The Board Man Cometh!! Kawhi Leonard Signs 3 Year (2+1), $103 Million Deal

Vae Victus · Post #481 » by **Vae Victus** » Fri May 3, 2019 5:20 pm

NatiboyB wrote:So Clippers fans who are you going to surround Kawhai with this off season?

If Kawhi signals he's 100% on board AND wants a superstar running mate, the Clips then go out there and pitch to other superstar FAs, "we got Kawhi, who else wants to join up? Hey NOP, you sick of LAL and BOS trying to strongarm u into making a bad deal, you could deal with us to spit in both of their eyes..."

The options for the Clippers are nigh limitless this offseason. So much of the core components of the roster is locked in for dirt cheap (Lou Will, Harrell, SEGA, JRobinson, Shamet, Zubac) and the only road block to the 2nd max is Gallo, and trading him out to a team with cap space should be a simple manner.

If Kawhi declares he's coming, it opens the floodgates where the Clips can pick and choose who gets to join him in LAC.

Not to mention all those assets the Clips restocked with from the Tobias Harris trade (PHI FRP, MIAI unprot FRP, 2 SRPs) to help make further moves if necessary.

The Clips of all the teams short of NYK winning #1 pick (Zion is just too tantalizing of a prospect for KD/Kyrie to not automatically join with) are best positioned to make strong acquisitions in the future. Followed by BRK and NYK imho.

Ranma · Post #482 » by **Ranma** » Fri May 3, 2019 5:24 pm

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Vae Victus · Post #483 » by **Vae Victus** » Sat May 4, 2019 2:05 am

We can literally pair Kawhi and KD together.... is there a more unstoppable duo in the current NBA...

AND we have the ammo to go grab AD if we really really wanted to. Like if Kawhi and KD demand that AD must join them... ****, go trade EVERYONE and go get AD.

Laker package is tarnished with injuries as well as the Klutch strong arm saga and Tatum doesnt have the same shine as he did earlier in the season. The time is ripe for Logo to swoop in and straight up own everyone else in the AD chase.

Ranma · Post #484 » by **Ranma** » Sun May 5, 2019 7:02 am

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Ranma · Post #485 » by **Ranma** » Mon May 6, 2019 3:09 am

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MartinToVaught · Post #486 » by **MartinToVaught** » Mon May 6, 2019 3:14 am

I'm really starting to hate how the media, both local and national, are talking about Kawhi like he's already signed, sealed and delivered to the Clippers. That's just asking for bad karma. I'd be pissed if I was a Raptors fan and had to read everyone getting their "he'll be amazing on the Clippers next year!" comments in after every game.

Ranma · Post #487 » by **Ranma** » Mon May 6, 2019 3:18 am

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Ranma · Post #488 » by **Ranma** » Mon May 6, 2019 3:25 am

MartinToVaught wrote:I'm really starting to hate how the media, both local and national, are talking about Kawhi like he's already signed, sealed and delivered to the Clippers. That's just asking for bad karma. I'd be pissed if I was a Raptors fan and had to read everyone getting their "he'll be amazing on the Clippers next year!" comments in after every game.

That's a fair point, but it's better than the blatant tampering attempts by LeBron's camp. LeBron himself, Maverick Carter and now Magic Johnson have all tweeted praise of Kawhi in recent days with the hope of convincing him to go to the Lakers. People can't help but call out the obvious fit for Kawhi with the Clips, especially with reports from the media citing unnamed sources but likely within the Clippers' front office of its confidence in acquiring KL this summer. There must be something or multiple factors that have the Clips barely hiding their enthusiasm at the prospects of having him join our team next season.

By the way, it's not just local and national media, but technically international media with even some Canadian and apparently Australian outlets thinking he's going to the Clippers.

