over to the offseason.
If the Spurs do become open to making a deal, expect the Lakers and the Sixers to be among the teams expressing interest, says Wojnarowski. The Celtics may be a less likely suitor at this point, given the strides their young core made during the 2017/18 season — and postseason.
Popovich wants to coach Leonard for the rest of his Spurs tenure, but the question of how much longer the veteran coach plans to stick around could be a factor in Kawhi’s decision on a long-term extension. According to Wojnarowski, few in Popovich’s “orbit” expect him to continue coaching the Spurs beyond the 2020 Summer Olympics.
In a separate report for ESPN.com, Wojnarowski and Michael C. Wright provide details on a story related to Leonard, writing that his former agent – Brian Elfus – is suing Impact Sports for allegedly withholding commissions on multiple contracts, including Leonard’s current deal. Elfus claims he’s owed up to $5MM in damages.

Spurs Expected To Give Kyle Anderson Qualifying Offer

June 11th, 2018 at 5:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Spurs are expected to extend a qualifying offer to forward Kyle Anderson, which would make him a restricted free agent, Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News reports. The qualifying offer is worth approximately $4.75MM.

San Antonio will probably have to pay significantly more to retain Anderson. As many as seven teams are expected to pursue Anderson’s services, according to Young, even though the Spurs can match any offer if they make the qualifying offer by the June 29th deadline.

The 6’9” Anderson saw a dramatic increase in his playing time during his fourth season, in part due to Kawhi Leonard‘s quad injury that kept him out for all but nine games. Anderson appeared in 74 regular-season games, including 67 starts, and averaged career highs in points (7.9), rebounds (5.4) and assists (2.7) in 26.7 MPG.

Anderson would be even more valuable to the Spurs if they can’t resolve their differences with Leonard. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and Leonard are expected to meet as early as this week to determine Leonard’s future with the franchise, Young notes.

Popovich, Leonard Expected To Meet Before Draft

June 6th, 2018 at 12:42pm CST by Luke Adams

After a tumultuous season in San Antonio, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and star forward Kawhi Leonard are expected to sit down and talk sometime before the draft on June 21, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said during a TV appearance on Tuesday (video link via Rob Lopez of DefPenHoops).

According to Wojnarowski, the Spurs will be looking to repair the relationship between Leonard and the organization. The two sides were at odds during the 2017/18 season as Leonard opted to listen to the advice of outside doctors rather than the Spurs’ medical staff, resulting in him missing all but nine games due to a nagging quadriceps injury.

While Leonard’s teammates have publicly supported him, Wojnarowski suggests that the 26-year-old may have to mend some fences on that front too. Meanwhile, the Spurs will have to decide whether or not to put a long-term, super-max extension offer on the table.

If San Antonio doesn’t offer Leonard a new contract this summer, trade speculation could heat up. For now though, despite interest from teams around the NBA, the Spurs aren’t entertaining the possibility of discussing a deal, says Wojnarowski.

Ettore Messina To Coach Spurs In Game 4

April 21st, 2018 at 11:53am CST by marksuleymanov

Assistant coach Ettore Messina will reprise his role from Wednesday and serve as the head coach for the Spurs for Game 4 of San Antonio’s first-round series against the Warriors tomorrow, tweets Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News.

Messina is filling in for Gregg Popovich, who is away from the team mourning the death of his wife Erin. With San Antonio down 3-0 to Golden State, it’s possible that tomorrow is the Spurs’ final game of the season. If the series resumes, it’s unclear if Popovich will take his regular seat for the remainder of the series.

Messina is reportedly a top candidate for a head coaching job this offseason and has received interest from the Hornets, who are on the lookout for Steve Clifford‘s replacement. San Antonio granted Charlotte permission to interview Messina, which will likely take place after the Spurs’ season is complete. For now, Messina’s focus will be to stave off elimination.

Ettore Messina To Coach Spurs In Game 3

April 19th, 2018 at 10:46am CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs have announced that top assistant coach Ettore Messina will coach the club on Thursday night for Game 3 of San Antonio’s first-round series vs. the Warriors, taking Gregg Popovich‘s spot on the bench.

Popovich will be away from the Spurs after his wife Erin passed away on Wednesday. The team will surely give him as much time as he needs to mourn and to be with his family, so it’s not yet clear whether he’ll be back on the sidelines for Game 4 on Sunday.

Messina, long considered a top candidate to become a permanent NBA head coach, has reportedly received interest from the Hornets, who are on the lookout for Steve Clifford‘s replacement. The Spurs granted Charlotte permission to interview Messina, but that meeting figures to take place later, with the veteran Euroleague coach focused on getting San Antonio into the win column against Golden State on Thursday.

Wife Of Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich Dies

April 18th, 2018 at 7:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Spurs have announced that head coach Gregg Popovich’s wife, Erin, died today. They had been married for 40 years and had two children and two grandchildren.

“We mourn the loss of Erin,” Spurs GM RC Buford said. “She was a strong, wonderful, kind, intelligent woman who provided love, support and humor to all of us.”

Erin Popovich had been battling an extended illness, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

There’s no immediate word on how her death will affect coach Popovich’s availability for the rest of the playoffs, but assistant Ettore Messina is the most likely choice to take over while he’s gone, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Game 3 of the Spurs’ series with the Warriors is tomorrow night.

Playoff Notes: Leonard, Smart, Wolves

April 15th, 2018 at 3:36pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Spurs lost Game 1 against the Warriors without Kawhi Leonard‘s services at their disposal and coach Gregg Popovich was asked if could see the 2016/17 MVP candidate returning for this season’s playoff run.

