Before the start of the 2011-12 NBA season, the Indiana Pacers had struggled to maintain a consistent playoff presence, having qualified just once in the past five seasons. This desperation prompted team president Larry Bird to adopt a more aggressive approach in pursuit of title contention.
With Danny Granger proving to be a solid 20-point per-game scorer and Paul George and Roy Hibbert appearing as two promising youngsters, Bird identified a need to strengthen the backcourt alongside Darren Collison.
Consequently, he sought a trade with the San Antonio Spurs to acquire George Hill in exchange for their 15th overall pick in the 2011 draft, Kawhi Leonard . While Larry was confident in charting a new course for the Pacers, he knew overlooking The Claw would come to haunt them.
Pacers let go of Leonard
During his two-season spell at the San Diego State College, Kawhi showcased his prowess as a dominant rebounder and paint-scorer, averaging 14.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. At that time, the trade between the Pacers and the Spurs appeared mutually beneficial.
Indiana, intent on bolstering their roster, acquired Hill, who had nearly won the Most Improved Player award in his sophomore season. On the other hand, San Antonio obtained a young forward whose position complemented rather than conflicted with Tony Parker’s role in the roster.
However, the three-time MVP recognized the potential that Kawhi had, and in a candid conversation with owner Herbie Simon, he emphasized how the 6’7” forward was destined for success in the league.
"I told Herbie, 'I want George Hill but we’re going to pay a price for it because this kid that just slipped to us is going to be one hell of a player but I think we need this for our team,'" Bird said .
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The Pacers got the thick end of it
Since the trade, Indiana not only improved their standing in the East, advancing past the first round in the 2011-12 campaign, but from the following season onwards, Hill became a regular feature in the starting lineup. His emergence led the Pacers to the Conference Finals in 2013, where they narrowly lost in seven games to the star-studded Miami Heat.
Meanwhile, as the Celtics legend predicted, Kawhi became a legitimate threat in the league starting from his sophomore year (2012-13), averaging 11.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. While the Pacers faced defeat at the hands of Miami again in 2014, the California native led the Spurs against LeBron James & Co. to a championship after averaging 17.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in the series.
Although ‘Larry Legend’ was correct in predicting Kawhi’s stardom, the Pacers would’ve likely regretted not holding onto their 15th overall pick.
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