• For users coming over from tmlfans.ca your username will remain the same but you will need to use the password reset feature (check your spam folder) on the login page in order to set your password. If you encounter issues, email Rick couchmanrick@gmail.com

NBA Off-Season Discussion

Nothing is finite anymore in today?s NBA, not that it ever was anyway.  Still, this free agency season showed why just winning is no longer enough...

You don?t mortgage the future by damaging the present.  That is exactly what Masai didn?t do in this cloak & dagger Leonard saga.

The Toronto Raptors did everything right?even winning a championship?and still lost Leonard.

The Golden State Warriors made three straight Finals with Durant, winning two titles...and lost him anyway.

The Boston Celtics surrounded Irving with veteran stars and bouncy young talent...and he coldly cut ties.

And the Oklahoma City Thunder?who were celebrating a new four-year contract with George last summer?just traded him at his request.

Those are four of the best organizations in the NBA, led by four of the league's best executives: Masai Ujiri in Toronto, Bob Myers in Oakland, Danny Ainge in Boston and Sam Presti in OKC. They all just lost their best players in the span of six days.

Welcome to the new NBA, where it isn't enough to be bold or smart. Where even championships and max contracts sometimes aren't enough to sate the modern player.
Click to expand...

Story:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2844770-it-doesnt-matter-even-best-nba-franchises-cant-compete-with-superstar-whims
 
It's kind of funny having people upset at Kawhi leaving (and granted I would have much rather he re-signed if possible) when the Raptors dumped Derozan the year before.  Sports is a business.  It's also real people we are talking about and at the end of the day they have more than just the sport on their mind when making decisions. 

Money doesn't take emotion out of the players and we shouldn't expect them to be robots when it comes to where they work or how they perform based on a paycheck.
 
L K said:
It's kind of funny having people upset at Kawhi leaving (and granted I would have much rather he re-signed if possible) when the Raptors dumped Derozan the year before.  Sports is a business.  It's also real people we are talking about and at the end of the day they have more than just the sport on their mind when making decisions. 

Money doesn't take emotion out of the players and we shouldn't expect them to be robots when it comes to where they work or how they perform based on a paycheck.
Click to expand...
He went home which no one can blame him for. I just wish he would say, "Thanks T.O." or something? Haven't heard boo from him.
 
I'm bummed Kawhi left because I love the way he plays the game and I'm not going to be watching him play anymore.

The Raptors were the best choice if he wanted to win a Championship next year, but he left to go where he wanted to play, and he's still going to have a good chance at a championship next year. I can't fault him for this. It's his right, he earned it, in what is sometimes a very restrictive labour environment.
 
 
Dappleganger said:
The Raptors were the best choice if he wanted to win a Championship next year, but he left to go where he wanted to play, and he's still going to have a good chance at a championship next year.
Click to expand...

Even if it's true that the Raptors represented a better title shot next year, and I think that's very questionable, I think it's undeniable that with all of the expiring deals the Raptors have the Clippers represented a much better chance of winning two years from now.

If his plan was always to sign a two year deal with an option so that he could sign the big extension at his 10 year threshold then the Clippers probably represented the best choice from a competitive standpoint while still guaranteeing himself 100+ million.
 
Nik the Trik said:
Dappleganger said:
The Raptors were the best choice if he wanted to win a Championship next year, but he left to go where he wanted to play, and he's still going to have a good chance at a championship next year.
Click to expand...

Even if it's true that the Raptors represented a better title shot next year, and I think that's very questionable, I think it's undeniable that with all of the expiring deals the Raptors have the Clippers represented a much better chance of winning two years from now.

If his plan was always to sign a two year deal with an option so that he could sign the big extension at his 10 year threshold then the Clippers probably represented the best choice from a competitive standpoint while still guaranteeing himself 100+ million.
Click to expand...

In 2 years the Raptors have much more money and space to add to the roster so I doubt the claim that the Clippers offer better opportunity going forward. 2 years could see Giannis in Toronto.
 
Russ Westbrook to the Rockets for Chris Paul, 2 1sts and a couple of pick swaps.

In a way this trade makes sense for both teams and makes absolutely no sense for either team. How Harden and Westbrook are going to play together is beyond me.
 