“You’ll have to ask Kawhi and his group that question…so far they say he’s not ready to go. So we can’t do anything until that happens. Then we would have to decide what’s going on from there. But that’s the first thing that has to happen.” Popovich said (via ESPN Now video link).

The coach added that Leonard is in New York rehabbing his injured quad and Chris Haynes of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears that the small forward still has not been cleared to play. Sources tell Haynes that there is no timetable for Leonard’s return, but he is being “examined routinely.”

Rumblings of his rift with the organization continue to linger over the team with veteran Pau Gasol recently telling the media that many of the San Antonio’s players haven’t seen Leonard in weeks. Several teams are keeping tabs on the situation and we learned this weekend that the Clippers will be among the teams with a trade offer should the Spurs put Leonard on the trade market.

Game 2 of the Spurs-Warriors series will be held on Monday. As the teams await the contest, let’s take a look at some notes from other playoff squads.

Marcus Smart said he hopes to be ready to return to the court for a potential Game 7 of the Celtics‘ opening-round series or Game 1 of a potential second-round matchup, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe relays (Twitter link). The combo guard, who is recovering from surgery on his right thumb, hasn’t played since early March.
Taj Gibson, who signed a two-year, $28MM deal with the Wolves last summer, played through pain during Wednesday’s playoff-clinching win and he’ll do the same during the team’s series with the Rockets. “No different, just got to play through it,” Gibson said of the pain he played through earlier in the week (via Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune). “There’s not much improvement. It’s just something thatâs going to have to heal up in the offseason and get rest.”
Jimmy Butler has played only three games for the Wolves since recovering from knee surgery earlier in the season. Still, he’s confident that the team, despite the injuries woes, will be able to compete in the franchise’s first playoff series since 2004, Zgoda relays in the same piece. “I feel good, well-rested to tell you the truth,” Butler said. “I’m confident in myself and these group of guys. Everybody’s locked in and focused. We donât have anything to worry about, just go out and play.”

Injury Updates: Leonard, Hill, Williams, Ross, Wall

March 12th, 2018 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard will meet with coach Gregg Popovich on Tuesday to discuss his progress rehabbing from a quad injury, Michael C. Wright of ESPN reports. Leonard could return as early as Thursday if both parties feel he’s ready to play again. The team’s franchise player has been sidelined since January 13th with the lingering quad issue that has cost him all but nine games this season.

In other injury updates from around the league:

Pelicans forward Solomon Hill could make his season debut as early as this weekend, William Guillory of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. Hill has been sidelined by a torn hamstring suffered in late August. “We’re so close to the finish line that we’re definitely not going to rush the situation now,” coach Alvin Gentry told Guillory. “I can see a situation where he might be able to play a few minutes here or there.” Hill is in the second year of a four-year, $48MM contract.
Suns reserve center Alan Williams could make his season debut on Tuesday, according to Scott Bordow of the Arizona Republic. Williams underwent surgery in September to repair the meniscus in his right knee with a six-month timetable to return. He went through a full practice on Monday. Williams, whose three-year, $17MM contract is only guaranteed through this season, averaged 11.4 PPG and 9.1 RPG after the All-Star break last season.
Magic swingman Terrence Ross is questionable to return this season, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Ross has been sidelined since November 29th with a knee injury. A bone bruise has stalled Ross’ return, Robbins adds. “Some days it feels good, and then some days it kind of flares up,” Ross told Robbins. Ross has one season left on a contract that pays him $10.9MM annually.
Wizards point guard John Wall went through some non-contract drills Monday as he works his way back from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports relays. If medically cleared, Wall could practice in full for the first time on Friday, Hughes adds.

Ex-Cavs GM Suggests Celtics On Irving’s List

August 8th, 2017 at 5:15pm CST by Joshua Fischman

In an appearance on ESPN’s “The Jump” on Monday (h/t to CSNNE.com), former Cavaliers general manager David Griffin suggested that the Celtics are on Kyrie Irving’s short list of preferred destinations.

Griffin mentioned Brad Stevens and Gregg Popovich as “really good coaching situations” that Irving covets, as well as Irving’s desire to play with “Gordon Hayward in Boston” or “Kawhi Leonard in San Antonio.”

The Spurs had previously been reported as a team on Irving’s list, but this is the first the public is hearing about the Celtics as a desired destination for the disgruntled point guard. Aside from the Spurs, the Knicks, Heat, and Timberwolves were reported by Chris Haynes as Irving’s top choices for landing spots.

While the Celtics certainly have the assets to land Irving, with a trove of draft picks and Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, and other desirable players, Danny Ainge has been reluctant to part with these assets in trades for Paul George and Jimmy Butler, which led to the pair being traded elsewhere for far less than the Celtics could have offered.

Furthermore, if the Celtics were to strike a deal for Irving, he and Isaiah Thomas would make for an awkward fit starting in the backcourt, and a particularly troublesome pairing for Boston on defense, with neither point guard known for his defensive prowess. Irving also has reportedly wanted to be the lead guy on his next team, but Thomas is – and would likely continue to be – the Celtics’ franchise player. More likely, in the improbable event that the teams make a trade involving Irving, Thomas would have to head the other way.

D’Antoni Captures Coach Of The Year Award

June 26th, 2017 at 9:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mike D’Antoni was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year, which was announced on the TNT awards show Monday night.

D’Antoni led the Rockets to the third-best record in the Western Conference at 55-27 in his first year with the club. The Rockets finished 41-41 in 2015/16. He also won the award in 2005 when he patrolled the sidelines for the Suns.

The Spurs’ Gregg Popovich and Heat’s Erik Spoelstra were the other finalists. The Hoops Rumors staff gave two of the five votes to D’Antoni.