All is not well in San Antonio according to Woj

[Moranis]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/22179536/kawhi-leonard-relationship-san-antonio-spurs-becoming-strained

[Monkhouse]

Sounds like a bunch of nothing to me....

I think the Spurs are just not handling it as well as Stevens has with Hayward...

Hayward feels involved. He feels like he is actually still apart of the team. Leonard is quiet, but intelligently well spoken individual. But he doesn't vocally say what is on his mind unfortunately.

So regarding the injury, they have to be more willing to try to get Leonard involved in the team. You rarely hear about Leonard's involvement with the team despite his continued absence from the team, and more about how well the Spurs are playing without their best player. It definitely would irk someone like Lebron, or Westbrook if they were out for extended period of time, only to hear constantly from news reporters, outlets, or analysts saying, "Spurs are doing well without Kawhi, what does this mean for the team?" blah blah blah, etc.

It has to wear on a player, especially someone like Kawhi Leonard.

[Donoghus]

ESPN seems to have a knack for producing these "tension in dynastic franchises" pieces lately.

[celticsclay]

Yea this kind of sounds like a whole bunch of nothing to me. He has an injury that has taken longer to heal than expected and I am sure there has been frustration and disagreements about best course of action. This is different from what happens on just about every team? Is there a "chilling effect" on the 76ers franchise that Fultz has scapular imbalance?

 God I wish someone would challenge ESPN with good sportswriting/they would stop sensationalizing the crap out of everything.

[CelticsElite]

 woj is very reliable source, the most reliable name in basketball and he never reports anything that might ruin his rep.

Its woj. It isnt fake.

I also don't Think this is nothing. Seems they brought him back to early and they lost his trust. Wouldn't be surprised if he asks to be traded

[gift]

woj is very reliable source, the most reliable name in basketball and he never reports anything that might ruin his rep.

Its woj. It isnt fake.

I also don't Think this is nothing. Seems they brought him back to early and they lost his trust. Wouldn't be surprised if he asks to be traded

The article really didn't say much at all. The only reason I give the main point of the article any credibility is because it's from Woj with contributions from Zack Lowe. If they are putting their names on it, there has to be something there, though it's not really present in the actual printed report.

[fairweatherfan]

Weird article, it doesn't really say what the source of the "tension" actually is. Frustration with medical staff is a likely candidate but it could also be as simple as "slow recovery process makes young introverted star kinda mopey". Which is a shame but doesn't really warrant the tone of the piece.

[celticsclay]

woj is very reliable source, the most reliable name in basketball and he never reports anything that might ruin his rep.

Its woj. It isnt fake.

I also don't Think this is nothing. Seems they brought him back to early and they lost his trust. Wouldn't be surprised if he asks to be traded

Have you seen woj's pieces on Lebron over the years? I like Woj, but the everything he reports is rooted in hardcore fact hasn't been true...

[Snakehead]

Weird article, it doesn't really say what the source of the "tension" actually is. Frustration with medical staff is a likely candidate but it could also be as simple as "slow recovery process makes young introverted star kinda mopey". Which is a shame but doesn't really warrant the tone of the piece.

Exactly.

Did anyone follow some details of Hayward's story?  He sounds also depressed about his injury and that is VERY understandable.  It's how I would be in his position.  There was talk about him not really wanting to be around the team and trying to stay connected because that's a real thing.  Look what just happened with Derrick Rose as well.

To me this is more recent examples of the NBA media at large being very TMZ lately in a way I do not like.  And also, I hate the way headlines and things work these days to create a splash and make statements beyond pieces and things like that and I don't let these media companies off the hook for that.  It's been bad this year.  IT in multiple situations including with Pierce and the defense blame on him now, Lavar Ball all along here, the Clippers/Rockets story (which seems shoddily reported), the Cavs blaming story recently in which players went to the media and used them like a PR company for a story, this.

Also, on Woj, there are two Woj's.  Pure reporter more and then his tone pieces.  He has done less of those but he used to do more.  This is a man who was tearing down LeBron for years before he got over the hump and won a title (when he dragged the worst supporting cast in NBA history I have to imagine to the Finals) and then he entirely flipped his tone on LeBron.

I always thought that part of Woj's work was junk and still do.  He's not iron clad when he's in that mode.

[Snakehead]

woj is very reliable source, the most reliable name in basketball and he never reports anything that might ruin his rep.

Its woj. It isnt fake.

I also don't Think this is nothing. Seems they brought him back to early and they lost his trust. Wouldn't be surprised if he asks to be traded

Have you seen woj's pieces on Lebron over the years? I like Woj, but the everything he reports is rooted in hardcore fact hasn't been true...

Yes, just beat me to this.  He has eased off that kind of thing but he used to do it a lot and it's part of why I never liked him.

TP

[Androslav]

Woj is the ruling "party".
He is not good nor bad, he just is.

In general I dislike the ruling party, so I dislike his voice of the establishment persona.

I have no idea where he is going with this one TBH.
If I were Kawhi and wanted to leave ID give him a call, but I'm not buying ATM.

[Monkhouse]

Woj is the ruling "party".
He is not good nor bad, he just is.

In general I dislike the ruling party, so I dislike his voice of the establishment persona.

I have no idea where he is going with this one TBH.
If I were Kawhi and wanted to leave ID give him a call, but I'm not buying ATM.

Celticsblog twitter wrote what I think is a very funny tidbit/joke.

ok, I'll ask...

how does one tell when Kawhi is “distant and disconnected?"

like, does one eye twitch slightly less?
does he stare with his eyes slightly crossed?
help me out here

But agree with your points. Woj is sometimes inconsistent to be honest.

[incoherent]

I believe this 100% and if you read what Buford says about it "this has been very difficult for Kawhi" is something you would say about someone who was upset.

So you have the GM confirming that the player is upset, and you have the most reliable basketball source telling you there is a problem...  yeah there is a problem.

Will it result in anything? Who knows. 

Kawhi is a free agent at the end of next season, Spurs need to put someone around him or he wont stay.  Right now they have nothing.

[Monkhouse]

I believe this 100% and if you read what Buford says about it "this has been very difficult for Kawhi" is something you would say about someone who was upset.

So you have the GM confirming that the player is upset, and you have the most reliable basketball source telling you there is a problem...  yeah there is a problem.

Will it result in anything? Who knows. 

Kawhi is a free agent at the end of next season, Spurs need to put someone around him or he wont stay.  Right now they have nothing.

That's where the Celtics come in.

If we lose Smart, put Hayward at the 2. Brown can come off the bench but have 20 plus mins.

Kyrie
Hayward
Leonard
Tatum
Horford

Sixth man Brown.

Yeah I can live with that. 

Okay dreams over.

[Celtics4ever]

woj is very reliable source, the most reliable name in basketball and he never reports anything that might ruin his rep.

I think this was the case but unfortunately he went to ESPN and he is less reliable now.