Masai: ‘Plenty part' of Kawhi wanted to stay with Raptors

[gerrit4]

I will be curious about how Kawhi looks back on his year here in like 10 years when he's retiring. I wouldn't be shocked if this will have been his favourite season a pro. Has a huge comeback, gets "best player in the league hype," treated like a god, really good teammates (who clearly he got a long with, and clearly they admired him), one of the greatest shots in NBA history, and obviously a championship with Finals MVP.

Now of course I'll feel silly if in June, the Clippers win the championship and Kawhi is saying "this was the best year of my life," but I do wonder if this Toronto year will be his favourite in hindsight.

[arneil]

True but Kawhi was the King of this country. Free apartments, food, plane, cars (Nav) and more. He probably did hate the weather here but half the teams in the NBA have similar weather so that's not insulting. Plus this is a talented team in the east, with great management and fans. If Clippers dropped the ball, I doubt he would feel horrible to come up here and start a dynasty.

I'd have to agree with this. Half of the NBA teams are in parts of North America that are cold and have winter. And some of those teams are in cities that aren't even close to the level of living standards that Toronto has (Utah, Denever, Milwuakee etc) Ive said it in other posts, Kawahi just wanted to go home. Plain and simple. I saw the way Kawahi acted with his teamates, the team in general. How he accepted the city. There was nothing or very little evedince to suggest that Kawahi hated it here. He just wanted to go home. I agree with Masai that if there was a NBA team in Nigeria or Africa, Masai himself probably wouldnt be in TO.

You guys aren't reading me. I had a MLSE-related source who dealt with Larry T. tell me this. Kawhi wasn't coming back to Toronto if he had winning options in LA. And he did. Two of them.

Well yea, I definitely agree that winning is the number one thing. If both LA situations were losing, and Ive said this before in other posts, Kawahi might of signed back with the Raps but his attitude would/could of be different because he was still not in LA. Winning+home=sign in LA ultimately happy. Losing+LA=might sign back in Toronto but with a different attitude. And again, Ive said this before in other posts. I think Kawahi was releaved PG signed. Because if not I think Kawahi would of signed back with the Raps and Im not so sure what his attitude would be like. Not because he hated Toronto or The Raps but because it wasnt LA.

[RIP Kobe]

“If he wants to go home, he’s gone home,” Ujiri said. “If there was a team in Lagos, Nigeria or Zaria, Nigeria, if there was an NBA team there I don’t know if I would stay in Toronto. There are some callings in life and some things that pull people one way or the other and I completely understand that.”

https://www.sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/masai-ujiri-plenty-part-of-kawhi-wanted-to-stay-with-raptors-182141896.html

When NBA Africa launches, Ujiri is gone. He'll be the Commissioner there.

Ujiri doesn’t care about the raptors and he frankly never has. He’s been using his position here to promote a product he otherwise would have trouble doing in the US.

Bringing a championship to Canada was great but he helps his resume when he decides to dip.

[gpoon]

There was zero part a Kawhi wanted to stay. It is what it is

I'm sure you know better than Masai.

ALL realGMers know more that masai, and anyone else for that matter.

[jbrown_87]

For the love of the Lord, he stay, he go, we are the 201/2019 NBA Champions. I don't know about you all but I am generally as intrigued and excited about this upcoming season as I was before the start of last. We can focus on our own drafted talent to see what they are in bigger roles (Pascal, OG, Norm to some extent)

The man had a chance to go home in his prime while still in a fair/good position health wise. These articles mean sh%t all at the end of the day as he already signed the dotted line. Let's cheer him when he returns for giving us all what we wanted and leave it at that.

[RyderMike]

Plenty part of Kawhi probably wished Toronto was in SoCal. If Toronto was in San Fran, he probably resigns instead of moving to LA even though LA is closer to SD. TO is just too far

[YelloC]

What’s the over/under on the increase in Kawhis freethrow attempts per game now that he’s no longer a Raptor??
I’d say more than 2 per game. Probably 2.7.

[13th Man]

Didn't read, everything is moot. Time to move on.

[ThatClockWork]

There was zero part a Kawhi wanted to stay. It is what it is

you can't say that with any level of certainty. it is what it is.

[2019nbachamps]

What’s the over/under on the increase in Kawhis freethrow attempts per game now that he’s no longer a Raptor??
I’d say more than 2 per game. Probably 2.7.

Nope, Kawhi doesn't get to the line as much as he should because he doesn't talk much. The more you lobby refs the more trips to the charity stripe you get.

I have nothing against Kawhi personally but as a diehard Raptor fan I hope the Clippers fail to win a title and he looks back at this decision with regret. Raptors did everything right in managing the relationship with him.

