Originally Posted by The Bad Guy:
Meh is being kind. **** KCP. I don't know why you bring back Javale for anything but league min.
Need Marcus Morris and for the love of god a point guard not named Rondo.
I don't know how much Morris is asking for but after signing Green they had $17M free then spent $12M of it for KCP and Javale. That is what happens when Lebron is the GM. [Reply]
Damn, well he's the enemy now. Clearly this was more than a basketball move for him, but I have a feeling he'll regret spurning the Raptors (fully formed championship team at least for another year or so) and the Lakers (2 top 5 players) to play with an overrated choker in Paul George and very little else. This is going to be quite a rivalry in LA this coming season.
Toronto will only ever have appreciation for helping to bring a championship title that seemed unfathomable before he got there, but this will understandably sting for a while.
Also, Danny Green is a really good signing for the Lakers. Was sneakily one of the better two-way players in the NBA last season. Little point in the Raps signing him now so he's taking his shot at a title himself. [Reply]
Originally Posted by dirk digler:
I don't know how much Morris is asking for but after signing Green they had $17M free then spent $12M of it for KCP and Javale. That is what happens when Lebron is the GM.
I don't see what the problem with McGee is. Good bench big. KCP is trash but we know what the deal is there. [Reply]
From Woj wow. Raptors were so close to a super team
Originally Posted by :
Had Presti been able to strike a deal for George with the Raptors -- and Leonard was willing to stay -- George was believed to be willing to join the Raptors too, sources said. Presti pursued a package of Russell Westbrook with George to the Raptors -- with the NBA's Most Improved Player, forward Pascal Siakam as the centerpiece of a deal -- and Ujiri balked, league sources said. Ujiri had delivered Leonard everything that he wanted in a franchise: Leadership and trust, championship talent and a medical partnership that preserved and prepared his body. What Ujiri couldn't give Leonard was out of his control: Geography, weather, and a chance to return to his Southern California roots.
I bet Russ is crying right now after reading he was just about traded to the Raptors. If he isn't traded soon you are going to see his pussy flow like never before. :-) [Reply]
From this article. Looks like the goal all along was to play for the Clippers, Kawhi just needed a second star to sign on the bottomline.
He wanted to play with PG so I would assume he would have signed back with Toronto if they got both him and Westbrook. Your team would have had to trade probably Lowry and a bunch of other picks to make that happen though. [Reply]
Originally Posted by dirk digler:
He wanted to play with PG so I would assume he would have signed back with Toronto if they got both him and Westbrook. Your team would have had to trade probably Lowry and a bunch of other picks to make that happen though.
Yes, it appears both Kawhi and PG basically held the Clippers and Raptors hostage and played them off against each other the past week. The Clippers ultimately had more to offer (more picks, more young players) and got the deal done.
Westbrook is considered a net negative at this point around the league, with his significant decline and awful contract. No team wants him. [Reply]
Originally Posted by The Bad Guy:
When you have the chance to get LeBron James, you get him. I don't understand what's really that funny here. Kawhi did them dirty and used them for leverage, but the Lakers have 2 of the top 7 players in the league.
Depleted roster? That's the only thing funny in all that.
You can make a debate about if you'd rather have LeBron and AD or Kawhi and Paul George.
And I’m not saying the Lakers made a mistake, but they’d certainly be better off with Kawhi/PG and a not so depleted roster. I don’t think it’s even a question because Lebron is 35 and AD has never won shit and likely won’t have THAT much better of a supporting cast than he did in NO. [Reply]
In the end, Toronto didn't have assets to satisfy OKC --- with or without Siakam in any proposed deal. The fear of Toronto entering into trade talks with OKC only proved to guarantee the Clippers would go the distance with five first-round picks and SGA in deal for George.
Originally Posted by KC_Connection:
Yes, it appears both Kawhi and PG basically held the Clippers and Raptors hostage and played them off against each other the past week. The Clippers ultimately had more to offer (more picks, more young players) and got the deal done.
Westbrook is considered a net negative at this point around the league, with his significant decline and awful contract. No team wants him.
I don't blame Masai for not doing this. You just won a championship** and then are asked to blow up your whole team. That is a very hard thing to do. [Reply]
Originally Posted by KC_Connection: Damn, well he's the enemy now. Clearly this was more than a basketball move for him, but I have a feeling he'll regret spurning the Raptors (fully formed championship team at least for another year or so) and the Lakers (2 top 5 players) to play with an overrated choker in Paul George and very little else. This is going to be quite a rivalry in LA this coming season.
Toronto will only ever have appreciation for helping to bring a championship title that seemed unfathomable before he got there, but this will understandably sting for a while.
Also, Danny Green is a really good signing for the Lakers. Was sneakily one of the better two-way players in the NBA last season. Little point in the Raps signing him now so he's taking his shot at a title himself.
And the Clippers have a solid team around Kawhi and George. Much better than the one the Lakers will have around 35 y/o Lebron and AD who’s never won shit. [Reply]
Originally Posted by dirk digler:
I don't blame Masai for not doing this. You just won a championship** and then are asked to blow up your whole team. That is a very hard thing to do.
I don't even know if he could match what the Clippers offered even if he wanted to (and I doubt he did for the very reasons you stated). [Reply]