Discussing Other Teams' Moves - Part 7

[verbal8]

Kwahi will resign with Toronto. It's a massive media market that gets slept on year after year because murica herp derp. Masai will also build the team around him being the #1 guy.

Chances are he also never plays one game for Toronto. He can sit out next year.

If does that is he still a max player?

No doubt about talent, but if his desire to play is questionable will he be able to produce at that level.

If it is an issue with not being fully healthy, I think a team would roll the dice on a max deal.

[FAH1223]

Were the Spurs offering Kawhi the super-max?

There were talks about it... but nothing imminent.

[dckingsfan]

The bottom line is that the opportunity for Kawhi to be traded to LA this offseason has passed. The only way to make it work would be for San Antonio to absorb Deng, and they weren't going to do that. There was perhaps a small chance of executing a deal after December 15th when all of LA's 1-year signings became eligible for a trade, but it's not reasonable for Kawhi to expect all other parties to wait around until then.

Kawhi should play in Toronto, play his best, and rebuild his reputation. That's the best move for him in the long term.

Do you think the individuals counseling him will advise that way?

[JWizmentality]

The bottom line is that the opportunity for Kawhi to be traded to LA this offseason has passed. The only way to make it work would be for San Antonio to absorb Deng, and they weren't going to do that. There was perhaps a small chance of executing a deal after December 15th when all of LA's 1-year signings became eligible for a trade, but it's not reasonable for Kawhi to expect all other parties to wait around until then.

Kawhi should play in Toronto, play his best, and rebuild his reputation. That's the best move for him in the long term.

Or he could pull a Demarcus Cousins, and middle finger to the league, sign with G-State for a year and peanuts.

[verbal8]

One possibility is a mid-season trade by the Lakers.

I think it is easier to do this with Toronto getting the discount for Leonard vs. the Spurs seeing him as a key player.

If the Raptors are starting a rebuild I think Ball or Ingram and a couple future 1st will get the job done. I don't think the Spurs would have gone for that deal.

[nate33]

The bottom line is that the opportunity for Kawhi to be traded to LA this offseason has passed. The only way to make it work would be for San Antonio to absorb Deng, and they weren't going to do that. There was perhaps a small chance of executing a deal after December 15th when all of LA's 1-year signings became eligible for a trade, but it's not reasonable for Kawhi to expect all other parties to wait around until then.

Kawhi should play in Toronto, play his best, and rebuild his reputation. That's the best move for him in the long term.

Or he could pull a Demarcus Cousins, and middle finger to the league, sign with G-State for a year and peanuts.

He is under contract. He can't do that.

[Shoe]

So Marcus Smart might sign for 4/46. A winning player getting $20 million less than Ian Mahinmi.

[nate33]

The bottom line is that the opportunity for Kawhi to be traded to LA this offseason has passed. The only way to make it work would be for San Antonio to absorb Deng, and they weren't going to do that. There was perhaps a small chance of executing a deal after December 15th when all of LA's 1-year signings became eligible for a trade, but it's not reasonable for Kawhi to expect all other parties to wait around until then.

Kawhi should play in Toronto, play his best, and rebuild his reputation. That's the best move for him in the long term.

Do you think the individuals counseling him will advise that way?

Yes.

Or at some point, Adam Silver or players union representatives will sit him down. A player under contract can't just decide to not play unless he is sent to one specific team. Letting Kawhi get away with this would pretty much destroy the structure of the league.

It's fine for Kawhi to want to dictate his future location once he hits free agency. And it's okay to use that leverage to help influence potential trade deals. But the deal has been made. He is a Raptor right now and he is under contract. He's got to play.

[Error Afflalo]

Masai is bold. I wish we had a GM like that.

[FAH1223]

Read on Twitter

[nate33]

So Marcus Smart might sign for 4/46. A winning player getting $20 million less than Ian Mahinmi.

I hate the Mahinmi contract as much as everyone else, but it's not fair to compare playing signings in this cash-strapped offseason to signings made during an offseason when there was more cap room available than in any year in NBA history.

