Everywhere is a Backwater compared to LA in their view. This breaks a lifetime plan.*It’s San Antonio, not Waco.
*If it happens
Everywhere is a Backwater compared to LA in their view. This breaks a lifetime plan.*It’s San Antonio, not Waco.
Because he walks next year for any team besides LAL.Why would Spurs want to trade him to their bitter rival? I’m sure if they trade him it will be somewhere else just to spite him. They could get a better offer than what the Lakers could give them.
Do they? They totally gimped any chance of giving Kawhi any real help with contracts like the Pau deal. They could have had a ton of cap room next year but totally mishandled their situation.SA has one of the smartest front offices in sports. They don’t have to do anything right now. I’m going to love this game of chicken.
Because, if Kawhi's people make it clear that if he goes anywhere other than LA, 1) he is not resigning and 2) may need to continue rest/rehab that quad in 2018-2019, then the Spurs are getting a very limited return. The ability to offer him an extra year is not going to be any comfort to a potential trade partner, given that the guy just gave up the chance to get a supermax.Why would Spurs want to trade him to their bitter rival? I’m sure if they trade him it will be somewhere else just to spite him. They could get a better offer than what the Lakers could give them.
Right - if I'm SA and I know there's no hope of mending this situation, I'd just go to Sacramento and offer Kawhi straight up for the #2 pick. This would (a) screw with Kawhi instead of giving him what he wants, and (b) actually stand a chance of working, since the Kings have no idea what they're doing.Why would Spurs want to trade him to their bitter rival? I’m sure if they trade him it will be somewhere else just to spite him. They could get a better offer than what the Lakers could give them.
I don't think his teammates' contracts have anything to do with Kawhi's unhappiness in SADo they? They totally gimped any chance of giving Kawhi any real help with contracts like the Pau deal. They could have had a ton of cap room next year but totally mishandled their situation.
One year of Kawhi for the #2 pick is not happening though.Right - if I'm SA and I know there's no hope of mending this situation, I'd just go to Sacramento and offer Kawhi straight up for the #2 pick. This would (a) screw with Kawhi instead of giving him what he wants, and (b) actually stand a chance of working, since the Kings have no idea what they're doing.
For 29 out of the 30 teams, I agree. But .... Kings gonna KingOne year of Kawhi for the #2 pick is not happening though.
But Philly might bite on Leonard in a firesale and if the Lakers force one San Antonio could send him east just to screw the Lakers up.One year of Kawhi for the #2 pick is not happening though.
Yep. Plus maybe he'd end up deciding to stay. Can't Philly fit him through a trade and sign LeBron? Something like Fultz/pick/Saric/Covington/whateverBut Philly might bite on Leonard in a firesale and if the Lakers force one San Antonio could send him east just to screw the Lakers up.
Yeah this is so true as each player are essentially 2/3/4 combos. You need a big who can space the floor offensively with interior skills defensively and a guard to defend 1's and hit open 3's. Someone cheap like Larkin and his clone would be fine as the 1's.I don't think you really need to have positions for those three. It would those three + a defensive center + a point guard who can shoot
+1I hope the Lakers trade the farm for him and he's hurt the rest of his career.
They prematurely cleared him twice prior to him reinjuring himself. It isn't hard to see where the betrayal of trust began and continued. I don't blame Kawhi at all for not allowing it a 3rd time.This guy seems like a baby. How exactly did the Spurs betray him and not vice versa? They weren't the ones playing fortnite or whatever during the playoffs.
Either way, NBA is fun as always and I'm glad we didn't end up with him for Tatum or Brown in February.
I assume this would be under a scenario where Ainge believes Kyrie is gonna walk, so for one year just have the better player. And it ruins the Lakers plans.Celtics will pursue Kawhi, per Woj.
yeah but if he wasn't actually hurt why wouldn't they clear him?They prematurely cleared him twice prior to him reinjuring himself. It isn't hard to see where the betrayal of trust began and continued. I don't blame Kawhi at all for not allowing it a 3rd time.
Let this happen, and then let Kawhi sit out half the games with "injury". Kings finish the season with 2nd worst record and Celtics get the #2 pick in 2019 draft. FYI, it never happens quite this cleanly, but, this is the Kings we're talking about...Right - if I'm SA and I know there's no hope of mending this situation, I'd just go to Sacramento and offer Kawhi straight up for the #2 pick. This would (a) screw with Kawhi instead of giving him what he wants, and (b) actually stand a chance of working, since the Kings have no idea what they're doing.
Yeah. Count me out on that. Kawhi is great when healthy but I don't trust him enough to make a trade like that.Trading Jaylen and our picks when both Kyrie and Kawhi can walk next year is kinda crazy.
True, but it would be super fun to roll out a crunch time of Kyrie, Kawhi, Hayward, Tatum, and Horford.Trading Jaylen and our picks when both Kyrie and Kawhi can walk next year is kinda crazy.
