The San Antonio Spurs are known for drafting and retaining their stars. Look at Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili as evidence. You can even go as far back as David Robinson since “The Admiral” played his entire career with the Spurs. Kawhi Leonard though, may buck that trend.
Now there may be a small bump in the road for the Spurs future plans in a post Duncan/Ginobili/Parker era. The main center piece, the reigning Finals MVP, Kawhi Leonard may not be ready to sign an extension with the Spurs.
More from Marc Stein of ESPN:
There is a strong likelihood that Friday’s midnight deadline for contract extensions for first-round picks from the Class of 2011 will pass without a new deal for reigning NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, according to league sources.
Sources told ESPN.com this week that Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs, despite more serious discussions between the parties in advance of the Halloween buzzer, are unlikely to come to terms during this extension window
Kawhi Leonhard has previously stated that he want the Max. The youngest Finals MVP since Magic Johnson may or may not deserve that, but check out Kurt Helin‘s breakdown of the Spurs cap and what they can do.
If the Spurs give Leonard a max extension now, based on the NBA’s projected salary cap, he’d count $15,502,415 against the cap next offseason. If Leonard becomes a free agent, he’d count just $7,235,148 against the cap until signed. That extra $8,267,267 of cap space could be quite useful, and San Antonio could exceed the cap to re-sign Leonard after using it.
However, San Antonio is taking one risk by declining to give Leonard a max extension now – that he signs a shorter deal, maybe even the qualifying offer, this summer and hits unrestricted free agency sooner.
Based on my projected salary caps, Leonard would earn slightly more than he would on a max contract extension by taking the qualifying offer and signing a max deal with another team in 2016, when the cap is slated to rise dramatically due to the new national TV contracts. Though the difference is slight, that’s only if Thompson leaves San Antonio. If he re-signs, the difference is immense.
A max extension now projects to be worth $89,138,886 over five years. If Leonard re-signs in 2016, a five-year max contract projects to pay $117,233,535.
The Payout would be similar to that of what Klay Thompson is expected to get from the Golden State Warriors. But this is different, you’re trying to figure out how much a young Finals MVP is worth to your team right now and the future.
I say, pay that man! Show Kawhi Leonard the money!