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Vae Victus · Post #489 » by **Vae Victus** » Mon May 6, 2019 6:17 am

C - Zubac
PF- KD
SF- Kawhi
SG- Shamet
PG- SEGA

with these guys coming off the bench

Harrell
Lou Will
PatBev (3 yr 27mil)
JaMychal Green (2 year Room Exception 2nd year Player Option)
JRobinson

Start Green and move Kawhi to SG, if the opposing team starts a bruiser that KD doesnt want to guard.

I cant think of any team out there that can stop these guys. GSW is fatally weakened with KD bolting. Playoff Kawhi is an utter beast on both ends, as we see in this playoffs. Team has length up the bunghole and 3pt shooting from everyone but Zubac/Harrell at the 5 spot.

It all just makes too much damn sense for Kawhi and KD to team up in LAC. As GSW has shown us, its great to have an elite top 3, but you still need lengthy elite role players to go do dirty work and eat up mins. Clips have elite role players out the wazoo with 3 of the guard/wings on rookie deals who all can potentially get better!

I so want TOR to get knocked out by PHI and GSW to cruise to a 3rd straight title led by Curry, with GSW fans mocking and dissing KD so much that he doesnt want to deal with that crap and wants to start anew.

I cant see how any superstar FAs want to put their primes in the hands of NYK FOs under Dolan. It's sheer madness if they want to win championships. Coming to LAC gives them a major market AND an elite FO + good coach to keep stacking dem rangz.

Tomhomes33 · Post #490 » by **Tomhomes33** » Mon May 6, 2019 11:22 am

Ranma wrote:
MartinToVaught wrote:I'm really starting to hate how the media, both local and national, are talking about Kawhi like he's already signed, sealed and delivered to the Clippers. That's just asking for bad karma. I'd be pissed if I was a Raptors fan and had to read everyone getting their "he'll be amazing on the Clippers next year!" comments in after every game.

That's a fair point, but it's better than the blatant tampering attempts by LeBron's camp. LeBron himself, Maverick Carter and now Magic Johnson have all tweeted praise of Kawhi in recent days with the hope of convincing him to go to the Lakers. People can't help but call out the obvious fit for Kawhi with the Clips, especially with reports from the media citing unnamed sources but likely within the Clippers' front office of its confidence in acquiring KL this summer. There must be something or multiple factors that have the Clips barely hiding their enthusiasm at the prospects of having him join our team next season.

By the way, it's not just local and national media, but technically international media with even some Canadian and apparently Australian outlets thinking he's going to the Clippers.

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People might be suprised/schocked if resigns with Raptors, its certainly a possibility.
Raptors can promise him no more than 50-60regular games/season. Give him extra days off to spend in California when they have light home schedule, supermax 190mill (50more than Clippers can offer) among other things and in Toronto he can live his private calm life, no media pressure and circus. He could also sign 1+1 with Raptors and then leave next season and get max contract with the other team. Dont underestimate Masai Ujiri.

Ranma · Post #491 » by **Ranma** » Mon May 6, 2019 4:24 pm

Tomhomes33 wrote:People might be suprised/schocked if resigns with Raptors, its certainly a possibility.
Raptors can promise him no more than 50-60regular games/season. Give him extra days off to spend in California when they have light home schedule, supermax 190mill (50more than Clippers can offer) among other things and in Toronto he can live his private calm life, no media pressure and circus. He could also sign 1+1 with Raptors and then leave next season and get max contract with the other team. Dont underestimate Masai Ujiri.

I agree with you that it certainly is a possibility that Kawhi ends up choosing to stay in Toronto, but based on what we've been hearing, it is significantly more likely that he departs for the Clippers as a free agent. The Raptors traded for him knowing full well that he was already looking to sign elsewhere and only gave up DeMar DeRozan who seems to have dragged the Spurs down rather than elevate that team. Getting out from under DeRozan's remaining year and player option after this season can actually be argued as a benefit in itself not to mention having Danny Green's Bird rights heading into the summer. This leads me to also point out that Kawhi has been practically carrying the Raptors this postseason, especially with Kyle Lowry continuing to struggle in the postseason. One of the few things we do know for sure about Kawhi is that he wants to win and the Clippers already offer a more promising roster than the Raptors.