Kawhi has a ton of leverage since no team is going to trade for him unless they get assurances he is going to play, and probably the only team that is getting those assurances (through back channels) is LAL.If the Lakers are the only team he wants to play for, how much leverage does Leonard actually have in this situation? He is under contract for this year, but the Lakers have cap space for this year. Part of the appeal of the Lakers to a PG/LeBron/Paul would be signing the second established star for 2018-2019. Would the Lakers even be able to sign a single max player for this year in order to save cap space for Leonard in 2019-2020? Who knows. Maybe the Spurs say "give us Deng and all your young players (Ingram/Ball/Kuzma/Hart) for Leonard and Mills". Maybe the Spurs get nothing. Maybe the Lakers end up with Boogie and Leonard. I have given up trying to guess anymore.
They would beat the Warriors if healthy.True, but it would be super fun to roll out a crunch time of Kyrie, Kawhi, Hayward, Tatum, and Horford.
It seems likely, but it's not an "ugh" for me---James not going to Philly is fine with me.Ugh this is going to happen isn't it. At least the Celtics will be favorites in the east. I still think GS is better than whatever the Lakers end up with but man them and Houston, what a conference that will be.
Paul George?Kawhi has a ton of leverage since no team is going to trade for him unless they get assurances he is going to play, and probably the only team that is getting those assurances (through back channels) is LAL.
Besides, has a superstar who has forced a trade ever gotten traded to a destination he didn't want to go?
.
Correct. Indiana wouldn’t play ball with the Lakers.Paul George?
If you're trading Kyrie you actually need Smart for the playmaking. Especially if you want an all-switchy defense.Kyrie for Kawhi.
Let Smart walk.
Sign Tyreke Evans to the full MLE.
Roll out an all switch defense of Tyreke, Hayward, Tatum, Kawhi, Horford with a bench of Rozier, Brown, Theis, Morris, and Baynes
I dunno. Kawhi was a deadly pick n roll player in 2017. But either way, I could be convinced of Smart or Tyreke on the team.If you're trading Kyrie you actually need Smart for the playmaking. Especially if you want an all-switchy defense.
I think it was listing all of our assets, not saying they would all be included in a deal.Trading Jaylen and our picks when both Kyrie and Kawhi can walk next year is kinda crazy.
I like Tyreke, but he's pretty awful defensively. He was too slow, laterally, before all the knee injuries. Balky Kneed Tyreke can be a liability against against quicker players.I dunno. Kawhi was a deadly pick n roll player in 2017. But either way, I could be convinced of Smart or Tyreke on the team.
I know George preferred the Lakers but I don't think he had any problems with landing in OKC.Paul George?
Well, I mean Leicester? Not a mega team. Won the league.This is what the NBA has become, isn't it? Five or six teams suck out all of the oxygen, plotting mega-deals to create mega-teams, while nobody else has a hope in hell. The NBA is now much more like the English Premier League than the NFL, NHL or MLB. (There is always the possibility in the NBA that your team can become one of those five or six teams, which is different from English soccer...but within any period of several seasons, it's otherwise pretty much identical.)
The exception that proves the rule - Leicester was a (brilliant) flash in the pan, and was never going to be anything more than that. But, yeah.Well, I mean Leicester? Not a mega team. Won the league.
Besides the 70s it has always been a few teams dominating the league. It's the nature of basketball.This is what the NBA has become, isn't it? Five or six teams suck out all of the oxygen, plotting mega-deals to create mega-teams, while nobody else has a hope in hell. The NBA is now much more like the English Premier League than the NFL, NHL or MLB. (There is always the possibility in the NBA that your team can become one of those five or six teams, which is different from English soccer...but within any period of several seasons, it's otherwise pretty much identical.)
Do you really need to include picks if Brown is involved? Who can offer better than Brown? I guess maybe Lonzo and Ingram, but there’s no Deng contract eating up 15+% of their space next season. Additionally, if offers are close in value, Pop probably sends him to not LA and the East.The deal that works under the cap without including Kyrie, Horford, Hayward or Tatum is Brown, Rozier, Marcus Morris, Yabu, Ojeleye and Nader for Leonard. Obviously would have to include pick(s) as well. You'd then obviously have to resign Smart. Would be unsettling to go into next summer with Kyrie and Kawhi both in free agent years, but that may well be a gamble you have to take on your coach, your organizational structure, and the likelihood you'd be in the Finals next year, and hope Leonard and Irving want to stick around long term. Also would block him from Philly.
Yes, with the players nowadays active plotters.This is what the NBA has become, isn't it? Five or six teams suck out all of the oxygen, plotting mega-deals to create mega-teams, while nobody else has a hope in hell. The NBA is now much more like the English Premier League than the NFL, NHL or MLB. (There is always the possibility in the NBA that your team can become one of those five or six teams, which is different from English soccer...but within any period of several seasons, it's otherwise pretty much identical.)