Now that the Kawhi Leonard deal is done, it's time for the San Antonio Spurs and Gregg Popovich to figure out what's next. Popovich and the Spurs were put into an incredibly tough situation by Kawhi and his camp. But Popovich is wishing Leonard well on his way out.
Concerning Kawhi, Popovich told Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post:
“We wish him well as he moves into Toronto. I think he’ll be great.”
Kawhi will be great in Toronto. The last year has completely changed the way people will see Leonard, but he was phenomenal during his time in San Antonio.
Article Continues BelowHe was the heir to Tim Duncan's throne and looked destined to take over as the face of the NBA's model franchise. He was the Finals MVP in 2014 and won Defensive Player of the Year twice. But then he came down awkwardly and everything changed.
Prior to his injury, his Spurs looked poised to challenge the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. When he's healthy, he's great. He's probably a top-five player in the league when healthy and he's certainly in the conversation for best defender in the league.
Trading away a talent like Leonard isn't something any franchise wants to do. Certainly, Popovich and the Spurs know what they're losing.
As time passes, more details will emerge concerning why this relationship failed. But for now, Popovich wishes his former player well and predicts that he'll continue to be great like he always was for San Antonio.