Kawhi doesn’t belong in any all time great lists.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Don’t care what he did for the Raptors one year. On the Spurs he was a role player outside of the two MVP years. On the Clippers he’s done absolutely nothing, and the team won two rounds without him. He had 16 months off with an ACL, then has still played just 10% of games this year.

He’s now going to be out a minimum of 6 games over a mild ankle sprain in which both Kawhi and Lue said “he’s fine, just a little banged up”. It’s getting pathetic. Like… I understand maybe the ACL didn’t heal right and you need to ease in more, but this is getting to the point to where the league may need to step in.

I get it, we aren’t pro athletes but if it’s not a severe or high ankle sprain.. I just feel like most “superstars” tape it up and play. You think Kobe or Iverson played through sprains?

[cupcakesnake]

The league may need to step in to... force the Clippers to play an injured player?
The dude is done. Anything you get from Kawhi is a bonus. They'll sit him the whole year for a 10% chance he could help in the playoffs.

I agree he wont be high on too many lists. If you're taking about peaks, Kawhi will get mentions. But the boat has sailed on him having an all-time great career that stacks up with anyone else in the top 30.

[BarneyGumble]

Amen OP! Can you imagine figuring out how to be paid insane amount of millions while not showing up to work more than half the time? That is what Kawhi and Kyrie have figured out. I would love to see an all-time NBA stack ranking of amount of money made per games played. I have no doubt Kawhi would be at the top of the list....which from the perspective of being paid to produce makes him the least productive and most overpaid player of all-time.

[Mak]

Kawhi just want to get total control of a franchise and be close to home. He accomplished both, winning and playing games is secondary.

[ropjhk]

He'll forever be on the all time greatest single playoff season performance list.

[realball]

I could have sworn he came back for a game this season. What happened, did he get injured again?

[itsxtray]

The league will never "step in" over something as personal as a players health, just not gonna happen. The union wouldn't stand for it anyway, cause that's a situation ripe for abuse. Imagine a team making an injured player play because they don't think they're injured enough.(Durant in the 19 finals)(Isaiah Thomas in 2017) It's always best to err on the side of caution. Also, what any other player in nba history would do is irrelevant, Kawhi is gonna handle it how he sees fit.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Amen OP! Can you imagine figuring out how to be paid insane amount of millions while not showing up to work more than half the time? That is what Kawhi and Kyrie have figured out. I would love to see an all-time NBA stack ranking of amount of money made per games played. I have no doubt Kawhi would be at the top of the list....which from the perspective of being paid to produce makes him the least productive and most overpaid player of all-time.

Clippers should immediately shift to a rebuild IMO. It’s clear their two stars just cannot be healthy for any length of time. They win like 65%-70% of games they both play. The problem? It rarely happens. They need to get what they can in a trade for PG and Kawhi.

They really should have told Kawhi to kick rocks when he made them trade SGA for PG… at least if they had SGA right now, Kawhi falling off doesn’t hurt them so much. With PG being equally unreliable, it compounds the mistake.

The good news is that they have once again compiled a lot of easily tradable players, and a couple good young ish pieces like Mann, Zubac, Coffey, Boston Jr that are all 25 and under. They just need to move Kawhi and PG to try to get a young disgruntled star.

[zimpy27]

He's comparable to Willis Reed IMO.


Shortish career and won 2 finals MVPs..

Reed is probably ranked around 40th all time and Kawhi should be too.

[OkcSinceSGA]

PS.. I know normally I can be impulsive by nature, but I feel like 4 years is enough sample size to call this out no?

[OkcSinceSGA]

I could have sworn he came back for a game this season. What happened, did he get injured again?

Came back for like two games, rolled his ankle very mildly… post game said he’s totally fine, Lue said “just a little banged up, he’s completely fine” etc. Then now he’s been out another few games, and didn’t travel for this road trip either. Do guys not tape up a minor ankle sprain anymore?

[Lockdown504090]

Amen OP! Can you imagine figuring out how to be paid insane amount of millions while not showing up to work more than half the time? That is what Kawhi and Kyrie have figured out. I would love to see an all-time NBA stack ranking of amount of money made per games played. I have no doubt Kawhi would be at the top of the list....which from the perspective of being paid to produce makes him the least productive and most overpaid player of all-time.

i really dont understand the frustration. this has been happening for 5 years now and people dont get it? he doesnt want to play through injury unless its a playoff game. This is what they signed him for. he doesnt talk about himself as an all time great, its unclear if he even cares. he didnt ask for all the accolades and awards he has, he just played and earned them. he obviously does have a knee problem or he wouldnt have gotten hurt so easily from getting bumped by bojan. If grant hill could go back and time and do what kawhi has done, he probably would.

ballmer extended him knowing this is who he is, i dont see how that makes him overpaid. i feel bad for the spurs because they didnt know, but everyone else knew what they were getting into, especially the clips

[Quattro]

Seems like you're just pissed off that your team didn't succeed after acquiring KL and George.

Pretty rich calling a guy a "role player" when he won a Finals MVP and DPOY in the time you're claiming he was one.

