Kawhi Leonard's future

[D-FENS]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say if he can continue to work on his passing and ball handling that he could be on the level of prime Grant Hill or Scottie Pippen. I'm becoming more and more impressed with this kid. Pop has been bringing him along slowly, but the Spurs will be his team in 2-3 years time.

[Haymaker]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say if he can continue to work on his passing and ball handling that he could be on the level of prime Grant Hill or Scottie Pippen. I'm becoming more and more impressed with this kid. Pop has been bringing him along slowly, but the Spurs will be his team in 2-3 years time.


Relax, he's just a role player. He lacks the offensive prowess of Durant or Melo to be the face of a franchise. Even Hill and Pippen could score better than him. He's economical with his shots, and works hard all around. That's what defines him. A great 3rd option is his ceiling.

[DMAVS41]

He really could be a 20/10/3 guy right now with 38 minutes per game and a few more sets run for him.

I think next year the Spurs should feature him way more and play through him and Parker.

The Spurs should also open up the bank and go out and get another 8 to 10 million a year player....and hope to fit Diaw and Mills under the cap also.

Which I think they probably could actually.

I think that is the key for the Spurs future. That they go out and get a real player in free agency this year. Sets them up to make 1 more run with current squad and then allows them to move forward with Parker/Leonard/Splitter and whatever guy they get in free agency. And with Duncan/Manu coming off the books after next year and most likely hanging it up. The Spurs would be able to sign Parker and Leonard and still have cap room to improve the roster.

I really think that is the key. I think the Spurs have to kind of go against their model in terms of spending and they should go over the cap next year because it will set them up better in the long run.

[tpols]

Relax, he's just a role player. He lacks the offensive prowess of Durant or Melo to be the face of a franchise. Even Hill and Pippen could score better than him. He's economical with his shots, and works hard all around. That's what defines him. A great 3rd option is his ceiling.

Who do you think Spurs plan on being 1st and 2nd option in a few years??

[davehos]

Relax, he's just a role player. He lacks the offensive prowess of Durant or Melo to be the face of a franchise. Even Hill and Pippen could score better than him. He's economical with his shots, and works hard all around. That's what defines him. A great 3rd option is his ceiling.

... a roleplayer who can split two defenders and dunk .. not once ... but twice is a roleplayer?

The kid is a double-double machine and he shoots a high percentage. If he starts taking more shots I think they'd keep falling.

I really do think he could be a 25/10/5 type player and he can guard the best forwards in the league.

He's taking over for Timmy.

[Haymaker]

Who do you think Spurs plan on being 1st and 2nd option in a few years??

I think they'll milk Parker until he retires then try their luck in the draft. There's no clear 1st option in their future.

[DMAVS41]

... a roleplayer who can split two defenders and dunk .. not once ... but twice is a roleplayer?

The kid is a double-double machine and he shoots a high percentage. If he starts taking more shots I think they'd keep falling.

I really do think he could be a 25/10/5 type player and he can guard the best forwards in the league.

He's taking over for Timmy.


25/10/5 is a stretch....

He's not good enough to do that on a team that wins. He'd have to play 42 minutes on an average team to get those kind of numbers and I doubt even then he could.

I think 20/9/3 playing next to Parker and on the Spurs is certainly possible playing 38 minutes and getting around 8 more possessions for him to use offensively per game.

[Haymaker]

... a roleplayer who can split two defenders and dunk .. not once ... but twice is a roleplayer?

The kid is a double-double machine and he shoots a high percentage. If he starts taking more shots I think they'd keep falling.

I really do think he could be a 25/10/5 type player and he can guard the best forwards in the league.

He's taking over for Timmy.

He won't average that much. I've seen lots of Spurs games and Kawhi just can't take over a game offensively. 25 ppg is what Harden averages and look how many shots he has to take and how many 30 + he needs to average that. Do you really see Leonard taking that many shots in Pop's system?

[The_Night_Elf]

I see him as a borderline all-star. Also as someone you can not build a team around but the type of player you need to contend.

