Forget LA...Why would Leonard resign with this current Roster?

[TooBad]

First off I just want to say that I am ecstatic to have Leonard on this team as he has always been one of my favourite players in the NBA (two way player, who doesn't b*tch and has a rags to riches success story...what's not to like?). My concern is that this team has a 1 year window and there is no way in hell that he stays without another star in their prime. Lowry is old and overrated and outside of him there isn't an allstar on this team who Kahwi can grow beside or would want to.Why would Kahwi sign long term when Lowry is 32 and getting worse every year? I would have been a lot more comfortable trading Lowry rather than Derozan for many reasons but it is what it is and Ujiri basically has to get a guy like Butler or AD or he's leaving.

[720]

[PhilBlackson]

Well it's one step at a time. If it seems that Kawhi is warming up to the idea in the conversations he has with Masai & Bobby then we can discuss making further moves built around him (ie/ going hard after Butler). We still have plenty of young pieces to package if there's some growing buy in.

But for now it's seeing if he likes the feel of the franchise, the people in it, the fans and a vision of what can be. This move really was just to improve the ceiling of our short window and accelerate the rebuild which it does in spades if it doesn't pan out. If we do however connect on this homerun swing, it's a grandslam...it was seriously a new lose situation but again, one step at a time. What you see now, isn't what would be if Kawhi was bought in.

[LoveMyRaps]

LOL. Post of the year candidate

[dukes_wild]

[RickyShots]

Thanks for airing your concern.

[Courtside]

First off I just want to say that I am ecstatic to have Leonard on this team as he has always been one of my favourite players in the NBA (two way player, who doesn't b*tch and has a rags to riches success story...what's not to like?). My concern is that this team has a 1 year window and there is no way in hell that he stays without another star in their prime. Lowry is old and overrated and outside of him there isn't an allstar on this team who Kahwi can grow beside or would want to.Why would Kahwi sign long term when Lowry is 34 and getting worse every year? I would have been a lot more comfortable trading Lowry rather than Derozan for many reasons but it is what it is and Ujiri basically has to get a guy like Butler or AD or he's leaving.

Fair question.

Thing is, we have good young talent and financial flexibility to make large scale moves if he chooses to commit. Further, he just came from SAS where guys like Duncan, Ginobili and Parker had great careers into their late 30s - including championships. I agree thay Kyle is not a similarly aged piece like him, but could be effective beyond the coming contract season.

Kawhi would likely go for that 2+1 deal that takes him to his 10 year level, and it's entirely possible Kyle can be an effective starter for this coming season and two more.

Jonas, OG, Pascal, Delon and Fred... perhaps there is no All Star in there, but we can make moves to bring one in. We have money to spend and expirings to dangle.

[sca]

Lowry isn’t overrated. If anything, he was underrated. He won’t be anymore with this team constantly being on the spotlight this season. I honestly think that the basketball world’s opinion about him will drastically change this year. People will be like: “How come we haven’t noticed how great Lowry is before?”

I can also see him playing close to this level for another two years barring an injury, and we’ll rest him because FVV is a fantastic backup, so there’ll definitely be a window of opportunity at a championship if/after Kawhi stays.

[RaptorsLife]

LOL

[nitrous]

I feel like it would be unwise for a variety of reasons to settle and put all our teams current and future hopes on Kawhi. What if he is injured again? We still need one more major piece and have to be willing to part with younger talent to do it. I would much rather have a competitive finals than risk falling short, having Kawhi leave in FA and the Raps becoming a permanent 9th seed.

Virtually ever other contender in the last 5 years has had a minimum of three major players. Raptors have Lowry and Kawhi and unfortunately JV and Ibaka are not on their level. By acquiring a third major star, I think our case for Kawhi staying can be that much stronger.

[Mr.Raptorsingh]

[RaptorsNorth]

Man this thread is way ahead of its time. The east is wide open and If This team goes to finals then this question Is irrelevant! This team is more talented than the team that went to the eastern conference finals. This is the kind of questions you ask if the team is struggling during the season. This is just a thread to be negative for the sake of being negative. I'm guessing demar getting traded is still affecting you.