Ujiri himself was rumored to contemplate being interested in taking the job in Washington. Yes, the Raptors can give him more money with that 5th year but it's not much of a difference in terms of average annual salary. Of course, given his injury concerns that 5th year might be a difference-maker, but he turned down much more money by requesting to be traded from San Antonio because they were the only team that could offer him a true supermax. It is highly doubtful that he'll sign a 1+1 contract even if that option is available. Dude wants to commit one way or the other and does not want to prolong the circus of free-agency speculation.

Another thing we know about Kawhi is that family is a high, if not the top, priority for him. Most if not all of his family live in Southern California and he just bought a luxurious home for his mother in San Diego. San Diego is not exactly local to Los Angeles but it's still much closer than Toronto. His baby mama is from San Diego and relocated with him to San Antonio when he was selected by the Spurs. I'm not familiar with how much time she's spent with him in Toronto, though I've come across a rumor that his 2nd child was born in Toronto. Likewise, his mother lived in San Antonio while Kawhi was a Spur and remained there even after he was traded, but she now has the aforementioned new house in So. Cal.

We already knew Kawhi wanted to come to Los Angeles from the outset. The Clippers hired Lee Jenkins who specializes in psychological/identity profiling seemingly specifically to get a read on Kawhi before providing such information for other players presumably in free agency and the draft. The Clippers have been ardent and downright blatant suitors for Kawhi from the get-go, so their internal optimism may be skewed by such efforts, but I have to believe that they have intel that gives them cause to be legitimately giddy.

Just like I've noted with Kevin Durant, who I think is leaning toward New York at this very moment, I'm of the impression that Kawhi is leaning toward the Clippers and both KD and Kawhi could have their minds changed. The difference is that I feel Toronto's best chance to change Kawhi's mind is with their postseason play at this point while Durant could be swayed by a sales pitch in face-to-face meetings. Paul George changed his mind after playing with Russell Westbrook due to the bond the two shared. Kevin Durant was recruited by Draymond Green and the Warriors apparently won out with their presentation for him to abandon Oklahoma City.

In the end, while the Raptors still have a shot at keeping Kawhi, most people including myself are of the opinion that the Clippers are the front-runners for his services after this season and we have good reason to have such a position.

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Post #492 » by **mkwest** » Mon May 6, 2019 4:44 pm

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Ranma · Post #493 » by **Ranma** » Mon May 6, 2019 5:29 pm

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Ranma · Post #494 » by **Ranma** » Tue May 7, 2019 11:48 am

With all due respect to Woj, I'll wait until other sources chime in with independent sources or takes before I get worried about Kawhi staying in Toronto. Again, while I think there's a possibility of him staying with the Raptors, the odds and circumstances just favor the Clippers.

Wojnarowski is obviously the preeminent source for breaking NBA news, but it's not above him to serve as a mouthpiece for teams and players since he has to scratch their backs on occasion in order to maintain his access. Remember, how he detailed the boisterous practice in Minnesota headlined by Jimmy Butler just before his oddly convenient interview with Rachel Nichols? That was likely payback for allowing Woj to break the 3 teams on Butler's initial preferred trade list.

Woj also was late to the party in reporting that Kawhi actually preferred the Clippers over the Lakers. After maintaining that the Lakers were still the preferred destination likely because his source was the LAL front office itself LeBron's camp, he finally and quietly started to report that the Clippers were the preferred destination after Brian Windhorst, Shams Charania, Michael C. Wright and others had ran with the countering report for about a week or so. And just yesterday, he conspicuously repeated the previously reported notion that the Warriors have to offer Klay Thompson the max in order to retain him only with the twist that the Clippers are now a landing spot for him instead of the Lakers.

