Everything Kawhi Leonard

[Apollo]

If you make the trade you have to wait and see what happens in the playoffs. Otherwise no point to trade. Even a one year rental where we go to NBA finals can be justified.

You're assuming the objective of the trade to come to that only conclusion. We don't know Masai's plan.

[Apollo]

I hate how prevalent this opinion is, because it's not true. This run with Kawhi is all about the playoffs, why would they abandon ship before then?

Do we truly know that for sure?

[Jclaw]

Wonder what would've happened had they drafted Baron Davis instead of Francis.

Any chance Jackson's opinion is slightly scarred from his dealings with Mr. Francis?

[MixxAOR]

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?

[Barolt]

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?

The answer is: He doesn't know Toronto yet. Masai is a great salesman(how else do you explain his trades?). It's a great young team. Fans are going to fall in love with Kawhi's game so quickly.

The pitch will be there to keep him, and I'm willing to bet it's going to be a strong one.

[nubreed000]

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?

I guess losing in warm weather beats winning in cold weather? lol I bet if next winter is anything like this past one, he's asking for a trade by the deadline.

Seriously though, it always baffles me why players don't want to play here. I mean are they that xenophobic?

[Scraptor]

Do we truly know that for sure?

We don't.

But think about it this way. If you are acquiring Kawhi as a trade chip, why waste five months of value having given away our own pick? If you really wanted to start the rebuild it makes much more sense to keep the pick and get whatever you can for DeMar.

No one is going to shell out more for 2-3 months of Kawhi than the value of DeMar plus our own tanked pick.

And if you are acquiring Kawhi as a test piece it is really stupid because we know this team can perform in the regular season. His fit in the playoffs is what matters. And we know Masai is not stupid.

So unless Kawhi absolutely Vinces it, there's no reason to flip him for middling assets. At the least, you keep him through the playoffs and then see if you can sign and trade him so he gets his extra $50 million and we get some assets.

So even if there's a 20% chance he stays, you take that risk. And I think the chance might be higher than that.

[MixxAOR]

I guess losing in warm weather beats winning in cold weather. I bet if next winter is anything like this past one, he's asking for a trade by the deadline.

get some Heattech and Canada Goose like damn.

[KeonClark]

get some Heattech and Canada Goose like damn.

[Apollo]

We don't.

But think about it this way. If you are acquiring Kawhi as a trade chip, why waste five months of value having given away our own pick? If you really wanted to start the rebuild it makes much more sense to keep the pick and get whatever you can for DeMar.

No one is going to shell out more for 2-3 months of Kawhi than the value of DeMar plus our own tanked pick.

And if you are acquiring Kawhi as a test piece it is really stupid because we know this team can perform in the regular season. His fit in the playoffs is what matters. And we know Masai is not stupid.

So unless Kawhi absolutely Vinces it, there's no reason to flip him for middling assets. At the least, you keep him through the playoffs and then see if you can sign and trade him so he gets his extra $50 million and we get some assets.

So even if there's a 20% chance he stays, you take that risk. And I think the chance might be higher than that.

But they couldn't get anything of consequence for DD before. He's been trying for a couple months now. He couldn't get a top ten pick. He couldn't get the guy he wanted (SGA).

Maybe he thinks they he rolls the dice on Leonard until the deadline and maybe Leonard likes it here but if he doesn't it will be easy to tell by then, we're talking a half year of getting to know him. At that point he could play the Clippers and Lakers against each other and get SGA, who he tried to get by trading DD or maybe Ingram. Plus other assets in both scenarios obviously. Point being, I think Leonard is potentially worth a lot more than DD even if Leonard wants out. Both LA teams want him. If one can offer him $50M more then you have to think that team is pretty much in the clear to keep him.

[Scraptor]

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?

It's all that versus weather + lifestlye + endorsement potential + tax complications.

I think we have a great shot at keeping him, but you can't really underestimate what it's like being young and rich in LA (or Miami, for example).

If anything, if Kawhi leaves it will completely validate that tanking is our best strategy. So it's a win either way. He either stays and it shows that we can build a contender via trade/free agency, or he bolts and we know that we need to acquire superstars via the draft.

[nubreed000]

get some Heattech and Canada Goose like damn.

Seriously! These guys have a shitload of money to make it as bearable as possible. It's not like they have to take the streetcar to home, only to have it break down at Roncessvalles, then wait 45 minutes in -30C temperatures for another one to show up, only for that one to go "Out of Service" and then you're sitting there talking to yourself like "Next cab I see I'm taking", but no cab shows up, and you're there waiting for an hour. You just smoked 8 cigarettes, and you're questioning how you got to this point in life....

[Ebonhawke]

Seriously! These guys have a shitload of money to make it as bearable as possible. It's not like they have to take the streetcar to home, only to have it break down at Roncessvalles, then wait 45 minutes in -30C temperatures for another one to show up, only for that one to go "Out of Service" and then you're sitting there talking to yourself like "Next cab I see I'm taking", but no cab shows up, and you're there waiting for an hour. You just smoked 8 cigarettes, and you're questioning how you got to this point in life....

Having flashbacks are we?

[Apollo]

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

Playing high stakes poker. Both LA teams have some interesting assets the Raptors could use in a rebuild or maybe Leonard falls in love with Toronto. Either way, they weren't getting much for DD, he wasn't worth his deal. Poeltl is a role player. The pick is top 20 protected. Leonard might be the best ticket to the next level or a fast track rebuild.

[KeonClark]

Playing high stakes poker. Both LA teams have some interesting assets the Raptors could use in a rebuild or maybe Leonard falls in love with Toronto. Either way, they weren't getting much for DD, he wasn't worth his deal. Poeltl is a role player. The pick is top 20 protected. Leonard might be the best ticket to the next level or a fast track rebuild.

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