Reports: Kawhi Leonard & Spurs Agree to Extension

by

The news we’ve all been expecting broke minutes after the NBA free agency negotiating period began. According to Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, the San Antonio Spurs and Kawhi Leonard have agreed to five year extension in the $90 million range. Perhaps the most surprising in all of this is that Leonard’s camp, led by agents Brian Elfus and Mitch Frankel, released a statement from the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

“I have every intention of signing with the San Antonio Spurs,” Leonard said in a statement. “There are details in the contract which need to be worked out with the organization. I am confident that this will be accomplished.”

Nothing can be signed until July 9 and Leonard’s deal won’t be signed until after they figure out every other major move. As Matt Tynan wrote recently, Duncan pretty much has to be the first domino to fall because his cap hold is larger than what his next salary is likely to be. Then a trade to make the Danny Green contract work. Then, if they can get him to agree, it’s Aldridge. Finally, Kawhi signs. There’s other smaller steps in play, but those are the big steps. Green’s return isn’t a lock either. USA Today’s Sam Amick, among others, reports that the Detroit Pistons have a meeting set and the Sacramento Kings have already placed a call. We’ve also heard the New York Knicks are interested.

The Spurs are set to meet with Aldridge first thing Wednesday morning and Wojnarowski reports Leonard will be a part of that meeting. Buckle up!

  • John T.

    Well the rest is gravy as far as I am concerned because locking Leonard in to a long-term deal had to be priority No. 1. If the terms of the contract are correct the Spurs are getting an absolute steal on the level the Warriors had with Steph Curry with the pending salary cap increase. Already the news is breaking that Portland is forking over 120 million over five years for Lillard, so if Leonard is 90 million over five years that’s incredible.

  • Riotsmoke

    Green on board as well… 4 years/$45 million.. Tiago traded to the Hawks for cap relief.

  • John T,

    Yeah great news as well! Considering the Mavs are looking at 15 million per to get Matthews this is another steal of a deal.

    For all of the talk of the Spurs development machine finding three-and-d players it didn’t work out with Roger Mason Jr. or Gary Neal so the thought that the Spurs could reasonably expect to replace what Danny Green provides was never convincing to me. Plus if you are bringing Duncan and Manu back you don’t have time to develop another wing.

    As for Splitter I think he is landing in a nice spot with Coach Bud. His career in San Antonio was a success overall, a late first round pick that might turn into landing Aldridge. Plus he was critical to a championship contender for three years. I hope the best for Tiago going forward.

  • DorieStreet

    Bad-luck Blazers basically starting over—trading Batum, Aldridge leaving, Matthews Jr. weighing RFA offers…..Lillard will be their linchpin to build around (until their next lottery pick).

  • DorieStreet

    Limited, short-term success.

  • TitletownX5

    Still in a short term you sayhe managed to stop “Aldridge” and Dirk that enabled us to get to the next level and win it. My how people forget. Fickle fans. But hey jump on the wagon while he’s not even played one minute.

  • Tyler

    If you believe one player “stops” another single player, that’s such a narrow and outdated way of viewing today’s NBA basketball. That is rarely true nowadays. This isn’t the 90’s where it was all iso ball and 1 vs 1.

    Today, the ball and players move so much more than they used to. And now that offense is all about the PnR, it’s about team defense more than anything. Teams shut down players, not a single player.

    And while Tiago made Aldridge work, are you really saying you’re rather have Tiago over LA based on a sample size of 5 games??

  • Tyler

    Oden, Roy, Matthews…..jeez, you almost feel bad….almost

  • DorieStreet

    Very glad this negotiation is finally wrapped up. Now Spurs fans can stop fretting about Kawhi going to another team.
    And with Danny not even testing the waters and inking a contract to stay hours into the FA period-
    it reveals how he wants to continue his NBA career……being loyal to the franchise that gave him a second opportunity, and assuming a role to keep the team a championship contender.
    I recall that photo session when Leonard and Green were the players chosen to model the new uniforms—the new ‘Core 3’ (along with Aldridge perhaps?) of the Spurs.

  • TitletownX5

    We might not even end up with him at this rate or anybody with all these meetings he’s setting up. He may not even know what he wants. Cut him loose and rescind the Hawk deal and bring Tiago back then get West and Jordan Hill. Hell its better than what we had last year.

  • TitletownX5

    The Spurs don’t have time to put up with this nonsense LA is putting us through. We may end up like Portland with nothing. Actually at this point Portland has more a front court than we do. Baynes is gone that leaves us with Bonner and Ayres again if LA keeps dragging his feet and even doing 2nd meetings. ENOUGH! LET’S MOVE ON!

  • Tyler

    You can’t rescind the Hawks deal - bad for business and sends a terrible message to the rest of the NBA. RC and Pop would never do that.

    Patience, LA is only making the most important decision of his professional career. It’s ok if he takes a few meetings and some time to think about it.