The Indiana Pacers made a shocking trade at the start of this NBA Draft, swapping Leonard and George for Thaddeus Young. The Spurs then selected Kawhi with their draft pick. However, Larry Bird predicted that his infamous decision would backfire on him in years to come. Will he regret it?
In a recent interview with Complex, Larry Bird predicted that his infamous draft-day trade of Kawhi Leonard would backfire. A lot can change in 10 years, but it’s quite possible that he was right about the whole thing being an overreaction.
The “kawhi leonard free agency” is a topic that has been in the news recently. Former Pacers Executive Larry Bird predicted that his infamous draft-day trade of Kawhi Leonard would backfire.
Going into the 2011 NBA Draft, Indiana Pacers club president Larry Bird thought the franchise needed to make a bold move after only reaching the playoffs once in the previous five years. He also realized that by making this move, the Pacers may lose out on Kawhi Leonard’s star potential.
With two-way wing Paul George showing hints of stardom and second-year big Roy Hibbert defending the rim, the Pacers possessed a scoring machine in Danny Granger. To complement Darren Collison, Bird believed the Pacers needed another good combo guard.
Larry Legend became the first man in NBA history to earn MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year in the same season. However, his views on the decision to trade Leonard on draft night ring truer in retrospect.
In exchange for George Hill, Larry Bird and the Pacers gave the draft rights to Kawhi Leonard.
*{padding:0;margin:0;overflow:hidden} html,bodyheight:100% img,spanposition:absolute;width:100% ;top:0;bottom:0;margin:auto;bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyhe spanheight:1.5em;text-align:center;font:48px/1.5 sans-serif;color:white;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow
When San Diego State swingman Kawhi Leonard started to tumble in the 2011 NBA Draft, Larry Bird and the Pacers sensed an opportunity.
For the Aztecs, Leonard had a spectacular (although short) career, garnering All-America Second Team accolades and being named a Wooden Award nominee. The Claw was passed over by clubs like the Phoenix Suns due to a lackluster and nervous performance in the NBA combine.
With the 15th overall choice, Bird looked around and discovered the San Antonio Spurs, who were interested in Leonard. In return for Leonard’s draft rights, the Spurs handed guard George Hill to the Pacers.
Both teams looked to benefit from the transaction. With Tony Parker on the roster, youngster Danny Green, and All-NBA Manu Ginobili at the 2-guard position, San Antonio didn’t need another backcourt player. Meanwhile, with powerful wings in Granger and George, the Pacers could afford to trade Leonard.
Despite the fact that the deal looked to be a win-win situation, Bird said that the Pacers may have given up a star-caliber player in Kawhi Leonard.
Leonard had the potential to be “one hell” of a talent, according to Bird.
Larry Bird (L) and Kawhi Leonard (R) | Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images and Harry How/Getty Images, from left to right
The pursuit of a guard by Bird always led to the same person: George Hill. According to the Indianapolis Star, the Hick from French Lick attempted to buy Hill for “three years.”
Despite the fact that the Pacers’ pick of Leonard and each team’s roster composition made a trade plausible, Bird was leery about the price. He remembered a chat with governor Herb Simon in which he recognized Kawhi’s potential as a player in the future.
“I told Herbie (Simon, Pacers owner), ‘I want George Hill, but we’re going to pay a premium for it because this kid (Leonard) who just slid to us is going to be one heck of a player, but I believe we need him for our team,’” he said.
–Larry Bird, via the Indianapolis Star, 2013.
It’s an understatement to say Leonard turned out well. Kawhi has since developed into one of the league’s finest players and will go down as one of the NBA’s greatest talents.
Isn’t it true that the Pacers lost the trade? In retrospect, without a doubt. However, evaluating the agreement in isolation is difficult.
Leonard’s inexorable climb to prominence paralleled the Pacers’ downward spiral.
*{padding:0;margin:0;overflow:hidden} html,bodyheight:100% img,spanposition:absolute;width:100% ;top:0;bottom:0;margin:auto;bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyhe spanheight:1.5em;text-align:center;font:48px/1.5 sans-serif;color:white;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow
The Pacers had just recently returned to the playoffs at the time of the deal. Bird and the front office were unable to place Leonard behind Granger and George in the hopes that he would grow and be given a shot in the future. In addition, George Hill was a standout in Indiana.
Hill earned a spot in the starting lineup for the 2012-13 season. For an Indiana team that advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals and pushed the “Big 3” Miami Heat to seven games, he averaged 14.2 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.7 rebounds.
But here’s the thing: there’s a catch. Leonard had a spectacular second season, making an immediate impact in the playoffs. While the Pacers returned to the Conference Finals in 2014, the Spurs won the NBA championship, with Kawhi Leonard receiving Finals MVP.
To make things worse for Indiana, Granger’s career was cut short due to knee and calf injuries. Lance Stephenson had a good season on the wing, but he wasn’t as good as Leonard. Furthermore, Stephenson’s departure in 2014, followed by George’s terrible leg injury during Team USA camp, created a huge hole on the wings.
Despite George’s return to All-Star status, the Pacers lacked the components to compete, and Bird eventually stepped down from his position with the team in 2017. Meanwhile, Leonard established himself as an All-NBA player, keeping an older Spurs team towards the top of the Western Conference.
The mythology of the Claw has only expanded. He led the Toronto Raptors to a championship in 2019 and continues to play at an MVP level, despite being out for the whole 2021-22 season due to injuries.
In the end, Bird foresaw Leonard’s popularity and how the deal would boomerang on the Pacers, even though criticizing Larry Legend for making the trade at the time is rather unjust.
Basketball Reference provided the statistics.
Larry Bird was so devastated by Magic Johnson’s retirement announcement that he refused to speak about it a week later.
Watch This Video-
Larry Bird is a former basketball player who played for the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. In his career, he won three championships with the Celtics and two more with the Pacers. Larry Bird made an infamous trade that backfired on him during his time as a general manager of the Pacers. Reference: larry bird net worth.
Related Tags
- nba
- larry bird coach
- when did larry bird retire
- where is kawhi leonard from