[onhcetum]

Handles are too shaky/awkward, athleticism is deceiving (just tall + long arms)

non-spurs fan always overrate him. he's a great player, low key, lunch pail + to work kind of guy -- LOVE HIM, but he's not a max player that you can build your team around

[DMAVS41]

Handles are too shaky/awkward, athleticism is deceiving (just tall + long arms)

non-spurs fan always overrate him. he's a great player, low key, lunch pail + to work kind of guy -- LOVE HIM, but he's not a max player that you can build your team around

I don't think anyone thinks he's a max player that you can build a title team around.

I do, however, think he's a 20/9/3 type guy being featured in the 2nd role on a good team. Honestly all it would take is bumping his minutes up to 38 or 40. Which is what the Spurs will probably need to do soon...

Put it this way....Parker/Leonard/Splitter and a guy like Greg Monroe would absolutely be good enough to challenge for the title after next season with a quality supporting cast around them in my opinion.

[TMT]

Contrary to the belief of some people in this thread I think Leonard at some point in the next 3 or so years will be the Spurs' best player. His defense is clearly his calling card, and his length and anticipation is going to be disrupting offenses for years to come. But what people don't realize that he's quite effective when allowed to do his own thing on the offensive end. His athleticism might already be top 10 in the league. His catch and shoot jumper is quite clean but his skills off the dribble including his ball handling have drastically improved the past couple seasons. His rookie season he could barely control the ball in traffic, now he's excelling at it. His post up game is fairly impressive and he's smart enough to know whether he has an advantage or not.

Now all that being said he's not going to lead a team deep in the playoffs as the main guy. I'm not sure how you would center an offense around him even if you wanted to. I'm truly hoping Popovich will stick around atleast a couple years after Tim and Manu are done just to set the tone for the rebuild and send us in a positive direction. I think Sugar K :lol can be great, but I'm not one to predict future stats and what not.

[IrishIggy]

Has he played much 4 this year?

[Paul George 24]

He won't average that much. I've seen lots of Spurs games and Kawhi just can't take over a game offensively. 25 ppg is what Harden averages and look how many shots he has to take and how many 30 + he needs to average that. Do you really see Leonard taking that many shots in Pop's system?

lol ! u act like he will never improve .............
and when ur team hv gdp,and u want him to take over the game :roll:

[Paul George 24]

Handles are too shaky/awkward, athleticism is deceiving (just tall + long arms)

non-spurs fan always overrate him. he's a great player, low key, lunch pail + to work kind of guy -- LOVE HIM, but he's not a max player that you can build your team around

paul george is not that much better,and he is called a superstars :oldlol:

[Paul George 24]

Relax, he's just a role player. He lacks the offensive prowess of Durant or Melo to be the face of a franchise. Even Hill and Pippen could score better than him. He's economical with his shots, and works hard all around. That's what defines him. A great 3rd option is his ceiling.

lol ..................:roll:

[D-FENS]

Some people need to learn how to read. I called him a Pippen/Hill type. A 2nd fiddle when develops further.

Improving your ball handling can be done with training. Passing improves in all players as they mature and the game slows down for them.

Some of you have mentioned that he is a role player, that is true, but this year he has taken a leap. Also, he was 22 this season. Have a look what Pippen was doing at 22:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/pippesc01.html
87-88 season

Grant Hill came into the league at 22 as well and was just handed the team's reigns because they had such bad point guard play after Isiah Thomas retired. Hill was a very slick ball handler though and had an insane first step. Probably one of the best first steps I have ever seen in the NBA.

Anyway, my point is that Kawhi is becoming a lock down defender, he is a great spot up shooter, and he occasionally takes over games taking the ball to the hole on this wild Manu-esque drives. To predict a 22 year old improving over the next 2 years to the point where he is a 19ppg/8rpg/4apg/2spg/1bpg player is not absurd.

Look what he is doing per-36 minutes right now without having above average ball handling ability:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/leonaka01.html

[D-FENS]

lol ..................:roll:

Haymaker, hating on his own players. Those Spurs are so humble, their fans underrate their players.

Speaking as a Boston fan, I'd happily trade anyone on the roster for Leonard.

[Haymaker]

Haymaker, hating on his own players. Those Spurs are so humble, their fans underrate their players.

Speaking as a Boston fan, I'd happily trade anyone on the roster for Leonard.

