Everything Kawhi Leonard

[DanH]

Just say Kawhi signs with the Raptors. Does the preferential treatment continue? Do they rest all their starters on one of the back to backs?

Well, obviously not the second bit. Part of the preferential treatment is that Kawhi seems to want to be careful with his health, which makes sense after last season. Lowry also gets preferential treatment, of the opposite sort - he often forces his way into games where the team would clearly rather play it safe re: injury recovery. That's the preferential treatment the Raps are giving their stars - not just throwing extra days off at guys, but catering to their personal preferences. And I'd expect they would continue to give their stars preferential treatment, considering stars are everything in this league.

If next year Kawhi wants to play in back to backs, I imagine he'll play in back to backs. And if he doesn't, he probably won't.

[Scraptor]

Whooooooo cares about back to backs in the regular season? There have been posters advocating for years that the team should rest it's stars on back to backs, and they finally do it (with the most high risk high reward star in terms of health they've ever had), and people just want to whine.

Man alive, we're 10-2 in the 12 games Kawhi hasn't played in. How is anyone even remotely caring about this non-story?

I have zero problem with Kawhi resting for valid medical reasons. I am getting a little worried that Kawhi is preserving himself so as not to jeopardize his next contract that he intends to sign somewhere else.

It doesn't feel like a guy is down for his team if he is healthy and rests on a non back-to-back.

But again if there is a legit medical reason then it's totally fine.

[golden]

I have zero problem with Kawhi resting for valid medical reasons. I am getting a little worried that Kawhi is preserving himself so as not to jeopardize his next contract that he intends to sign somewhere else.

It doesn't feel like a guy is down for his team if he is healthy and rests on a non back-to-back.

But again if there is a legit medical reason then it's totally fine.

Toronto is the last place he wanted or expected to be. Let’s not pretend that he’s devoted to this city like Demar or Amir Johnson. All signs are pointing to him doing the bare minimum and then leaving in the off-season. That said, if Kawhi’s bare minimum is showing out in the playoffs, like he can, then it’s all good.

If the regular season mattered to Masai, Demar and Casey would still be here.

[Zainab]

Toronto is the last place he wanted or expected to be. Let’s not pretend that he’s devoted to this city like Demar or Amir Johnson. All signs are pointing to him doing the bare minimum and then leaving in the off-season. That said, if Kawhi’s bare minimum is showing out in the playoffs, like he can, then it’s all good.

If the regular season mattered to Masai, Demar and Casey would still be here.

TRUTHHHH!! Preach

[LJ2]

Not all the starters, just the ones that will give 110% of every single defensive possession, while also being the go-to players on clutch offence, while also continuously averaging 20+ per night (by being a significant scoring threat in the paint, midrange, and 3), while also rebounding the ball extremely well, while also almost averaging more steals then fouls on the season, while also potentially having to carry the team on their backs in the playoffs deep into early summer. Just those will get to rest.

God already gets Sunday's off.

[LJ2]

Well, obviously not the second bit. Part of the preferential treatment is that Kawhi seems to want to be careful with his health, which makes sense after last season. Lowry also gets preferential treatment, of the opposite sort - he often forces his way into games where the team would clearly rather play it safe re: injury recovery. That's the preferential treatment the Raps are giving their stars - not just throwing extra days off at guys, but catering to their personal preferences. And I'd expect they would continue to give their stars preferential treatment, considering stars are everything in this league.

If next year Kawhi wants to play in back to backs, I imagine he'll play in back to backs. And if he doesn't, he probably won't.

So essentially you think the team will continue to play Kawhi as Kawhi wishes. I agree that is what they will do, but I wonder how that affects the rest of the guys in the locker room. I think that perhaps the second bit may actually be the best course of action. Give two of the starters one of the games off and the other three the second. At least there is some visible equality in the treatment of those that play the most minutes.

[golden]

So essentially you think the team will continue to play Kawhi as Kawhi wishes. I agree that is what they will do, but I wonder how that affects the rest of the guys in the locker room. I think that perhaps the second bit may actually be the best course of action. Give two of the starters one of the games off and the other three the second. At least there is some visible equality in the treatment of those that play the most minutes.

On a team this deep, when Kawhi sits, there’s probably guys who are salivating for more minutes and secretly thrilled he’s out. CJ and Norm, for sure. You think Moose is eagerly awaiting JVs return, like the rest of us?

[LJ2]

On a team this deep, when Kawhi sits, there’s probably guys who are salivating for more minutes and secretly thrilled he’s out. CJ and Norm, for sure. You think Moose is eagerly awaiting JVs return, like the rest of us?

That's what I mean. I'm only referring to resting the starters during 1 game of a back to back. The young guys/rotation vets will likely welcome the extra minutes. And for the other starters (heavy minutes players) they really can't bitch that Kawhi is getting preferential treatment.

[DanH]

That's what I mean. I'm only referring to resting the starters during 1 game of a back to back. The young guys/rotation vets will likely welcome the extra minutes. And for the other starters (heavy minutes players) they really can't bitch that Kawhi is getting preferential treatment.

Yeah, but they won't do that. And nor should they. Lowry would bitch every game he had to sit. So too would most of the other starters, I imagine. Kawhi is resting because he wants to. If other guys wanted to, we'd probably see more resting. But are we thinking Danny Green or Pascal Siakam are begging NOT to play? Maybe Serge, but that's more based on precious seasons, this year he's been pretty good on short rest.

[golden]

That's what I mean. I'm only referring to resting the starters during 1 game of a back to back. The young guys/rotation vets will likely welcome the extra minutes. And for the other starters (heavy minutes players) they really can't bitch that Kawhi is getting preferential treatment.

Couple articles on the RR morning coffee about Kawhi resting: teammates support it 100%. So that’s that. Non issue.

[KeonClark]

Couple articles on the RR morning coffee about Kawhi resting: teammates support it 100%. So that’s that. Non issue.

Fair enough, but let's not act like they would ever in a million years say the truth if it bothered them in any way

Y'know, the type of things they really say after a couple glasses of wine and just a trusted friend in the room

[Scraptor]

Toronto is the last place he wanted or expected to be. Let’s not pretend that he’s devoted to this city like Demar or Amir Johnson. All signs are pointing to him doing the bare minimum and then leaving in the off-season. That said, if Kawhi’s bare minimum is showing out in the playoffs, like he can, then it’s all good.

If the regular season mattered to Masai, Demar and Casey would still be here.

So we're resigned to him being a rental? Because a lot of the posts read like people think he'll re-sign.

[KeonClark]

So we're resigned to him being a rental? Because a lot of the posts read like people think he'll re-sign.

I have it at 60/40 leaving, personally. Maybe more like 65/35.

And basically the 35% is only because Masai is a G

[golden]

Fair enough, but let's not act like they would ever in a million years say the truth if it bothered them in any way

Y'know, the type of things they really say after a couple glasses of wine and just a trusted friend in the room

Yeah, let’s get some off the record comments about Lowry. Pretty sure there would be some TMZ gold there.

[MixxAOR]

So we're resigned to him being a rental? Because a lot of the posts read like people think he'll re-sign.

yeah he's a rental.