All inclusive on Paul George, James Harden, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook

Harden (+Daequan Cook, Cole Aldrich, Lazar Hayward) for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, 2 1st round picks and a 2nd round pick
Westbrook for Chris Paul, 2 1st round picks and 2 1st round pick swaps
George for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari 5 1st round picks and 2 1st round pick swaps
Kevin Durant for nothing through free agency

OKC Trades - Paul George, James Harden, Russel Westbrook, Daequan Cook, Cole Aldrich and Lazar Hayward
OKC Received - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, Chris Paul, Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, 1st round pick (Steven Adams), 1st round pick (Mitch McGary), 2nd round pick (Alex Abrines), Miami 1st (2021 Unprotected), Clippers 1st (2022 Unprotected), Miami 1st (2023 Lottery Protected), Clippers 1st (2024 Unprotected), Houston 1st (2024 1-4 protected), Clippers 1st (2026 Unprotected), Houston 1st (2026 1-4 protected), Houston Pick Swap (2021, can swap their worst pick, 1-4 protected), Clippers Pick Swap (2023 Unprotected), Clippers Pick Swap (2025 Unprotected), Houston Pick Swap (2025 1-20 protected)

Pretty solid haul for 4 star players.  9 1st round picks and 4 pick swaps.
 
Imagine drafting Durant, Westbrook and Harden back-to-back-to-back and not winning a title though.
 
How interesting the Kawhi behind-the-scenes saga:

Per ESPN's Brian Windhorst on his Hoop Collective Podcast (h/t NBC Sports' Dan Feldman), the Los Angeles Lakers are upset because they feel like "they got played" by Leonard.

Windhorst noted the Toronto Raptors were also unhappy because Leonard "came in and asked for the sun, the moon, the stars then left them at the altar."
Click to expand...

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2846249-windhorst-lakers-feel-they-got-played-in-kawhi-leonard-free-agency-pursuit


It was also reported by The Athletic that even though Kawhi had his sites set on playing for the Clippers long before he was traded to the Raptors, being closer to home was not the #1 factor in his decision-making.  Winning a championship trumped the above.

Also, probably the fact that Kawhi had in mind all along of joining the Clippers after having won the Championship as a Toronto Raptor, he valued privacy and trust and in the morass of the media narrative & rumours, the Clippers stood quiet, working behind the scenes figuring out their next move.  The ultra-quietness and silence on Kawhi?s part was in sync with the Clippers organization during the FA and negotiations period.

https://theathletic.com/1086977/2019/07/23/inside-story-los-angeles-la-clippers-pursuit-of-kawhi-leonard-paul-george/


One had to say this about Leonard?s advisor, his uncle Dennis Robertson:

Robertson has a reputation for being hard to deal with and would have been hands on throughout the process. According to sources, Leonard and his camp ? namely Uncle Dennis ? asked for a lot from the Raptors in that meeting, things players don?t generally ask for in standard contract negotiations.

In some cases, they were asking for things that Ujiri ? one of the most well-compensated executives in the league ? wouldn?t have even had at his disposal. Their requests were ?unreasonable?, a source said, which made the Raptors wonder whether Leonard was seriously considering them at all.
Click to expand...

This new bit of information adds further merit to theories pertaining to Kawhi?s extremely well-orchestrated delaying tactics. If this is true, then it seems that Leonard never really wanted to re-sign with the Raptors, and that he was just waiting for the Clippers to be able to make their big move for Paul George before making his own move official.

https://clutchpoints.com/raptors-rumors-kawhi-leonard-camp-made-unreasonable-requests-during-free-agent-meeting/
 
So Kawhi said some nice things at his introductory press conference about the Raptors which, while meaningless ultimately, I think still trumped one of those things in the Player's Tribune that was clearly written by a PR person. Seemed true to who he is as a weirdo.
 
Kawhi also called the parade  ?best parade ever.?

[tweet]1154114856053686272[/tweet]

When interviewed, he said this:

[tweet]1154165238628900865[/tweet]
 
Looks like Durant is unforgiving. 

N.B.  He stated, reportedly, with a smirk.

[tweet]1159228931704315904[/tweet][/u]
 
Kawhi?s buzzer beater in Game 7 over the ?76ers named NBA play of the year.


https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/nba-names-kawhi-leonards-raptors-sixers-serieswinner-play-of-the-season-215329589.html
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top