[Double Helix]

CP3 is 33.
LeBron is 33.
Al Horford is 32.
Kevin Love is 30.
Kevin Durant is 30.
Stephen Curry will be 31 by the time the playoffs start.

Lowry being 32 is not going to be seen as some deal breaker in today’s era of sports nutrition and health for a player in his prime. Most of these guys think a year or two out.

59 win season with one of the younger rosters who made the playoffs (beyond Lowry) last year doesn’t hurt either.

[Uncle Dennis]

Why would Kahwi sign long term when Lowry is 34 and getting worse every year?

Lowry aged 2 years in one day?

[TooBad]

yeah I knew people wouldn't like this but its true. He might love the city but this roster isn't built for continuation so why would he trap himself here through a rebuild with no sure prospects either. Ujiri is going to have to get butler and probably trade lowry for a younger Pg.

[Mr.Raptorsingh]

Masai probably will have to bring in another all-star, but the Raps can't throw the kitchen sink for one until a) they have better feel for whether he's all-in and b) where his health is at the moment.

[TooBad]

Man this thread is way ahead of its time. The east is wide open and If This team goes to finals then this question Is irrelevant! This team is more talented than the team that went to the eastern conference finals. This is the kind of questions you ask if the team is struggling during the season. This is just a thread to be negative for the sake of being negative. I'm guessing demar getting traded is still affecting you.

No, I actually don't like Demar as a player at all but Lowry would have made way more sense. This trade is looking more and more like a play for RJ barrett to me. I can't make sense out of it unless we are acquiring another star in the near future.

[Uncle Dennis]

Man this thread is way ahead of its time. The east is wide open and If This team goes to finals then this question Is irrelevant! This team is more talented than the team that went to the eastern conference finals. This is the kind of questions you ask if the team is struggling during the season. This is just a thread to be negative for the sake of being negative. I'm guessing demar getting traded is still affecting you.

No, I actually don't like Demar as a player at all but Lowry would have made way more sense. This trade is looking more and more like a play for RJ barrett to me. I can't make sense out of it unless we are acquiring another star in the near future.

I mean at this point (until we get more information), we have no idea what Masai is thinking, it could be a barrage of things. Might as well just enjoy the ride.

[Kevin Willis]

First off I just want to say that I am ecstatic to have Leonard on this team as he has always been one of my favourite players in the NBA (two way player, who doesn't b*tch and has a rags to riches success story...what's not to like?). My concern is that this team has a 1 year window and there is no way in hell that he stays without another star in their prime. Lowry is old and overrated and outside of him there isn't an allstar on this team who Kahwi can grow beside or would want to.Why would Kahwi sign long term when Lowry is 34 and getting worse every year? I would have been a lot more comfortable trading Lowry rather than Derozan for many reasons but it is what it is and Ujiri basically has to get a guy like Butler or AD or he's leaving.

Fair question.

Thing is, we have good young talent and financial flexibility to make large scale moves if he chooses to commit. Further, he just came from SAS where guys like Duncan, Ginobili and Parker had great careers into their late 30s - including championships. I agree thay Kyle is not a similarly aged piece like him, but could be effective beyond the coming contract season.

Kawhi would likely go for that 2+1 deal that takes him to his 10 year level, and it's entirely possible Kyle can be an effective starter for this coming season and two more.

Jonas, OG, Pascal, Delon and Fred... perhaps there is no All Star in there, but we can make moves to bring one in. We have money to spend and expirings to dangle.

Courtside you were way too nice to take the post seriously. Just say we were #1 in the East AND we're one of the youngest teams in the NBA. Or say nothing - way too nice.

[alienchild]

Lowry isn’t overrated. If anything, he was underrated. He won’t be anymore with this team constantly being on the spotlight this season. I honestly think that the basketball world’s opinion about him will drastically change this year. People will be like: “How come we haven’t noticed how great Lowry is before?”

I can also see him playing close to this level for another two years barring an injury, and we’ll rest him because FVV is a fantastic backup, so there’ll definitely be a window of opportunity at a championship if/after Kawhi stays.

The basketball knowledgeable worlds opinion of him is high. It's the opinion of many uneducated RGM'ers that need to change. And the DeRozan stans that defended their boy by attacking Lowry.