Kawaii is the best player on the floor but felt like he wasn't treated like the best player. That's really his agent job to see eye to eye with the Spurs, but That Guy is marking off days to his contract and planning on endorsements. Problem is that the product the agent is selling isn't the type that attracts dump trucks of money, so now they're potentially screwed of a super max contact with a reset "trial year" situation where kl is coming off an injury and the cap is shrinking. ****ing brilliant. Really taught ol man pop a lesson for kissing lma's ass while you were prancing around the Great Wall of China. He better hopes Philly overcommits.
There is only one team who can give him a Supermax, as Kawaii has too much tenure for the Harden route. He must sign with the Spurs to get it, and SnTs aren't allowed either. The Supermax is to help incumbent teams keep their superstars. So, by definition, you could say every drafted superstar who doesn't re-up with their draft team is screwing themselves out of a Supermax, but I consider that an odd way to put it, if the player had no intention to re-up. Imagine if there was a Supermax when Shaq left Orlando. I think they would phrase that that he gave up on a Supermax, rather than saying he screwed himself out of it.
To be honest, if it weren't for certain Center/PF, they'd be irrelevant to NBA history. They aren't the Lakers or the Celtics. I respect the things that they've accomplished, but they aren't a top-notch FA destination, unless you like the Alamo and the Riverfront. Hell, are they even the most attractive FA destination in the state of Texas or the Southern US. I would much rather go to Houston or Dallas as NBA player, while I think Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, and Orlando are much more attractive cities to be in. They aren't competing for a title, right now. Even with a Kawhi at 100%, that's going to draw free agent interests to SA. I think what he is doing is kind f'ed up though, and when players do that without any real reason, they deserve no sympathy. At least with LeBron and Durant (who have acted with honor), unlike alot of these other players, BOTH past and present, they did not act against the detriment of their team during the season or playoffs. They played all out until the very end and handled their business in the off-season. Can't say that about a number of superstars who held out during the season, faked injuries, had spats with coaches/GMs/teammates, and demanded to be traded. That's not really kosher, because you are under-contract and the team.
Which makes the situation there even more bonkers. His team prob thinks SA won't let him walk for nothing, so they want it both ways. I guess his agent could make him a poster boy for anti depressants. You see him doing his thing all mopey and stoic. But after Herpatrex, he's out in the park with a **** eating grin sharing ice cream with a hottie, maybe flying a kite. Spoiler alert*** He makes the shot at the end.
The fact that Kawhi wants to give up on the supermax contract (leave money on the table) just to get out of San Antonio, says a lot.
That can make up the super max? That's quite a lot. Not sure what kind of value Kawhi has in selling shoes considering his persona.
This is what Kawhi has to understand. It's not the team he plays for it is him. He's not marketable. Period. Westbrook is a lesser player, playing in a lesser market, but he's far more marketable. How he plays is exciting, even if it doesn't win his team games, it's exciting to see him pull up randomly for 3 pointers or dunk on bigs and scream and shout his dominance. He wears silly stuff before and after games. He has entertaining interviews because he always looks pissed. He's marketable. Going to the Lakers didn't help Pau Gasol become more marketable Kawhi's agent needs to tell Kawhi to develop some kind of personality, going to LA just won't merely help. He has to develop a brand for himself. Why you think Anthony Davis keeps that ugly unibrow? That's his thing, you can make a shirt with pelican colors and just put a unibrow on it and people know what it is. Nothing stands out about Kawhi. His game is dull to the casual fan because it's not reliant heavy on cross overs and usually just involves him getting mid-range jumpers off and phenomenal defense. Either he changes his brand and how he presents himself or his team does. Sell him on being robotic because honestly, I've never seen a player show less emotion or be more robotic on the court than him. I thought Duncan was bad or Rose, but at least Duncan never fouled in his life if you look at his reactions to every foul called on him. Kawhi doesn't even do that. He doesn't react to anything and no one knows a single thing about the dude. What is there to market with him?
Maybe he can date a Kardashian. The quiet, yes-man BF, who gets happily bossed around, would be Gold on their show. Gold Jerry.
The contract doesn't stipulate that you won't be traded. It does stipulate that the player will play.
It really is so sad the Spurs organization has lost a Top 5 franchise player, who I'm sure you grew to absolutely love. Keep your chin up though. I'm just not sure how much spitting venom at your lost love will soothe your pain. such, such pain.
I don't view it as a % blame of Team or Player. I view it as how many teams/coaches would he have grown to dislike so much to leave like this. I certainly don't think only LA teams are the teams he'd stay with, out of all possible 30 drafting teams.
