The San Antonio Spurs are hoping the threat of NBA restricted free agency will scare teams from making offers to swingman Kawhi Leonard
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The NBA’s deadline to extend players selected in the 2011 NBA Draft came and went Friday. Nine players inked extensions prior to the deadline but San Antonio Spurs’ forward Kawhi Leonard wasn’t one of them. Instead, the MVP of the 2014 NBA Finals, will have to wait until until the offseason to sign a long-term extension.
Zach Lowe of Grantland believes the Spurs are trying to scare teams off in restricted free agency.
"It’s a dangerous game. Someone might toss Leonard a Parsons-style three-year max, just to test San Antonio’s mettle. The Spurs would surely match it, but a three-year contract is not the ideal outcome when you can lock in such a talented player for five years. San Antonio is not letting Leonard go. That knowledge might be enough to scare teams out of devoting precious cap space to a failed Leonard gambit, but it takes only one brave soul to scuttle a complex plan.The Spurs are using the hammer of restricted free agency to frighten suitors and get what they want. That’s the point of restricted free agency. Holding off also hedges against Leonard possibly taking a step back for whatever reason, including health issues, and we haven’t seen how Leonard would really fare as a top offensive option over a full season."
Leonard has battle an eye infection and has played in just one game this season. He scored six points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out an assist on Friday in a 94-89 loss to the Phoenix Suns.
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 last season. In the postseason, he averaged 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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