Even with this opinion, which may actually be genuine, he's pushing it from the perspective of the Raptors. As I mentioned before, the money factor is relatively negligible given that the difference is a 5th-year to an offered contract while the average annual value has little discrepancy at $2.75 million per year. Would that really matter when he passed up the possibility of gaining an extra $31 million in a super-max deal had he stayed in San Antonio? Other players--including Kevin Durant--haven't shown that to be an obstacle to leaving their former teams.

Woj states that Toronto can't sell geography to Kawhi while seemingly acknowledging it as a factor then tries to minimize it a bit by saying that the Raptors are selling winning to him without noting that they're winning because the Klaw has been carrying them with a +/- differential in the 60's with him on the floor compared to off it.

Just like with Stephen A. Smith and other media talking heads, there is a difference in credibility and value compared to the information they're respectively relaying and their actual opinions. It is significant that Woj's stated opinion isn't even noted in the time-stamp summary of the podcast that it was stated in, especially while he goes onto the more public and widely viewed TV segment and espouses how the Clippers are in a strong position for Kawhi. If he was so confident in his take, then why not promote it?

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Spoiler:

Adrian Wojnarowski

Kawhi Leonard just felt all along, it was going to take the full year to sell him on Toronto. It wasn't going to be done in training camp or by Christmas or by the trade deadline. But I do think they've made progress with him. I do think they've made pretty good progress with him from the sense I have. They put themselves in it. And when Kawhi showed up there, I'm not sure he imagined any future in Toronto. I do think it's a serious consideration now.

But Toronto is selling winning on him. They can't sell geography to him, I don't think. I don't think they can't sell weather on him. There's nothing they can do about that. When you have that kind of organization, you sell winning and again, the chance to make the most money.

mttwlsn16 · Post #495 » by **mttwlsn16** » Tue May 7, 2019 12:08 pm

Toronto is selling him with winning? Lol ok woj. They're only winning bc of Kawhi. They might not even be a playoff team without him.

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Quake Griffin · Post #496 » by **Quake Griffin** » Tue May 7, 2019 12:39 pm

mttwlsn16 wrote:Toronto is selling him with winning? Lol ok woj. They're only winning bc of Kawhi. They might not even be a playoff team without him.

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In what sense? They traded for him. If they didn’t, they’d have made the playoffs with DeMar.

You mean if he just disappeared from Earth?
Well...
He played 60 games this year. I don’t know the record in games he missed off the top of my head but they played just fine without him.

Nonetheless, the Raptors themselves weren’t in a “woe is me, no playoffs unless we acquire Kawhi” position to begin last offseason and with Ujiri there, they won’t be in a “woe is me” position for long if Kawhi leaves.

They have a good front office.
Anunoby and Siakam are good late 20s picks. He has every right (logically) to like a few of the pieces there and bet on Ujiri to continue to improve the roster over the next 5 years of his career.

And.
Toronto is one of the biggest cities in North America. There’s a ton of culture and things to do there. Sure, the weather isn’t LA but it is hardly Podunk, Anywhere USA.

Ranma · Post #497 » by **Ranma** » Tue May 7, 2019 5:57 pm

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Vae Victus · Post #498 » by **Vae Victus** » Tue May 7, 2019 6:19 pm

Kawhi can pick his running mate in LAC to maximize ring chances or he can elect to be a one man army like he is in TOR and be the lone hero getting all the glory. The Logo will let him choose whatever path he wants to walk. Once Kawhi is inked, then Logo can go build the team however he deems fit.

TOR did well in the regular season without Kawhi, something like 17-5, but honestly, it's the East, which doesnt mean as much as in the West (as we can see with Lebron unable to solo carry the Lakers). Also the Raptors were literally playing their hearts out in those games, cuz they know they were a legit contender with Kawhi unlike with DeRozan.

