The image of a tough guy in the small card, Popovich won the championship after forcing him away, and the Spurs celebrity praised him for his ruthlessness
Spurs legend Kawhi Kawhi Leonard is the Spurs' hope, as he led the Spurs to a championship in 2014 and was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year.
But when Leonard applied to leave Spurs after his poor 2017-17 performances, the situation remains puzzling.
Looking back, former Spurs giant LaMarcus Aldridge expressed his opinion on Leonard's departure, and explained to everyone what went wrong back then.
"There are some things that you can't tell everybody, and some things are secrets," Aldridge said. "We both knew they had a holiday, but we didn't know what was going on. ”
Despite Leonard's move to the Spurs last season, Aldridge doesn't look like he's going to know what's to come.
Thankfully, Stephen Jackson can explain why Leonard was traded by the Spurs.
"To be a part of the San Antonio Spurs, you need a lot of willpower and a good mentality," Jackson said. Popovich will put you to the test. Neither Covey nor I could stand this. We're all meant to play basketball, not confined to one place. Leonard thinks so, too. He loved the game but when he got injured the team didn't help him. ”
Spurs legend Stephen Jackson uttered such a phrase, and Leonard left because of Popovich.
Leonard was traded away in the summer of 2018, which kept the Spurs from returning to the main team in the East for several years. However, a lot of questions have arisen about Popovich and the team spirit he has created.
Leonard's relationship with the Spurs has not been good due to only nine appearances last season, which has also become the focus of attention.
Although the team doctor said he was in good shape, Leonard refused to participate in the training, saying he was not ready to take the risk right now.
Leonard (and Stephen Jackson) were also notoriously harsh towards Popovich.
When the Spurs expressed doubts about Leonard's condition, there were doubts that he would leave, so he cut all contact with the team and requested a trade in the summer.
In any case, the conflict between Leonard and the Spurs is a personal issue, and Popovich's role as the core figure of the team is also partly due to reasons that cannot be ignored.
With more than 1,300 titles to his name, Gregg Popovich is arguably the best head coach in history, but Popovich isn't flawless either, as his harsh coaching approach has led to the departure of many star players, including Coe.
Although Leonard usually doesn't talk much, his strength on the field is beyond doubt. Although Popovich's coaching style made him uncomfortable, he was still capable when he went to the Raptors.
After he left the Spurs, Leonard was quickly proven to be capable and led the Raptors to their first NBA championship.
His arrival is a huge change for the Raptors, who have achieved unprecedented accomplishments under his leadership and have not had a single trophy in their history.
His dedication and leadership qualities are not only evident on the pitch, but also in the team. This trophy is not just to recognize Leonard, but to prove that he is the leader of a team.
From this point, Popovich's choice may be confusing to many, but for Leonard, for the Raptors, it is a surprise.
His arrival is a huge change for the club and a great opportunity at the same time. This major breakthrough, and this legend, will go down in the history books of the NBA.
Leonard, though taciturn, was a fierce guy on the court, and after Popovich drove him away, he led the Raptors to a championship.
The Raptors have never won a championship, and this is the time when Leonard came to the league from the Spurs and the team's history was broken.