Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich had nothing but positive things to say about Kawhi Leonard, who was dealt to Toronto for DeMar DeRozan in a blockbuster swap.
Pop says it’s time to move on, and that Leonard was a great teammate in San Antonio.
Asked Pop about the narrative that Kawhi was this bad teammate because he wasn’t on the bench at times… his response… and comments on offering the max, and departure of Kyle Anderson #Spurs pic.twitter.com/jTT5bgIYT8
— Jabari Young (@JabariJYoung) July 18, 2018
Popovich says he’s excited to work with the new crop of players from the Raptors.
Pop stresses that he and Leonard are parting on good terms #Spurs https://t.co/UPFyomQUVM
— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) July 18, 2018
Per The Express-News:
“Kawhi conducted himself wonderfully while he was here,” Popovich said. “He helped us win a fifth championship and was a hard worker all the time. We wish him well, but at this point, it’s time to move on. I’m concerned about Jacob and DeMar and our basketball team and putting that together.
“We have a lot of young kids and it’s exciting. But in no way, shape and form does it do any good to go back in time and talk A, B and C. It’s time to move on.”
The trade news was the culmination of months of speculation and exasperation among the Spurs fan base. After being injured in the 2017 Western Conference Finals, Leonard played only nine games for the Spurs last season while nursing a mysterious quadriceps injury.
“That’s all ridiculous,” the coach said of reports that Leonard was a “bad teammate” late season. “Kawhi was a great teammate all the way through,” Popovich said. “He did his work, was no problem for anybody. But talking heads out there have to have stories, and I get it…But all those stories that denigrated him in that regard were unfortunate and inaccurate.”
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