NBA: Top 10 ‘What ifs’ from the 2010s

9. What if the Pacers never pulled the trigger on a Kawhi Leonard draft-day deal with the Spurs?

We all know the story of one of the greatest steals in NBA history by now. The mighty Spurs were a dynasty in its twilight years, with no outs to getting back into championship contention anytime soon. They had to make a bold move, and after flirting with a Tony Parker trade, decided to move Popovich-favorite George Hill to Indiana for the 15th pick in the 2011 Draft. San Antonio ended up selecting Leonard with that pick, while George Hill spent five solid seasons with the Pacers until they swapped him for Jeff Teague in a three-team deal.

Let’s assume that the Pacers end up taking the Klaw and the Spurs hang on to George Hill.  The 2012 lockout season likely does not end up that differently. The Spurs were a juggernaut with Kawhi Leonard playing a lower-usage role anyway. And George Hill was playing backup duty to Darren Collison for an Indiana team that ended up giving the Heatles a scare in the second round.

In a parallel universe, Kawhi Leonard is not a star outside of the friendly confines of the Alamo City. He never learns how to shoot without the assistance of Spurs’ shooting coach Chip Engelland. He still becomes a good player, but without the elite jump shot, he never becomes anything close to the lethal isolation creator and spot-up shooter that he is today. He and Paul George would still terrorize other teams on the wing defensively.

The Pacers of the 2010s top out as a very good team with a few more conference finals appearances, but they are ultimately still just spokes on the wheel during LeBron James’ eight-year dominance over the conference.

The Spurs without their second wind in the form of Kawhi Leonard still make the 2013 NBA Finals (check how easy their path there was). They eventually get curb-stomped by the 66 win Miami Heat since they don’t have anyone who can match up adequately with LeBron. Without the motivation of avenging their devastating losses in Game 6 and Game 7, San Antonio never makes it back to the Finals.

After bowing out in the Western Conference playoffs in 2014, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili retire without one last championship to cap off their run. Tony Parker and Gregg Popovich follow them into retirement shortly thereafter, LaMarcus Aldridge never signs with them in 2015, and possibly the greatest sports franchise of the 21st century is back at square one.