Everything Kawhi Leonard

[G__Deane]

Kawhi obviously has his branding now here. Also with Raps has Pascal and OG.

Going to LA, he does have a bigger market (maybe New Balance wants the LA market), another max the Clips can hand out besides Kawhi and some decent young picks.

its a toss up... I think if he wins here and leaves, i think people will still forgive him and he will always be a legend in toronto like lebron when he left CLE after giving the city a championship.

I really don't think OG is much of a selling point for an elite player like Kawhi. OG has had a tough season for a host of reasons but realistically project to be a good young and long defender and not much else unless he kickstarts further development. Raps need to sell him on a 1B. Could be Siakam but he's so inconsistent ....

[golden]

they would just rebrand as king of the south if they had too lol

Kawhi gonna shock everybody and sign with the Atlanta Hawks.

[DanH]

I really don't think OG is much of a selling point for an elite player like Kawhi. OG has had a tough season for a host of reasons but realistically project to be a good young and long defender and not much else unless he kickstarts further development. Raps need to sell him on a 1B. Could be Siakam but he's so inconsistent ....

Siakam is the obvious sell. He's improving by leaps and bounds. The consistency will come. In the meantime, having Lowry and Gasol to bridge next year, and the ability to add a star the year after... It's a pretty rock solid pitch.

Ultimately it comes down to him leaving if he just doesn't want to be here. And no pitch changes that.

[golden]

Siakam is the obvious sell. He's improving by leaps and bounds. The consistency will come. In the meantime, having Lowry and Gasol to bridge next year, and the ability to add a star the year after... It's a pretty rock solid pitch.

Ultimately it comes down to him leaving if he just doesn't want to be here. And no pitch changes that.

FVV & Norm have also upped their trade value in the last 2 weeks which has been a great outcome of the playoffs. They looked un-tradeable, even a few months ago. There is also a report that Nando de Colo (2016 Euroleague MVP) is looking to get back to the NBA. He would be the perfect tall combo bench guard that we've been missing to play beside FVV when we face teams with length (like Philly & Orlando). Or we can trade his rights. And hopefully OG makes a Pascal-like leap forward next year.

Point being, other than our own draft picks, we have some assets and expiring contracts to make some deals to bring in another high impact player and hopefully a star. In terms of future flexibility, the Raps are positioned as well as a legit championship calibre team could possibly be.

[DanH]

FVV & Norm have also upped their trade value in the last 2 weeks which has been a great outcome of the playoffs. They looked un-tradeable, even a few months ago. There is also a report that Nando de Colo (2016 Euroleague MVP) is looking to get back to the NBA. He would be the perfect tall combo bench guard that we've been missing to play beside FVV when we face teams with length (like Philly & Orlando). Or we can trade his rights. And hopefully OG makes a Pascal-like leap forward next year.

Point being, other than our own draft picks, we have some assets and expiring contracts to make some deals to bring in another high impact player and hopefully a star. In terms of future flexibility, the Raps are positioned as well as a legit championship calibre team could possibly be.

We can't trade de Colo's rights, nor use him in a sign and trade.

But yes, Norm, FVV and even Ibaka have been useful enough that the potential for trades this summer is much greater than it was.

[suspenders]

We can't trade de Colo's rights, nor use him in a sign and trade.

But yes, Norm, FVV and even Ibaka have been useful enough that the potential for trades this summer is much greater than it was.

Do you see a way to trade for Bradley Beal? Would he be a good fit alongside Leonard, Pascal and OG?

[golden]

Do you see a way to trade for Bradley Beal? Would he be a good fit alongside Leonard, Pascal and OG?

Beal fits on any team because he can make big shots in clutch situations. You'd have to take back Wall's contract and possibly another bad contact, like Mahinmi to get Beal.

Something like:

To Toronto: Wall, Beal, Mahinmi
To Wizards: Lowry, Ibaka, OG + pick

You hold your breath and promote FVV to the starting lineup, re-sign Green and bring over deColo. Still would need a backup PF... like a Morris brother type.

Starters: FVV, Beal, Leonard, Siakam, Gasol
Bench: DeColo, Powell, Mahinmi, Green, free agent PF
Injured: Wall

If Wall recovers, the 2020-21 starting lineup would be insane.

[The Great One]

Beal fits on any team because he can make big shots in clutch situations. You'd have to take back Wall's contract and possibly another bad contact, like Mahinmi to get Beal.

Something like:

To Toronto: Wall, Beal, Mahinmi
To Wizards: Lowry, Ibaka, OG + pick

You hold your breath and promote FVV to the starting lineup, re-sign Green and bring over deColo. Still would need a backup PF... like a Morris brother type.

Starters: FVV, Beal, Leonard, Siakam, Gasol
Bench: DeColo, Powell, Mahinmi, Green, free agent PF
Injured: Wall

If Wall recovers, the 2020-21 starting lineup would be insane.

Why would the Wizards do that?

[golden]

Why would the Wizards do that?

Huge reach there, I know, but it depends how badly they'd want to get out from the worst contract in the NBA.

[KeonClark]

We can't trade de Colo's rights, nor use him in a sign and trade.

But yes, Norm, FVV and even Ibaka have been useful enough that the potential for trades this summer is much greater than it was.

I think thats understating it. NBA finals/playoff runs do tremendous things for your value. Just look at the last few years, how guys like Harrison Barnes, Tristan Thompson, Channing Frye, Richard Jefferson, Shaun Livingston, these guys became household names. If they were on garbage teams they'd be nobodies. I suspect all the Raptors are gonna have a little luster added to their names this summer. Especially Fred. Nobody was watching his struggles vs Orlando and Philly except Raptor fans lol. Now in the last 5 games or so he's been amazing. Still thought of as a premier bench guard in this league. Serge, another one. They'll look it as a re-serge-ence. I imagine a lot of teams wanting to make that extra push will take a look at Serge. Maybe the Nyets, or the Wiz, or even the LA Lakers...I'm thinking teams that are not rebuilding but are far from close.

[golden]

I think thats understating it. NBA finals/playoff runs do tremendous things for your value. Just look at the last few years, how guys like Harrison Barnes, Tristan Thompson, Channing Frye, Richard Jefferson, Shaun Livingston, these guys became household names. If they were on garbage teams they'd be nobodies. I suspect all the Raptors are gonna have a little luster added to their names this summer. Especially Fred. Nobody was watching his struggles vs Orlando and Philly except Raptor fans lol. Now in the last 5 games or so he's been amazing. Still thought of as a premier bench guard in this league. Serge, another one. They'll look it as a re-serge-ence. I imagine a lot of teams wanting to make that extra push will take a look at Serge. Maybe the Nyets, or the Wiz, or even the LA Lakers...I'm thinking teams that are not rebuilding but are far from close.

I raise you Matthew Dellavedova and Timofey Mozgov. Cha-ching!

[LJ2]

So in a final act to show him we're behind him, all of Canada boycott's Nike until they give him his logo. If that doesn't sway him, nothing will.

[The Great One]

[Apollo]

I'm glad he's moved on. He was hurting himself by holding onto that emotion.

[slaw]

I raise you Matthew Dellavedova and Timofey Mozgov. Cha-ching!

The 30-for-30 on the Pistons has a part where Isiaih Thomas (I think) basically talks about how they would get new guys to buy-in to how hard it was to play with them by telling them that if they all went along, they would win and everyone would get lots of money. Or something like that. Players know all this, too.

I'm not even sure it matter going to the Finals, as long as what you do is high profile. See, Biyombo, BIsmack.