I'm not hating on Leonard. I love him as a player, but I know his limitations. :confusedshrug:

[Rocketswin2013]

... a roleplayer who can split two defenders and dunk .. not once ... but twice is a roleplayer?

The kid is a double-double machine and he shoots a high percentage. If he starts taking more shots I think they'd keep falling.

I really do think he could be a 25/10/5 type player and he can guard the best forwards in the league.

He's taking over for Timmy.
:roll: OH BOY.


Stop kidding yourself. He is definitely not some pure scorer.....Hell Tim Duncan himself almost never put up a statline like that...He did JUST ONCE and it didn't have the 5 APG....

Leonard is also not a pure passer or ballhandler....This is not a guy that will be able to score like a Kobe or Wade or Harden.. He'll most likely play with his back to the basket over smaller wings and probably have some type of face up game... Turn his defense to offense and get out in transition... Put backs etc....


He'll have a very effective and efficent 20 PPG, and like T_L_P said, his stats won't mirror his impact...

This is all specualation though, he may never even develop the mentallity to do these things.... But in a way, I doubt he doesn't become an all-star....

[D-FENS]

I'm not hating on Leonard. I love him as a player, but I know his limitations. :confusedshrug:

He's 22 and has come a long way already

[steve]

Kawhi Leonard always strikes me as a player don't necessarily understand while their watching and they also assume because he doesn't do something often, he's incapable of doing it. He might not have a "killer instinct" or whatever buzz phrase people want to use, but when the Spurs have asked him to be their primary scorer, he's been fairly effective in that role, whether it's posting up or taking players off the bounce.

Things that are cited as problem areas (namely his ball handling and passing) never really feel like it. His handles at this point look unrefined and awkward but hardly anyone is able to take the ball away from him when he drives (he's only turned the ball over 21 times this season because of a loose ball). A lot of that has to do with his grip, length, and power dribble, it's just incredibly hard to strip him in situations when he decides to go to the basket. As far as his passing goes, he's never going to be Lebron at the 3, but give an uptick in his usage (it's only around 18% right now), he's shown enough signs that he could turn into the type of secondary ball handler that say George or Durant are, neither of whom possess elite passing skills but are unselfish, smart, and will passers.

An example from last night's game:
http://espngrantland.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/kawhi-to-boris.gif

He's not going to be a "first option" on a contender but then the Spurs haven't operated like that since about '04 or '05. Right now, he's a pretty strong focal point in the way to draw attention from defenses, already being a smart cutter, a fearsome post up player, and an excellent spot up shooter. The 20 points per game tag in his prime seems about right but the effect his scoring will have a greater impact than I think people realize. Basically his ceiling is essentially a sane Ron Artest.

[DMAVS41]

Kawhi Leonard always strikes me as a player don't necessarily understand while their watching and they also assume because he doesn't do something often, he's incapable of doing it. He might not have a "killer instinct" or whatever buzz phrase people want to use, but when the Spurs have asked him to be their primary scorer, he's been fairly effective in that role, whether it's posting up or taking players off the bounce.

Things that are cited as problem areas (namely his ball handling and passing) never really feel like it. His handles at this point look unrefined and awkward but hardly anyone is able to take the ball away from him when he drives (he's only turned the ball over 21 times this season because of a loose ball). A lot of that has to do with his grip, length, and power dribble, it's just incredibly hard to strip him in situations when he decides to go to the basket. As far as his passing goes, he's never going to be Lebron at the 3, but give an uptick in his usage (it's only around 18% right now), he's shown enough signs that he could turn into the type of secondary ball handler that say George or Durant are, neither of whom possess elite passing skills but are unselfish, smart, and will passers.

An example from last night's game:
http://espngrantland.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/kawhi-to-boris.gif

He's not going to be a "first option" on a contender but then the Spurs haven't operated like that since about '04 or '05. Right now, he's a pretty strong focal point in the way to draw attention from defenses, already being a smart cutter, a fearsome post up player, and an excellent spot up shooter. The 20 points per game tag in his prime seems about right but the effect his scoring will have a greater impact than I think people realize. Basically his ceiling is essentially a sane Ron Artest.

