People always overestimate the connection between public persona and reality for athletes. I would even say vastly overestimate.What were the odds that Kawhi Leonard of all superstars would be pulling this?
People always overestimate the connection between public persona and reality for athletes. I would even say vastly overestimate.What were the odds that Kawhi Leonard of all superstars would be pulling this?
There are now reports coming out that Kawhi literally hid from Spurs officials when they came to check up on him in New York last season. You can’t make this up.What were the odds that Kawhi Leonard of all superstars would be pulling this?
Oh I get that. This is just wild though! Like, this mild mannered Spurs robot is now turning into the biggest diva star we’ve seen in a while. All without one direct quote. Wild times.People always overestimate the connection between public persona and reality for athletes. I would even say vastly overestimate.
I feel the same way. I think we saw "quiet, uncomplaining dude" + "plays for the Spurs" and just imagined he was another Tim Duncan. The truth is, behind the blank facade we had no idea what kind of person he was or what hidden resentments he was nursing.Oh I get that. This is just wild though! Like, this mild mannered Spurs robot is now turning into the biggest diva star we’ve seen in a while. All without one direct quote. Wild times.
Not has cool as who KFC follows: https://twitter.com/kfc/following?lang=enIn an era where NBA Twitter has blown up and is one of the best parts of the internet, this dude follows 6 accounts: the Spurs, some SA wing place, Impact Sports Agency, some store chain, MJ, and...Jamal Crawford. Total mystery man.
Extremely on brand.
Ginger Spice is looking good after all these years.
Plus Pop might do a solid for Brett Brown.Chris Haynes saying Philly is only East Coast team Kawhi would consider with LAL/LAC remaining as the preferred destinations. I bet Philly ultimately pulls the trigger here.
The flipside of this is maybe the Sixers are reluctant to do it because they know his medical situation better than anyone. If they believed he was healthy and they have a good chance to re-sign him and still have max space next year I can’t believe they would hold it up over Fultz. They also may feel they just don’t want to even risk the possibility of Kawhi leaving when they’ll have max space next summer and still have assets to trade for a star (and I expect the teams in cap hell in the West to start shedding them as soon as next year rather than pay tax to be the 7/8 seed and get waxed in the first round).I don't know I trust anything that's coming out but
1) Brett Brown and Kawhi know each other well
2) Kawhi was rehabbing with a sixers doctor, so they probably know what's going on as well as anyone, given the Spurs reports maybe the best.
3) Kawhi says he only want Philly in the east.
Sixers have two or three more players on the roster than they can keep and have pieces that can help now available.
I think they have a real shot. But I don't think they will give up on Fultz and Spurs are holding for that.
Kawhi is close to a perfect fit for sixers. Wing two way star. Filling out around Simmons embiid and Kawhi can be done in a LOT of ways
I would do it, but saric, Covington Miami 2021 and maybe another first if I had to.
I do think saric is a perfect Spurs guy
There is always the Brett Brown and Pop relationship to factor. Who would Pop prefer taking care of......his former loyal asst who he helped get the Sixers gig or in lifting the Lakers to super team status? It's naive to think this doesn't play a huge role......ask Ainge and McHale if this is the case along with other friends making deals in the past.I don't know I trust anything that's coming out but
1) Brett Brown and Kawhi know each other well
2) Kawhi was rehabbing with a sixers doctor, so they probably know what's going on as well as anyone, given the Spurs reports maybe the best.
3) Kawhi says he only want Philly in the east.
Sixers have two or three more players on the roster than they can keep and have pieces that can help now available.
I think they have a real shot. But I don't think they will give up on Fultz and Spurs are holding for that.
Kawhi is close to a perfect fit for sixers. Wing two way star. Filling out around Simmons embiid and Kawhi can be done in a LOT of ways
I would do it, but saric, Covington Miami 2021 and maybe another first if I had to.
I do think saric is a perfect Spurs guy
Agreed. I've been on the Philly train for a while now. It just makes too much sense. Right now, I bet they're in a bit of a stare off on price but I expect them to complete a deal sometime this summer.There is always the Brett Brown and Pop relationship to factor. Who would Pop prefer taking care of......his former loyal asst who he helped get the Sixers gig or in lifting the Lakers to super team status? It's naive to think this doesn't play a huge role......ask Ainge and McHale if this is the case along with other friends making deals in the past.
Philly to me is the only logical trade partner for Pop.
I think he just doesn't want the media circus of teaming up with two other superstars to form a new team elsewhere. I'm not sure I blame him for not wanting any part of the LeBron/LaVar Lakers (if the reports are indeed true).Philly makes a lot of sense. I’m not sure what Leonard wants. If he doesn’t want LA because James is in town then maybe Philadelphia is the only place he wants. Although he supposedly doesn’t want a super team, so really some place with no stars would be best.
Then the Clippers make the most sense. He gets LA and there are no other superstars and there will be no media scrutiny since everything will be LeBron/LaVar. Not sure how LeBron's presence in LA impacts Kawhi's thinking but if it negatively impacts it, for both the LAL and LAC, then he needs to be willing to go elsewhere, which right now he doesn't appear to be. And if he doesn't want to join a "super team", then it's weird that he'd only consider Philly in the East since they would be pretty close with him. Right now, there are so many conflicting messages that it's hard to know what to think.I think he just doesn't want the media circus of teaming up with two other superstars to form a new team elsewhere. I'm not sure I blame him for not wanting any part of the LeBron/LaVar Lakers (if the reports are indeed true).
