Former Spurs guard Bruce Bowen ripped disgruntled star Kawhi Leonard for his role in the fracturing of the relationship with San Antonio.
Bowen says Leonard is getting bad advice from his own camp.
"I think there's nothing but excuses going on…You're the franchise and you want to say that @spurs didn't have your best interest at heart? Are kidding me?"@Bowen12 on @kawhileonard pic.twitter.com/2HvQNvR6Fb
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) June 21, 2018
“There’s nothing but excuses going on,” with the 26-year-old, according to Bowen.
Per ESPN:
Speaking on Sirius XM NBA Radio on Thursday night, Bowen said: “First, it was, ‘Well I was misdiagnosed.’ Look here: You got $18 million this year, and you think that they’re trying to rush you? You didn’t play for the most part a full season this year. And you’re the go-to guy, you’re the franchise and you want to say that they didn’t have your best interest at heart? Are you kidding me?
“I think he’s getting bad advice. I think what you’re starting to see now is an individual given a certain amount of advice, and it’s not the right advice. Here it is: You were protected in San Antonio. You were able to come up during a time where you still could lean on Tim [Duncan] Tony [Parker] and Manu [Ginobili].”
Bowen also said he thought Leonard’s decision to rehab in New York instead of with the team was a problem.
“As a player, if I’m a leader of a team, my team goes on the road in the playoffs, I’m with my guys,” he said. “Because that’s what it’s all about. It’s about camaraderie. It’s about fellowship. It’s a brotherhood. When that didn’t happen, it’s all kinds of sirens and alarm signals that says to me, ‘Is this person fully vested?’ … I don’t want to take on a player who’s not willing to support his guys during the course of their time needing him.”
