Photo Credit: The Canadian Press
Kawhi Leonard’s Not So Warm Homecoming
When the Toronto Raptors traded DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Pöltl and a 2019 first round pick to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green this past NBA summer, it finally marked the end of the Kawhi Leonard and San Antonio Spurs saga, which definitely was one of the weirdest NBA stories in recent history.
That is why there has been a lot of buzz around Kawhi this past season, for a lot of reasons. His stellar play, we’ve gotten used to, wasn’t part of it though.
Even though he was medically cleared, Leonard still chose to be out and went weeks without communicating with the team. In the playoffs, while other injured stars were attending their team’s games, supporting them from the sidelines, Leonard was nowhere to be seen. Then, after the season, Kawhi asked for a trade.
The situation was irreversible and the relationship between Leonard and the Spurs irreparable.
It seems as the relationship between Leonard and the Spurs fans also is irreparable. Last night, when the old Spurs stars were in town with their new team for the first time, the franchise obviously played a tribute video for Leonard and Danny Green, right before the player introductions during which Green got cheered, and Leonard got booed. The boos didn’t stop throughout the whole game with Kawhi also receiving traitor chants.
Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green get introduced in San Antonio as members of the Raptors. pic.twitter.com/enErTW5ztu
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 4, 2019
https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1080992516273553408
Kawhi gets booed on 1st bucket and Danny Green couldn't hold back a smile pic.twitter.com/LY7WwqWNLK
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 4, 2019
Spurs fans start "traitor" chant while Kawhi shoots FT's 😳 pic.twitter.com/NTy0zh9ry8
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 4, 2019
