Why Kawhi Leonard Forced His Way Out of San Antonio Spurs

The Breakup of Kawhi Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs

In 2018, basketball fans were shocked when star forward Kawhi Leonard requested a trade from the San Antonio Spurs. Leonard had developed into one of the NBA's top players under coach Gregg Popovich, winning Finals MVP when the Spurs captured the 2014 championship. Why would a superstar want to leave one of the most respected organizations in professional sports?

Kawhi's Injury and Rehab Frustrations

In 2017, Kawhi suffered an injury to his right quadriceps that limited him to just 9 games. What followed was a disagreement between Leonard's medical team and the Spurs' staff about the severity of the injury and the proper rehab approach. Former Spurs LaMarcus Aldridge and Stephen Jackson provide insight into Kawhi's frustrations.

Leonard traveled to New York to rehab separately from the team. This unusual decision and reports questioning whether he could have returned sparked speculation about a rift. Kawhi's sense that the team was pressuring him to play likely contributed to his trade demand.

LaMarcus Aldridge on Kawhi Losing Trust

Former Spur LaMarcus Aldridge explains on the All The Smoke podcast how he felt the tensions started:

"I think it started with Kawhi losing trust. And once a player loses trust in an organization, it's kind of hard to get it back."

Aldridge suggests that the team questioning Kawhi's injury severity and timeline shattered the trust between star player and franchise. This perceived distrust ultimately drove Kawhi to look for a way out.

Stephen Jackson Questions Spurs Handling

Former Spur Stephen Jackson gave his own take:

"When your best player says he can't play and the organization is saying 'Nah, the doctors say you can play' - that's the problem right there...You done messed the relationship up. You questioning him."

Jackson argues that the Spurs should have sided unequivocally with their star once he declared he wasn't physically ready to play. By seeming to distrust Kawhi's stance on his own body, they damaged the relationship irreparably.

The Spurs' Organizational Culture

Why did this breakdown occur when the Spurs had been held up as a model of stability and player development for two decades under Gregg Popovich? Perhaps Kawhi no longer bought into the vaunted "Spurs culture."

Expectations to Play Through Injury

The Spurs had long expected players to grit through minor injuries, prioritizing the team over individual comfort. Stars like Tim Duncan embraced this mindset. Kawhi allegedly felt the team was almost trying to bully him into playing injured.

Tim Duncan Set the Tone

Jackson suggests Duncan's leadership established the tone:

"When you've got Tim Duncan putting all them years in, never complaining, getting knocked on the floor, he ain't never made excuses...So I understand why they handled the Kawhi situation like that."

Once Kawhi lost faith, the Spurs way lost sway. Maintaining control and trust suddenly proved difficult for Gregg Popovich and management.

The Trade and Its Aftermath

In July 2018, the Spurs shipped an unhappy Kawhi to the Toronto Raptors. Toronto gambled on keeping Kawhi past one season. The gamble paid off with an NBA title in 2019 led by Kawhi's historic playoff run.

Spurs Squeezed an Amazing Return

Considering Kawhi tanked his trade value by leaking his desire to play in L.A., the Spurs did well extracting young star DeMar DeRozan, veteran 3-and-D wing Danny Green and a protected 1st round pick.

No Clear Villain

Fans struggled to assign blame in the messy Kawhi breakup. Stephen Jackson suggests there weren't any villains:

"I just think it was bad communication on both parts...I don't think nobody really did nothing wrong, they just didn't communicate."

In the end, Kawhi wanted the larger market's spotlight. And the small-market Spurs wanted to preserve their team-first culture that had delivered five titles.

What happened with Kawhi and San Antonio serves as a cautionary tale. It shows how quickly player empowerment can turn a model franchise-star partnership sour.

FAQs

Why did the relationship between Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs deteriorate?

The relationship broke down due to a disagreement over the severity of Kawhi's quad injury. Kawhi's own doctors had a more serious diagnosis than the Spurs' medical team. This difference of opinion created distrust between the star and the franchise.

Who did LaMarcus Aldridge blame for the fallout?

Aldridge felt Kawhi lost trust in the entire Spurs organization, and that made it hard to repair the relationship. He thought the Spurs questioning Kawhi's injury undermined Kawhi's trust.

How did the Spurs' culture backfire with Kawhi Leonard?

The Spurs had built a culture of playing through injuries for the good of the team, set by stars like Tim Duncan. But Kawhi rejected pressure to play before he felt healthy, seeing it as the team questioning him.

Could the Spurs have prevented Kawhi asking for a trade?

Stephen Jackson felt the Spurs mishandled the situation by not siding unequivocally with Kawhi regarding his injury status. Doing so may have prevented an unsalvageable breach of trust.