As expected, KP is catching a lot of grief now that he's gone. Some of that is warranted and some of it is not. Yes, he wanted out of New York. No, he didn't ask for the Mavs to trade for him. Yes, he signed the contract. The injuries weren't his fault and surely frustrated him much more than it ever frustrated anyone else. He was "the guy" in New York and Dallas gave him a contract to be "the guy", at least in tandem, here. The fit never worked with Luka, nor Carlisle. He bares some responsibility in that but so do the Mavs for trading for him before they even knew what they had with their drafted superstar. Carlisle and traded players, much like draft picks, are often a coinflip. There were moments tantalizing greatness and moments that left us scratching our heads. Throughout it all, he was a class act and professional with the media and by all accounts, was a hard worked and good teammate (DFS approved). Before we bury him for the injuries and on-the-court shortcomings, I think we should try to put ourselves in his shoes. It can't have been easy to be relegated to the role he ended up with towards the end of Carlisle's tenure. I don't think he handled the on court frustrations perfectly, but no one is perfect and things could have been a lot worse.
While the relationship is a mess and I was never his biggest fan as a player, I am a fan of the person. I appreciate KP and hope you find health and success on the court and beyond.
While the relationship is a mess and I was never his biggest fan as a player, I am a fan of the person. I appreciate KP and hope you find health and success on the court and beyond.