did pop see it in kawhi all along??

[NZStreetBaller]

Correct me if im wrong (i dont do deep nba research like some people on here) but pop traded his "favourite player" george hill for kawhi leonard.

After watching last years playoffs and finals it seemed that in order to win it all you would need a great defender to stop the two best players in the league (lebron durant) but kawhi was also very useful to pop because of his humble and selfless attitude within pops team style.

is pop a forward thinking genious??? Did he know this?? Was it part of the reason he wanted kawhi leonard all along?? Or have a just had 1 too many beers lol

Btw forgive me if that trade didnt even happen i heard it on 2k commentary sometime i think.

[RightToCensor]

He traded for a position needed, the ceiling for Kawhi was pretty low until Pop and his staff fixed his jumpshot.

[BigNBAfan]

There are other people involved in trading players - why do you people only give credit to the face of the team?

That said historically speaking there is always one player that is above average or in his athletic prime to defend. Artest, Ariza, Sefalosha (though they did not win) Bowen, Devean george

[Siemens]

There are other people involved in trading players - why do you people only give credit to the face of the team?

Hard not too when that face is Pop.

[ImKobe]

Let's be honest, no one saw Kawhi as a potential 20 ppg guy..his upside was his defense and his athleticism + his wingspan and hands..

But I definitely believe Pop saw that the kid had this talent and that he had a chip on his shoulder, and he made the right call.

[rmt]

Let's be honest, no one saw Kawhi as a potential 20 ppg guy..his upside was his defense and his athleticism + his wingspan and hands..

But I definitely believe Pop saw that the kid had this talent and that he had a chip on his shoulder, and he made the right call.

Drafting is a crapshoot - Leonard had the size, the long arms, big hands and most importantly, the right attitude. No one knew whether he'd be any good but the potential was there and iirc, he was injured so he dropped down to where the Spurs could get him (#15). That "chip" who made it all work is Chip Engelland, the shooting coach of the Spurs, who fixed Leonard's broken shot.

[SsKSpurs21]

Let's be honest, no one saw Kawhi as a potential 20 ppg guy..his upside was his defense and his athleticism + his wingspan and hands..

But I definitely believe Pop saw that the kid had this talent and that he had a chip on his shoulder, and he made the right call.

is that an intended pun? he definitely has "a chip" in his corner... Shooting coach Chip Engelland that is. he has done an amazing job refining Kawhi's shot.

Kawhi is also a gym rat. he doesnt like to party, he doesnt like the attention. he just wants to play basketball. Pop likes to draft players, not just on basketball talent, but also personality. Kawhi is very coachable and pop knew that with his untapped talent he could mold him into a great player.

[sd3035]

He traded for a position needed, the ceiling for Kawhi was pretty low until Pop and his staff fixed his jumpshot.

I think Lebron's defense fixed his jumpshot

[T_L_P]

Don't you mean, "Did Bud see it in Kawhi all along?"?

[gts]

Spurs have been finding diamonds in the rough long before Kawhi.. it's what they do best