Love the artest comparison. To me he's like a Marion/Artest combo. Better than Marion defensively and similar on the glass...better shooter than Artest.

[Carbine]

SMH @ comparing him to Pippen & Hill.

If Leonard is your best player, your team will never win a title. He doesn't create offense for others anywhere near the point to where you can run offense through him consistently.

He's one of the best role players in the league. I think that will always be who he is - the ultimate role player. Dennis Rodman like - does a bunch of little things that make a huge impact on the game, but doesn't have the offense to be "the guy."

[salwan]

Love the artest comparison. To me he's like a Marion/Artest combo. Better than Marion defensively and similar on the glass...better shooter than Artest.

this.

he's more of a marion/artest type of player.

lol at the comparison to hill and pippen.

[steve]

Love the artest comparison. To me he's like a Marion/Artest combo. Better than Marion defensively and similar on the glass...better shooter than Artest.

I always thought Artest's biggest problem as a shooter was his mechanics were inconsistent whenever he took a shot off the bounce, which I don't really see happening with Leonard (whose really worked at his form being consistent wherever he takes a shot) because Artest was really solid as a spot up shooter for most of his career. Another thing I feel like people are missing with Leonard are some subtle scoring moves he's developing, which is why I'm glad you brought up Marion because Leonard already has that nice half hook floater Marion used with a lot of effectiveness when he was in Phoenix.

[D-FENS]

SMH @ comparing him to Pippen & Hill.

If Leonard is your best player, your team will never win a title. He doesn't create offense for others anywhere near the point to where you can run offense through him consistently.

He's one of the best role players in the league. I think that will always be who he is - the ultimate role player. Dennis Rodman like - does a bunch of little things that make a huge impact on the game, but doesn't have the offense to be "the guy."

Are you ****ing thick?

Read my post again, dummy.

Some people need to learn how to read. I called him a Pippen/Hill type. A 2nd fiddle when develops further.

Improving your ball handling can be done with training. Passing improves in all players as they mature and the game slows down for them.

Some of you have mentioned that he is a role player, that is true, but this year he has taken a leap. Also, he was 22 this season. Have a look what Pippen was doing at 22:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...pippesc01.html
87-88 season

Grant Hill came into the league at 22 as well and was just handed the team's reigns because they had such bad point guard play after Isiah Thomas retired. Hill was a very slick ball handler though and had an insane first step. Probably one of the best first steps I have ever seen in the NBA.

Anyway, my point is that Kawhi is becoming a lock down defender, he is a great spot up shooter, and he occasionally takes over games taking the ball to the hole on this wild Manu-esque drives. To predict a 22 year old improving over the next 2 years to the point where he is a 19ppg/8rpg/4apg/2spg/1bpg player is not absurd.

Look what he is doing per-36 minutes right now without having above average ball handling ability:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...leonaka01.html

Since when were Hill and Pippen great 1st options than lead their teams to championships?

****in' thicko. Learn to read.
http://add-assets.com/asset/316.jpg

[D-FENS]

this.

he's more of a marion/artest type of player.

lol at the comparison to hill and pippen.


I'll bookmark this post to come back and laugh at you in 2-3 years time.

[DMAVS41]

I always thought Artest's biggest problem as a shooter was his mechanics were inconsistent whenever he took a shot off the bounce, which I don't really see happening with Leonard (whose really worked at his form being consistent wherever he takes a shot) because Artest was really solid as a spot up shooter for most of his career. Another thing I feel like people are missing with Leonard are some subtle scoring moves he's developing, which is why I'm glad you brought up Marion because Leonard already has that nice half hook floater Marion used with a lot of effectiveness when he was in Phoenix.

Yea...he kind of takes the best things from each of them. He defends at an elite level, it an excellent rebounder...he's a better shooter than both of them. Has a better feel for the game as well.

I really like him as a 38 minute 20/10/3 elite defender 58% TS player...2nd/3rd option role.

[r0drig0lac]

lol..people thinking that it will just be a good role player

[davehos]

I think it's fair to say he's an automatic double-double and a pillar on defense.

Any team would love to have him and if he keeps splitting two defenders for across the court dunks he'll be an all-star.