San Antonio Spurs: What if Zaza Never Injured Kawhi Leonard?

San Antonio Spurs' 2019-20 season

Unsurprisingly, the Spurs don’t make any major offseason moves. Giannis is declared the King of the East, so LeBron James recruits Kemba Walker and Tobias Harris to sign with Cleveland, immediately making the Cavs the favorites to win the Finals. 

The Rockets add Kristaps Porzingis to the fold. He wanted Dallas to be his team, and Dallas wanted to be Luka’s team right away. James Harden informs Porzingis that Houston is, in fact, his team. Kristaps is unhappy and demands a trade halfway through the season, which is not granted. 

Kevin Durant decides the West has too many heavy hitters and takes his talents to Philadelphia. He still has a torn Achilles to heal from, but the 76ers are a team to look out for.

The Spurs enter the 2019-20 season expected to finish behind Houston. Houston manages to win 64 games and Portland somehow sneaks in as the second seed. The Spurs finish third in the West.

While the Spurs do slightly underperform in the regular season, both Aldridge and Leonard are named NBA All-Stars. Leonard leads the Spurs with 28 points per game and 2.7 steals. This season, Kawhi wins his first MVP award and the Defensive Player of the Year award. Derrick White is also named Sixth Man of the Year.

Kawhi and Murray are both first-team All-Defense, and Derrick White and Danny Green are both second-team All-Defense. 

With the Clippers and Lakers out of the picture and the Warriors still battling injuries, the Spurs easily cruise to the Finals. There, they match up with the Cavaliers again. Kemba Walker averages 14 assists in the six-game series, and LeBron James averages 32 points. Tobias Harris is totally shut down by Leonard and company, and the Spurs squeak a victory out in six very close games.