Everything Kawhi Leonard

[NoPropsneeded]

The press conference is tomorrow at 12:30 pm, there's a youtube stream from the raptors youtube page set up for it

[Apollo]

He's not leaving at the deadline if he's playing well. We brought him to push our chips in to the middle of the table THIS YEAR. Period

Are you in Masai's inner circle? If not then I don't know how you can say anything with such certainty. Masai doesn't let assets get away without value coming back. Its not how he's operated to date anyway.

[KeonClark]

Are you in Masai's inner circle? If not then I don't know how you can say anything with such certainty. Masai doesn't let assets get away without value coming back. Its not how he's operated to date anyway.

It would just make no logical sense as outlined perfectly well by scraptor. You think he got bad press for tossing Derozan? It's pretty unprecedented for a top 3 seed to dump their best player at the trade deadline even if they think hes leaving. It's like your winning a race but pull out the very end because you're worried about saving fuel and tire tread for next years race

[DanH]

Are you in Masai's inner circle? If not then I don't know how you can say anything with such certainty. Masai doesn't let assets get away without value coming back. Its not how he's operated to date anyway.

Yeah, Masai would never let players get away without value coming back. Like Lou Williams when he won the 6th man award. Definitely Masai would hold onto him and trade him later.

[Apollo]

It would just make no logical sense as outlined perfectly well by scraptor. You think he got bad press for tossing Derozan? It's pretty unprecedented for a top 3 seed to dump their best player at the trade deadline even if they think hes leaving. It's like your winning a race but pull out the very end because you're worried about saving fuel and tire tread for next years race

You forget that Masai's claim to fame before coming to Toronto was the Carmelo Anthony trade. Melo then was arguably a top ten player. The Nuggets were a good team.

Seeing how we're speaking in metaphors, it could be like you're winning a race but there's only one gas station between here and the next waypoint and if you don't stop here you know there's not enough gas left in the tank to make it.

[Joey]

Are you in Masai's inner circle? If not then I don't know how you can say anything with such certainty. Masai doesn't let assets get away without value coming back. Its not how he's operated to date anyway.

He rented PJ Tucker for a couple months. And while debateable as "assets", Amir Johnson & PPat both walked for nothing in return as well. Obviously Kawhi is on a different level, but then again, we've never had an asset like Kawhi.

[Apollo]

Yeah, Masai would never let players get away without value coming back. Like Lou Williams when he won the 6th man award. Definitely Masai would hold onto him and trade him later.

Where do you rank Lou in the league? Is he top 5?

[KeonClark]

You forget that Masai's claim to fame before coming to Toronto was the Carmelo Anthony trade. Melo then was arguably a top ten player. The Nuggets were a good team.

Seeing how we're speaking in metaphors, it could be like you're winning a race but there's only one gas station between here and the next waypoint and if you don't stop here you know there's not enough gas left in the tank to make it.

You risk letting the gas run out. Maybe you reach your destination. If you don't, you can burn the car and build a new sexy car. The old car still has some nice new parts in it too

[Nilanka]

I'm just trying to understand why would Kawhi prefer LA.

- He's Top 3 player in Eastern Conference. You can argue he's the best in Eastern Conference. Guaranteed All-Star.
- He's going to a contender but at the same time it's his team (not KD situation)
- He's going to great organization that want to win and not just make playoffs (not that Spurs were bad but still)
- He's going to a great city.
- Raps can offer him the most money
- Young team with upside

What does a player need more? If weather outweighs all of that. What are we even doing here?

Regarding the bold, there's some who suggest that Kawhi doesn't actually want the "alpha" role, and is more comfortable in the shadows or as second fiddle.

Certainly believable in terms of his personality.

[Apollo]

He rented PJ Tucker for a couple months. And while debateable as "assets", Amir Johnson & PPat both walked for nothing in return as well. Obviously Kawhi is on a different level, but then again, we've never had an asset like Kawhi.

We're not talking about a role player here. We're taking about Kawhi Leonard. We're also talking about the guy who pulled off the Melo trade when everyone said he had no leverage. Let's put this all in perspective.

[Joey]

Where do you rank Lou in the league? Is he top 5?

If that is the criteria though, then no GM for the Raptors has ever let an asset walk... because we haven't had one. Lol

[Apollo]

You risk letting the gas run out. Maybe you reach your destination. If you don't, you can burn the car and build a new sexy car. The old car still has some nice new parts in it too

If the gas light is on and the gas station is there and you don't fill up you're gonna be in the dog house for year with your girl unless you can roll into the next destination in neutral. Risky.

[Barolt]

Regarding the bold, there's some who suggest that Kawhi doesn't actually want the "alpha" role, and is more comfortable in the shadows or as second fiddle.

Certainly believable in terms of his personality.

That's actually okay here, too, because Lowry is a pretty intense personality that can make up for some of that.

[Joey]

We're not talking about a role player here. We're taking about Kawhi Leonard. We're also talking about the guy who pulled off the Melo trade when everyone said he had no leverage. Let's put this all in perspective.

But you said "Masai doesn't let assets get away without value coming back. Its not how he's operated to date anyway." If you had said "Masai doesn't let Top-5 Players get away without value ..." then sure, but but as I mentioned in that post, if that is the case, then you can't really say "it's not how he's operated to date" because this is new territory for everyone.

[Apollo]

If that is the criteria though, then no GM for the Raptors has ever let an asset walk... because we haven't had one. Lol

Well I'm talking significant players. Kawhi Leonard is arguably the second best player in the league.