His Uncle Had a Lot To Do’, Danny Green Reveals Why Kawhi Leonard Wanted Out of San Antonio

The drama surrounding the parting of ways between Kawhi Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs has been talked about for years. It’s because of injuries, disputes regarding treatment, and loss of trust. But according to another Spurs veteran Danny Green, there was someone else whose say carried more weight during these talks than anyone could have ever suspected.

Green, who played alongside Leonard for eight seasons before being dealt with him to the Toronto Raptors in 2018, recently spoke up regarding these events, and as he sees it, Leonard’s uncle Dennis Robertson played a very big part in making him part ways with the only NBA team he’d ever seen.

Danny Green Points To Uncle Dennis As A Key Figure In Kawhi Leonard’s Spurs Exit

Apr 8, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) reacts after a missed basket in the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Speaking recently about Leonard’s departure from the Spurs, Green explained that Robertson’s frustration with how the organization handled certain situations behind the scenes ultimately changed the direction of the relationship.

“I think his Uncle had a lot of what to do, what’s going on off the court, a lot of influence. I think once his Uncle saw some distasteful things in his mind. It was like, ‘Alright we not doing this.’ Because San Antonio they don’t treat nobody like superstars and I think his Uncle kind of rightfully so, you know what I’m saying? should have been treated like a superstar.”

Danny Green says Uncle Dennis played a big part in Kawhi wanting to leave the Spurs:

“I think his Uncle had a lot of what to do, what’s going on off the court, a lot of influence. I think once his Uncle saw some distasteful things in his mind. It was like, “Alright we not doing… pic.twitter.com/wgNwJYxNVp

, NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) June 6, 2026

Green’s comments add another layer to one of the biggest player-team breakups in recent NBA history, and at the center of the drama was Leonard’s quad injury during the 2017-18 season. Disagreements reportedly emerged between Leonard’s camp and the Spurs’ medical staff regarding both the diagnosis and recovery process. As the situation dragged on, tensions only grew.

Public comments from within the organization did not help the matter either. Remarks from head coach Gregg Popovich and veteran guard Tony Parker became talking points as Leonard’s absence stretched throughout the season.

According to Green, Robertson viewed several of those developments as red flags. The main problem was probably the way San Antonio did things. The Spurs were a team because they treated every player the same no matter if it was Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili or someone who did not play very much. This way of doing things made the Spurs a team that everyone respected.

Leonard’s people thought about it differently. By then Leonard was already a player he was good at defense and one of the best players in the NBA. Green said that Robertson thought the Spurs should have treated Leonard like a superstar because he was the player on the team.

Things just got worse. The Spurs and Leonard’s people did not talk to each other much. It was hard for them to agree on things. Then Leonard asked to be traded. The Spurs sent him to the Raptors in 2018. That was the end of his time with the Spurs.

The trade was good for Leonard. He helped the Raptors win their championship, and he was the best player in the finals.

Now eight years after Leonard left the Spurs Green is talking about what happened. He says that the reason Leonard left was not just because he was hurt. Green thinks that Uncle Dennis, who was like a parent to Leonard, had a lot to do with Leonard deciding to leave the Spurs. The Spurs had a problem with the way they treated Leonard. That is why he left.