Personally I have zero sympathy for Ballmer. Hope he and Lawrence Frank enjoyed all those Raptor games they attended on the way to the championship in 2019.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Amen OP! Can you imagine figuring out how to be paid insane amount of millions while not showing up to work more than half the time? That is what Kawhi and Kyrie have figured out. I would love to see an all-time NBA stack ranking of amount of money made per games played. I have no doubt Kawhi would be at the top of the list....which from the perspective of being paid to produce makes him the least productive and most overpaid player of all-time.

i really dont understand the frustration. this has been happening for 5 years now and people dont get it? he doesnt want to play through injury unless its a playoff game. This is what they signed him for. he doesnt talk about himself as an all time great, its unclear if he even cares. he didnt ask for all the accolades and awards he has, he just played and earned them. he obviously does have a knee problem or he wouldnt have gotten hurt so easily from getting bumped by bojan. If grant hill could go back and time and do what kawhi has done, he probably would.

ballmer extended him knowing this is who he is, i dont see how that makes him overpaid. i feel bad for the spurs because they didnt know, but everyone else knew what they were getting into, especially the clips

I do not believe Ballmer thought he would have Kawhi 10% of a season or less. What are they paying him for if he can’t play? Like… the whole idea of “it’s about the playoffs” doesn’t work. You can’t get to the playoffs if you get **** on seeding. You won’t advance if you go in as a bottom 4 seed normally. Regular season matters. There is a reason 91% of title winners are a top 2 seed.

[Lockdown504090]

Amen OP! Can you imagine figuring out how to be paid insane amount of millions while not showing up to work more than half the time? That is what Kawhi and Kyrie have figured out. I would love to see an all-time NBA stack ranking of amount of money made per games played. I have no doubt Kawhi would be at the top of the list....which from the perspective of being paid to produce makes him the least productive and most overpaid player of all-time.

Clippers should immediately shift to a rebuild IMO. It’s clear their two stars just cannot be healthy for any length of time. They win like 65%-70% of games they both play. The problem? It rarely happens. They need to get what they can in a trade for PG and Kawhi.

They really should have told Kawhi to kick rocks when he made them trade SGA for PG… at least if they had SGA right now, Kawhi falling off doesn’t hurt them so much. With PG being equally unreliable, it compounds the mistake.

The good news is that they have once again compiled a lot of easily tradable players, and a couple good young ish pieces like Mann, Zubac, Coffey, Boston Jr that are all 25 and under. They just need to move Kawhi and PG to try to get a young disgruntled star.

they probably have to wait till their picks arent so mortgaged out. maybe after 2025 season they can do what youre suggesting. its interesting to see what happens to all these teams that traded 3+ picks in the future going forward. cant think of a time when so many teams owe so many picks.

[Cubbies2120]

PS.. I know normally I can be impulsive by nature, but I feel like 4 years is enough sample size to call this out no?

I mean, he played every game in the playoffs in his first two years with your team until he tore his ACL. The third year, he was out with a torn ACL.

So, in the important games:
Year 1: Did his job, played every game
Year 2: Did his job, played every game until a circumstance out of his control
Year 3: Recovering from something out of his control
Year 4: In progress

[OkcSinceSGA]

Seems like you're just pissed off that your team didn't succeed after acquiring KL and George.

Pretty rich calling a guy a "role player" when he won a ROTY, Finals MVP and DPOY in the time you're claiming he was one.

Yes, that’s exactly it. I’m sure you’d be pissed too if your team mortgaged a loaded with assets young team for two “stars” who are out constantly with injury. Is this a secret it would piss me off? I said besides the last two years (not including the actual last ones where he basically sat out) he was a role player. He had two MVP level years on the Spurs.

[OkcSinceSGA]

PS.. I know normally I can be impulsive by nature, but I feel like 4 years is enough sample size to call this out no?

I mean, he played every game in the playoffs in his first two years with your team until he tore his ACL. The third year, he was out with a torn ACL.

So, in the important games:
Year 1: Did his job, played every game
Year 2: Did his job, played every game until a circumstance out of his control
Year 3: Recovering from something out of his control
Year 4: In progress

Year 1. Choked.

Year 2. Yes, I’ll give him.

Year 3. Sat entire year

Year 4. Headed toward disaster. Taking the regular season off.

Not sure this is a good resume? Btw.. once again I have to explain that this idea it’s all about the playoffs is patently false. You NEED a top 2-3 seed typically to win a ring. You aren’t coasting in as the 5 or 6 seed and winning a title unless you’re an incredibly dominant team. They haven’t won ****. They don’t have the luxury of just showing up for the playoffs.

[Quattro]

Seems like you're just pissed off that your team didn't succeed after acquiring KL and George.

Pretty rich calling a guy a "role player" when he won a ROTY, Finals MVP and DPOY in the time you're claiming he was one.

Yes, that’s exactly it. I’m sure you’d be pissed too if your team mortgaged a loaded with assets young team for two “stars” who are out constantly with injury. Is this a secret it would piss me off? I said besides the last two years (not including the actual last ones where he basically sat out) he was a role player. He had two MVP level years on the Spurs.

I'd be a lot more pissed at trading away Shai Gilgeous Alexander and picks for PG than at Kawhi for messing up his ACL frankly.

I can understand that fans of the team are pissed but at least stuff like this and the train wreck that is the Brooklyn Nets together with LeGM"s impending retirement will hopefully spell the end of the "superteam" era which I personally think was awful for the average fan.

[jokeboy86]

He's comparable to Willis Reed IMO.


Shortish career and won 2 finals MVPs..

Reed is probably ranked around 40th all time and Kawhi should be too.

More like Walton without the college accolades in that when Kawhi and Walton were healthy they were arguably the best players in the game but it's so few and far between that it's almost like a myth at this point.