The San Antonio Spurs should open up their wallats and pay NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard
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San Antonio Spurs’ forward Kawhi Leonard had another excellent season and took his game to a higher level in the playoffs, taking home the NBA Finals MVP Award. Now, Kawhi Leonard is eligible for an extension is looking to cash in.
Yannis Koutroupis of Basketball Insiders believes the Spurs need to pay Kawhi Leonard
"Someone tweeted me that the local news in S.A. is reporting that the Spurs may wait to extend Kawhi in order to have max cap space to work with this offseason. However, I don’t think that’s very fair to Kawhi, who has earned a max extension in my mind, and considering what’s going to be out there on the market anyway. The Spurs have $34 million in guaranteed contracts next year. Even if Kawhi’s deal comes in at $14 million in year one, they’re still going to have plenty of money to go after other top free agents, and be able to go over the cap to extend Duncan/Ginobili, assuming they want to return. I say, pay the man, don’t create this unnecessary distraction, even if Kawhi is mentally tough enough to not be effected by it."
Kawhi Leonard is the heir to the Spurs’ big three of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili and will likely be the next face of the franchise. Although the Spurs don’t usually dish out big money, this is the kind of guy you want to pay.
The two sides have until October 31 to work out an extension or Kawhi Leonard will become a restricted free agent in 2015.
Kawhi Leonard averaged 12.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 52.2% from the field, 37.9% from beyond the arc and 80.2% from the free throw line. In the playoffs, he put up 14.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.6 blocks per game while shooting 51.0% from the floor, 41.9% from three and 73.6% from the charity stripe.
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