Kawhi Leonard Left and These Players Broke the Spurs’ Soul

When Kawhi Leonard walked out of San Antonio, he didn’t just take his All-Star talent and Finals MVP trophy with him—he ripped the soul out of an entire franchise. What followed his controversial exit was not just a rebuild, but a descent into some of the most difficult Spurs basketball fans have ever witnessed.

From 2018 onward, Spurs fans—once spoiled with the glory days of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginóbili—were suddenly thrown into a new reality. A reality where every game felt like a punishment, and where some players simply didn’t belong on an NBA court, let alone wear the jersey that once symbolized excellence.

This is the story of the most frustrating players to watch in the post-Kawhi Leonard era, a time Spurs Nation wishes they could forget.

Kawhi Left and the Spurs Identity Collapsed

Spurs fans didn’t just lose a superstar when Kawhi demanded his exit—they lost their identity. The franchise that was once known for team-first basketball, elite defense, and unselfish play became… ordinary. And in many cases, far worse than that.

Without Leonard’s two-way dominance, the Spurs lost their defensive spine, and their offense—once surgical—became clunky and uninspired. Worse yet, some of the players who filled the void were not just underwhelming—they were downright unwatchable.

Bryn Forbes: When Defense Became Optional

Let’s start with a name that still triggers groans from fans: Bryn Forbes. Sure, he could shoot. On a good night. But what made him so painful to watch wasn’t his scoring inconsistency—it was his complete inability to defend.

Night after night, opposing guards would hunt Forbes like a shark smelling blood in the water. He was a walking mismatch, and no amount of made threes could make up for the points he hemorrhaged on the other end.

Fans remember yelling at their TVs: “Why is he still on the court?” The answer? Even Coach Pop seemed to run out of options.

Luka Šamanić: The Ghost of a First-Round Pick

Remember when the Spurs used the 19th pick in the 2019 draft to select Luka Šamanić, a lanky European prospect who was supposed to be the next big developmental gem? Fans were intrigued. That intrigue quickly turned to confusion… then rage.

Šamanić never looked ready for NBA basketball. He drifted through games with no intensity, no urgency, and no purpose. He played like he didn’t want to be there, and the fans felt it.

He was waived before his rookie contract ended, and many still consider him one of the biggest busts in Spurs draft history. When you’re supposed to help replace Kawhi Leonard and end up forgotten, that says it all.

Josh Primo: A PR Disaster Disguised as a Draft Pick

Another painful reminder of the post-Kawhi chaos was the shock selection of Josh Primo in the 2021 NBA Draft. Taken 12th overall, the pick raised eyebrows from the start.

Yes, he was young. Yes, he had “potential.” But potential means nothing when a player looks completely overwhelmed in every game. He looked lost on offense, exposed on defense, and uncomfortable overall.

The fact that his Spurs tenure ended in a scandal (which we won’t go into due to community standards) only made things worse. Fans were furious. Not just because of the incident, but because the team had invested in a player who clearly wasn’t ready to carry any legacy.

Trey Lyles: The Human Turnover

If there was ever a player that defined the word “meh,” it was Trey Lyles. He wasn’t terrible. But he wasn’t good. In fact, he was just… there.

He had moments, sure, but those moments were usually followed by a missed box-out, a careless foul, or a brutal turnover. Watching Lyles was like eating a soggy sandwich—technically food, but deeply unsatisfying.

Spurs fans didn’t hate Lyles—they just didn’t understand why he was playing 25 minutes a night. And they still don’t.

Marco Belinelli’s Second Act Should’ve Stayed Closed

In his first stint with the Spurs, Marco Belinelli was a fun, reckless shooter who hit big shots when it mattered. But when he returned in the post-Kawhi era? He looked cooked.

He couldn’t defend, couldn’t stay in front of anyone, and turned every possession into a circus. Watching Belinelli in his second Spurs run was like watching a magician who forgot his own tricks.

Yet somehow, he kept getting minutes. Fans begged for younger talent to get a shot. Instead, they got more pump-fakes and bad fadeaways.

Drew Eubanks: G-League Energy, NBA Problems

You could never fault Drew Eubanks for effort. The guy hustled. He played hard. He looked like he really wanted to be there. But effort only gets you so far in the NBA, especially when you’re undersized, unskilled, and foul-prone.

Eubanks constantly found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. His hands were questionable. His timing was worse. And his touch around the rim? Nonexistent.

Fans appreciated the grit—but grit doesn’t win games. He was hard to root against, but even harder to watch.

Lonnie Walker IV: The Tease That Never Delivered

Let’s talk about heartbreak. Lonnie Walker IV had the athleticism, the bounce, the highlight potential—but none of the consistency.

Every time he threw down a thunderous dunk, fans believed he was finally about to turn the corner. Then he’d follow it up with three straight quarters of invisible basketball.

He looked the part, but rarely played the part. And when his contract ended, the front office let him walk without hesitation. Another “maybe” that turned into a “meh.”

The Pain Wasn’t Just in the Players—It Was in the Product

The problem wasn’t just individual players—it was the sheer lack of cohesion, identity, and vision. Post-Kawhi Spurs were a rotating door of journeymen, G-Leaguers, and reclamation projects.

The offense slowed to a crawl. The defense became optional. And the wins stopped coming. Fans who once expected 50+ wins a season started to celebrate moral victories and close losses.

It was a far fall. And it hurt.

Why This Era Still Stings Today

Even with rising stars like Victor Wembanyama now lighting up the league, there’s still a part of Spurs Nation that hasn’t fully healed from the post-Kawhi collapse.

Those years were more than just “rebuilding”—they were a reminder of how quickly a dynasty can crumble, and how long it takes to rise again.

Fans stayed loyal, but it was painful loyalty. They endured blowouts, embarrassing lineups, and coaching decisions that made no sense. And even today, scrolling through old rosters is enough to make die-hards wince.

Will the Nightmare Ever End?

Now, with a new generation in place and Wemby bringing hope back to San Antonio, the Spurs faithful can finally breathe again. But they won’t forget what they went through.

The Bryn Forbes minutes. The Šamanić mystery. The Belinelli pump fakes.

Those years will live on—not in banners, but in group chats, memes, and therapy sessions.

Final Thought: Kawhi’s Shadow Still Looms

Kawhi Leonard didn’t just leave San Antonio—he left a vacuum. A leadership void. A talent chasm. And for years, the franchise failed to fill it.

The players that came next were not just worse—they were, at times, impossible to watch.

And while time may heal, Spurs fans will never forget who made them mute the TV.