Kawhi Leonard Contract: Latest Gossip and Buzz on Negotiations with Spurs

Kawhi Leonard was the breakout star from last year's playoffs, winning MVP of the NBA Finals for the San Antonio Spurs. Now, he wants to get paid for his efforts. 

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, Leonard is likely going to test the restricted free-agent waters after this season:

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Contract extension discussions have ended, and San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard plans to explore restricted free agency next summer, his agent, Brian Elfus, told Yahoo Sports on Friday afternoon.

Elfus and Leonard have held firm on their desire for a maximum contract extension, something Spurs management won’t consider until July.

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Leonard's agent is quoted by Wojnarowski as saying that he was disappointed a deal couldn't get done with the Spurs and acknowledged his camp believes "Kawhi is deserving of a max contract."

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There’s no debating Kawhi’s value. The market has been set. He’s done everything the Spurs have asked of him, exceeded all of their expectations. Coach [Gregg] Popovich has gone out of his way to call Kawhi the future face of the franchise. We have great respect for the Spurs organization, but here, we simply agree to disagree.

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The Spurs aren't a franchise known for giving out huge extensions to anyone, so they are playing with fire in Leonard's case. Sam Amick of USA Today pondered what not getting a long-term deal done with their 23-year-old star could mean, given how the market has played out for another, less-proven player:

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Then comes Gordon Hayward, a 24-year-old who has put up good numbers (12.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists per game) on Utah Jazz teams that have been subpar for his four seasons (143-169 regular season record combined). He was given a four-year, $63 million deal max offer by the Charlotte Hornets last summer that the Jazz matched.

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Leonard isn't an unrestricted free agent, so when he hits the market this summer, San Antonio will have a chance to match any potential offer he gets. The Spurs are conservative when it comes to spending money, which can hurt negotiations with a young, budding superstar who played an integral part in winning last year's title. 

Given their lengthy track record of success, the Spurs should be given the benefit of the doubt in any situation. It's dangerous, though, because their nucleus is still comprised of players over 30, like Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. 

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