However these playoffs have greatly exposed how poor of playoff performers the Raptors are without him. There's literally a 60 pt difference per 100 possessions, between Kawhi on and off the court. The Raptors aint crap without him and its more glaring as every game goes on. Lowry is a known choker, Marc is getting older and slower, Siakam is great, Ibaka is a very fit 45 year old, and the vaunted youth Bench Mob that TOR fans always boast about have all shriveled up under the intense glare of the playoffs.

When TOR fans boast that after a year theyll have cap space to sign another superstar max FA if Kawhi chooses to stay (Kawhi, rookie max extension Siakam, OG, Van Vleet) makes me lmaorofl. The Clips can sign another superstar max FA, RIGHT NOW (after an easy Gallo salary dump). Why would Kawhi wait a year playing with old washed up fossils like Lowry, Marc, and Ibaka, when he can pair with another young prime superstar and have oodles of young talent depth surrounding him.

The argument to stay in TOR for basketball reasons lie solely in how far they can go NOW, cuz next year they cant really improve, what with the expected declines of Lowry, Marc, and Ibaka neutralizing whatever improvements they get out of their youth + MLE FA signing.

TOR is a franchise that HAS to win RIGHT NOW cuz they wont get any better. I mean Siakam has been beasting hard... so its not like he's got much growth left to do to be an even more impact player... so who else can they look to step up?

Whereas SEGA, Shamet, and JRobinson just concluded their rookie campaigns... 2 of them having fine ones. Zubac has great potential to be a nice modern cheap C. Lou Will and Gallo will fall off due to age and wear and tear (im inclined to trade these 2 asap before their value falls), Harrell isnt 30 yet. The 2nd superstar FA + 9ish mil worth of cap space (PatBev? JaMychal Green?) + Room Exception, is just too much talent that is trending in the right direction.

NBA needs young legs, it's just an ironclad fact of life. TOR aint got enough of em and theyre running Kawhi into the ground due to their lack of talented youth.

Tomhomes33 · Post #499 » by **Tomhomes33** » Tue May 7, 2019 6:22 pm

As Raptors fan who comes in piece I find this hillariois (copy paste from Raptors board)
but half of it is true:)

The reasons Kawhi stays and does not join Clippers

- More money
- Clips don't have anyone as good as Siakam
- East isn't as loaded top to bottom
- Better fanbase
- Nobody cares about the Clippers in LA or the rest of the league
- Raptors have one of the best training staffs in the league and will do whatever you want
- Nick Nurse is a chill coach that won't yell at you or embarrass you and wants your feedback
- You already live in SoCal in the offseason why not have the best of both worlds and have a 50/50 split
- You're already on pace of being the best player for a franchise ever and could break most of the franchise records possibly
- The media is chill and won't harass you or bug you
- You have burgeoning friendships with Powell, Lowry, Ibaka and Danny Green if he comes back is a long time friend
- Won't have police officers trying to shoot you because you're black
- Weed is legal
- Away from family and friends bugging you for tickets and you can only concentrate on basketball
- Monas parties
- Drakes parties
- Team is willing to go over the cap and spend on luxury tax
- We have the assets to trade for Anthony Davis
- Lowry, Gasol and Ibaka are coming off the books next year and we can add some real talent beside you and Siakam
- No Earthquakes
- To much exposure to sun can give you a greater risk at skin cancer
- Won't be playing in Lebrons shadow in the same city
- They don't have Jurassic Park
- Don't have to wear the same jersey all the time
- Don't have to deal with some crazy eccentric owner
- Better downtown core that has everything you need and is easier accessible
- Winter clothes expand your wardrobe and make your fashion more impressive
- Toronto more diverse
- No Trump
- Next to no annoying Laker fans here
- Clippers best player is a 6th man in his early 30's
- Doc Rivers has been rumored to possibly leave and could bail if things don't work
- 1 less road game in front of those unruly Spurs fans in San Antonio

MartinToVaught · Post #500 » by **MartinToVaught** » Tue May 7, 2019 11:00 pm

Don't you have your own board to post on instead of trashing our team on our board?