They will still have space to sign a max free agent next year if Kawhi leaves. So while giving up Fultz + Covington would set them back, they have the chance to perhaps sign Jimmy Butler or Kevin Durant or Evan Turner, etc.So the Sixers could be giving up a real shot at being nip and tuck with the Celts to come out of the east for next 5 years for a 1 year chance.
Well, no. That's what the "new" rumors are addressing. He wanted LA, but is apparently less inclined to want LA if it means it's billed as either teaming up with Lebron on Lakers or starting a new rivalry with him if it's Clippers.While KL going to the 6ers this year would make 2018-19 a eastern finals dog fight, we have to assume that he would leave for the Lakers next year right? I mean there is always a chance he would choose to stay, but also with all the Rumors there has to be a real (bigger) chance he bolts after one year.
They may make the most sense for Kawhi but if Pop/Buford insist on trading him out of conference, which I feel fairly strongly about (not to be confused with Lakers who I feel nearly certain about not dealing with) than LA is a non-starter.Then the Clippers make the most sense. He gets LA and there are no other superstars and there will be no media scrutiny since everything will be LeBron/LaVar. Not sure how LeBron's presence in LA impacts Kawhi's thinking but if it negatively impacts it, for both the LAL and LAC, then he needs to be willing to go elsewhere, which right now he doesn't appear to be. And if he doesn't want to join a "super team", then it's weird that he'd only consider Philly in the East since they would be pretty close with him. Right now, there are so many conflicting messages that it's hard to know what to think.
I'm sure they would prefer to trade him to the Eastern Conference but they will ultimately have to take the best offer from whoever makes it. Like you, I don't see them getting that offer from LAL (or the Spurs being willing to deal with them) so I doubt Kawhi ends up there this season. But the LAC? I think Pop/Buford would ultimately relent on that front. Problem is that LAC doesn't have much to offer outside of their recent draft picks and Tobias Harris, who the Spurs may or may not be interested in.They may make the most sense for Kawhi but if Pop/Buford insist on trading him out of conference, which I feel fairly strongly about (not to be confused with Lakers who I feel nearly certain about not dealing with) than LA is a non-starter.
Well, there's the flip side to this coin is whether Pops loyal lieutenant would trade for someone who has so wronged his former boss. . . .There is always the Brett Brown and Pop relationship to factor. Who would Pop prefer taking care of......his former loyal asst who he helped get the Sixers gig or in lifting the Lakers to super team status? It's naive to think this doesn't play a huge role......ask Ainge and McHale if this is the case along with other friends making deals in the past.
Philly to me is the only logical trade partner for Pop.
Or Pop tells Brown that Kawhi is a fucking lunatic and his quad is all messed up and you want nothing to do with himWell, there's the flip side to this coin is whether Pops loyal lieutenant would trade for someone who has so wronged his former boss. . . .
Maybe, but if this was the case, he'd probably unload him to Lakers.Or Pop tells Brown that Kawhi is a fucking lunatic and his quad is all messed up and you want nothing to do with him
Right, but to someone's point earlier if that is the input from Pop you'd imagine Philly will make only a token offer, tooOr Pop tells Brown that Kawhi is a fucking lunatic and his quad is all messed up and you want nothing to do with him
Which would contradict what the Spurs medical team said in February when they cleared him to play without restrictions. Pop would be crossing a slippery slope if it ever got out that he said this.Or Pop tells Brown that Kawhi is a fucking lunatic and his quad is all messed up and you want nothing to do with him
A future pick and maybe offering to take on Mills’ contract? I think getting DeRozan would be a nice result for SA if they choose to not blow it up. You’d have spacing issues with him and Murray but you’d at least be getting a guy who can score to help take the burden off of Aldridge.What would they have to add to DeRozan to make the deal palatable to the Spurs? It’s an interesting option for the Raptors. It’d be the one way for them to keep themselves in the EC mix.
As far as I can tell, this is based on nothing more than Windhorst saying Kawhi to the Raptors is “not outside the realm of possibility”. MyBookie is a shit book. Don’t equate them with “Vegas”.Apparently the Raptors are now even money to land Kawhi.
Probably one of their young guys like Siakam or Anunoby and a future first.What would they have to add to DeRozan to make the deal palatable to the Spurs? It’s an interesting option for the Raptors. It’d be the one way for them to keep themselves in the EC mix.
Apparently DeRozean has removed all links between himself and the Raptors from his social media. Or so I heard on sports radio last night.As far as I can tell, this is based on nothing more than Windhorst saying Kawhi to the Raptors is “not outside the realm of possibility”. MyBookie is a shit book. Don’t equate them with “Vegas”.
He wiped his Instagram account: https://clutchpoints.com/raptors-news-demar-derozan-completely-wipes-Instagram/Apparently DeRozean has removed all links between himself and the Raptors from his social media. Or so I heard on sports radio last night.
Shams article here: https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-spurs-raptors-engaged-serious-talks-trade-centered-around-kawhi-leonard-demar-derozan-074418454.html.A Kawhi/DeRozan deal is being reported as imminent, can’t link from my phone but Woj and others are reporting.
Maybe, but people thought that about Paul George too.Now, i think LAL is a done deal in a year