[maternal85]

https://www.sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/masai-ujiri-plenty-part-of-kawhi-wanted-to-stay-with-raptors-182141896.html

When NBA Africa launches, Ujiri is gone. He'll be the Commissioner there.

Ujiri doesn’t care about the raptors and he frankly never has. He’s been using his position here to promote a product he otherwise would have trouble doing in the US.

Bringing a championship to Canada was great but he helps his resume when he decides to dip.

A top GM in the league who doesn't care about his job. Imagine if he actually cared. Only an ignorant clown like yourself could say such a thing with confidence too. Is he setting himself up for the future as he may want to get into other things down the line ? Sure. But to say he doesn't care ? Do people think MU will be 70 years old and still be our GM?

[GG0701]

There's nothing new here. We did everything we could and he wanted to go home. If it was the LA Raptors, he would have stayed.

And that linked article is Clippers propaganda. It was never down to the Lakers and Raptors. It was always the Clippers. Paul George asked for a trade to play with Kawhi on the Clippers (to Presti) before Kawhi even had his known meeting and sat with the Clippers.

It’s not propaganda. It’s an article from Yahoo Sports Canada and it’s what Masai said.

In the interview when he says he knows Kawhi and he knows he really thought about all those thing he empasizes it and starts pointing to his chest.

[maternal85]

What’s the over/under on the increase in Kawhis freethrow attempts per game now that he’s no longer a Raptor??
I’d say more than 2 per game. Probably 2.7.

Nope, Kawhi doesn't get to the line as much as he should because he doesn't talk much. The more you lobby refs the more trips to the charity stripe you get.

I have nothing against Kawhi personally but as a diehard Raptor fan I hope the Clippers fail to win a title and he looks back at this decision with regret. Raptors did everything right in managing the relationship with him.

They won't get passed the 2nd round and KL2 body will really start giving out next season. People will really start appreciating the role players he had last season.

[Raptorman_ca]

Damon. T-Mac. Vince and soon Kawai

The "I should have stayed in Toronto " Club.

[SFour]

I have a feeling Kawhi will eventually regret leaving, down the road he'll probably talk about the what-ifs like Vince and Tmac do constantly.

But I'm over Kawhi leaving....he got us a championship with ZERO drama during the season. Now he wants to go home, that's completely fine.

[VicG]

You know what's ****ing awesome? We won a title.

Yes but it's a wasted asset because in the long run it would have been better to trade him at the deadline for picks. /s

Hahaha classic!

What’s sad is some people actually believe this.

[And1+2]

All of him will wish he stayed after he realizes that even he can't break the Clipper's curse.

[PhilBlackson]

Just not the part that signs the contract.

[2019nbachamps]

I have a feeling Kawhi will eventually regret leaving, down the road he'll probably talk about the what-ifs like Vince and Tmac do constantly.

But I'm over Kawhi leaving....he got us a championship with ZERO drama during the season. Now he wants to go home, that's completely fine.

Don't think you can compare the 3.

Perhaps Vince regrets leaving but I haven't heard him say that. In hindsight I don't think it was smart to force his way out as other than a couple of good years with the Nets and that one run with the Magic, his team accomplishments after the Raptors have been mediocre. It is fair for him to wonder if him + Bosh could have somehow made a run to the ECF or the final one year.

T-Mac should have no regrets. He became a superstar, HOFer, and lets not forget at one point there was talk of him being the best player in the NBA. Best players in the league during T-Mac's prime were him, Kobe, Shaq, Duncan, Iverson, and maybe a few others. Things didn't work out for him team wise but just like James Harden at OKC, it didn't make sense for a guy with his potential to remain a #2/3 option in Toronto.

Kawhi also should have no regrets. 2 NBA titles and final MVPs. He's made tons of money. Gets to live at home in one of the best cities in the world. As a Raptors fan I'm just disappointed he had his blinders on and was ready to leave us no matter what (including a title run that I'm sure even caught him by surprise).

[siakamthemvp]

You know what's ****ing awesome? We won a title.

Yes but it's a wasted asset because in the long run it would have been better to trade him at the deadline for picks. /s

Hahaha classic!

What’s sad is some people actually believe this.

The only people for who that would be true is owners who use the team solely as an investment not as a interest (ie. if the Teachers Pension Plan still owned us) where prolonged playoffs would be better than one run followed by a rebuild (which isn't what we have since we still have a competitive playoff caliber squad) due to the extra revenue of playoff games compared to none.

Even with that though, they made so much extra revenue from championship memorabilia (don't know how much, but I wonder how it compares to the gate income) that the championship may still be better financially than prolonged non-title success.