Tony Parker is no longer a Spurs player after agreeing to sign with the Charlotte Hornets, and his departure from San Antonio after almost two decades of a successful partnership does not come without unpleasant speculations.
For one, some people are linking Parker’s exit from San Antonio to his perceived role in the still ongoing Kawhi Leonard saga. Parker reportedly was among the chief reasons why Leonard wants the Spurs to trade him. Back in March, Parker told Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News that the quad injury he suffered in 2017 was worse than that of Leonard’s, a comment that reportedly miffed the forward to the point that it pushed the latter over the edge.
According to Parker, however, he and Leonard have sustained a relationship free of animosity even after he made the controversial comment.
Per Marc J. Spears of ESPN’s Undefeated:
Ex-Spurs guard Tony Parker, now with the Hornets, told ESPN's The Undefeated: “I have no problem with Kawhi Leonard. We never had an argument. When the journalist asked me if my injury was worse than Kawhi's, I said yes because it was true.”
Here are Parker's full comments on Kawhi:
Entire Tony Parker quote on Kawhi Leonard to @TheUndefeated pic.twitter.com/XEiXklLSdO
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 6, 2018
Parker also said that he never got a chance to sit down and have a cup of coffee with Leonard this offseason, as he immediately hopped on a plane and went to Europe following the conclusion of the Spurs’ season while Leonard headed to New York.
“I never had a chance to talk to him. He's been in New York. I went overseas after the playoffs. That is a conversation you have face to face. I have no problems with Kawhi.”
In any case, Parker will no longer share the same locker room with Leonard, so any issues between them can’t poison the Spurs anymore.
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