The power of Victor Wembanyama has even spread to Kawhi Leonard

The desire to play next to Victor Wembanyama is spreading like cooties, and apparently, Kawhi Leonard has it now. Last night, Bobby Marks set Spurs Nation ablaze online after suggesting San Antonio may be monitoring Leonard's current situation in Clipperland. It seemed like pure speculation without any real legs at the time, but now, the plot has thickened (paid) like a Christopher Nolan film.

"When it comes to potential trade talks, there are only two other teams that Leonard would consider signing an extension with: the two teams he played for before becoming a Clipper." Marc Stein via The Stein Line

Who would have thought that the man who poured gasoline on the carpet and flicked a match on his way out would ever try to return home? San Antonio did their best to keep the house from collapsing, but eventually, their only choice was to tear everything down and rebuild from the foundations up. And now that they're living lavishly, you want your old room back? That's not a no. It's a hell no.

There's no chance Kawhi would be welcome back in San Antonio

If you're on the outside looking in here, you probably think Spurs fans would be crazy to reject the Klaw after he just played like an MVP candidate while remaining upright for 65 games. But that's just because you don't understand the full scale of the implications that came with Leonard's obnoxious exit strategy.

The Spurs have been known as a class-first, player-friendly organization for decades. That reputation matters to a small-market ball club more than a large-market team. Players are going to want to play in Los Angeles, no matter how much Rob Pelinka fails to put together a real contender.

They only want to head to SA now because Victor Wembanyama is there. That wasn't even the case when Tim Duncan's Big 3 played and they won five titles, racking up 50-win seasons like credit card debt. It took a transcendent talent from outer space to make San Antonio a destination city. Klaw must be enamored by him, the same as everyone else.

But he should have thought about that before making people believe he was being mistreated in the Alamo City. "They're alienating him. They're making him look bad," was a quote from an anonymous source described as a "Leonard confidant" back in an ESPN article in 2018.

Talking heads believed it, pushing out narratives that the Spurs weren't who we thought them to be. He damaged a reputation that had taken decades to build because he wanted out and couldn't just say that. Being forced to trade Leonard directly led to San Antonio finally missing the playoffs for the first time in 22 seasons. The franchise didn't make the tournament again for seven years.

The Spurs are doing great now but that doesn't excuse Leonard

Ironically, while these events ultimately led to landing the new main attraction from France, they also cost Gregg Popovich any chance of winning another title as head coach. Spurs fans have a strong relationship with the organization.

They love the players and longtime staff members like family, so something like that isn't taken lightly in the Alamo City.

There's a reason the boos are loud every time he visits the arena. Touches the ball. Makes a basket. The vitriol remains vicious. It's not subsiding anytime soon, so he's better off going back to Toronto or staying in LA, where he claimed he wanted to be when he started this whole mess. The Spurs are good with Wemby, and no, you can't play with him.

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