The 7 Greatest Spurs in history, ranked by Player Efficiency Rating (PER)

3. Kawhi Leonard - 22.1

The story of Kawhi Leonard will always be a tragic one for fans of the Spurs. What makes it all the more disappointing is the way it ended up playing out. Taken just outside the draft lottery in 2011, Kawhi was a solid pickup for the Spurs at the time, but few if any expected him to be more than just a fine role player.

The truth is, Leonard was a raw player coming out of San Diego State. He did not possess a polished offensive game at all, and the thought was that he could help San Antonio as a defensive stopper and could maybe develop something of an offensive game one day. Of course, he ended up blossoming into a bigger two-way superstar than anyone could have ever imagined.

Earning the 2014 Finals MVP, Kawhi proved to the world that he had what it took to perform on the biggest stage and against the best players. But as he became the Spurs' new franchise player, things began to go south when he unexpectedly demanded out, forcing a trade that would eventually lead him to his hometown of Los Angeles in 2019.

During Kawhi's six full seasons in San Antonio, the eye test told us that he would have one of the best PERs in team history. The defense was always there, but as he grew his offensive game, he became among the league's elite at getting to his spots and using his strength and strong fundamentals to score from anywhere on the floor.