I really like the Celtics keeping Smart. They were gonna have to choose between Smart and Rozier (or Kyrie) sooner or later; and I think Smart, signed in this offseason, is going to be a better contract that what Rozier is gonna get offered next year when everyone has money. I also think that Smart is a more versatile player who can find a way to fit in on that Celtics team regardless of who is on the floor with him. He can play and defend the 1, 2 and 3, either alongside Kyrie or in place of him. Also, he can replace Kyrie and give Boston a crazy defensive lineup where they can effortlessly switch 1 through 5. Basically, you can find 25-30 minutes a game for Smart, even on that stacked team.

Rozier is exclusively a PG (or an undersized SG). He's fine as Kyrie's backup, but he's not nearly as versatile or as effective as Boston's other options when playing alongside Kyrie because Boston loses their trademark defensive switchability when playing two diminutive guards. It would be tough to pay him $12-15M a year only to play the 14 minutes that Kyrie sits.

Also, by keeping Smart, Ainge retains the flexibility of trading Kyrie or letting him walk if his upcoming contract looks too expensive. Boston may discover that Tatum and Hayward give them enough offense that Kyrie is no longer necessary.

If Ainge ultimately intends to keep Kyrie, watch him trade Rozier for an expiring and a pick early this season. Ainge never lets an asset go to waste.

[JWizmentality]

The bottom line is that the opportunity for Kawhi to be traded to LA this offseason has passed. The only way to make it work would be for San Antonio to absorb Deng, and they weren't going to do that. There was perhaps a small chance of executing a deal after December 15th when all of LA's 1-year signings became eligible for a trade, but it's not reasonable for Kawhi to expect all other parties to wait around until then.

Kawhi should play in Toronto, play his best, and rebuild his reputation. That's the best move for him in the long term.

Or he could pull a Demarcus Cousins, and middle finger to the league, sign with G-State for a year and peanuts.

He is under contract. He can't do that.

I don't mean this year.

[nate33]

Or he could pull a Demarcus Cousins, and middle finger to the league, sign with G-State for a year and peanuts.

He is under contract. He can't do that.

I don't mean this year.

My entire post was in reference to this year. Kawhi better come to Toronto and play hard this year, even if he's pissed that he didn't get traded to LA.

Next year, he's an unrestricted free agent (assuming he exercises his player option). He can go wherever he wants to go. LA will have the cap room to pay him max money.

[JWizmentality]

He is under contract. He can't do that.

I don't mean this year.

My entire post was in reference to this year. Kawhi better come to Toronto and play hard this year, even if he's pissed that he didn't get traded to LA.

Next year, he's an unrestricted free agent (assuming he exercises his player option). He can go wherever he wants to go. LA will have the cap room to pay him max money.

I was responding to your suggestion that it would be a bad idea to not play to his full potential or sit out as he would kinda be black listed by teams ala Cousins this year because of the injury.

I could see him not getting the offers he wants and just running to G-Sate to screw over the league.

[nate33]

I don't mean this year.

My entire post was in reference to this year. Kawhi better come to Toronto and play hard this year, even if he's pissed that he didn't get traded to LA.

Next year, he's an unrestricted free agent (assuming he exercises his player option). He can go wherever he wants to go. LA will have the cap room to pay him max money.

I was responding to your suggestion that it would be a bad idea to not play to his full potential or sit out as he would kinda be black listed by teams ala Cousins this year because of the injury.

I could see him not getting the offers he wants and just running to G-Sate to screw over the league.

But why is it good for him to get paid $5.4M when he can sign a 4-year $140M contract? That would be the dumbest decision by a player in league history.

Cousins had no choice. Nobody wanted him because nobody with cap room had a need for a grumpy center with a ruptured Achilles. Kawhi has a choice. Play hard in Toronto and teams will line up this summer with max offers.

[closg00]

Masai is bold. I wish we had a GM like that.

Word, Masi is the exact opposite of Lazy Ernie. Masi could have kicked-back and just made another run with his current roster, instead he is upping the ante and will possibly reload in a trade will LA.

[Dat2U]

In the end this will help the Wizards. This will force Toronto into a retool or a rebuild, likely this season. They actually may be good enough to still make the playoffs - but not get to 50 wins.

My guess is Toronto ends up trading Kawhi to the Lakers without him ever playing a minute in a Raptors uniform.

Something like Brandon Ingram, Loul Deng & a 1st rd pick

[Dat2U]

Masai is bold. I wish we had a GM like that.

Word, Masi is the exact opposite of Lazy Ernie. Masi could have kicked-back and just made another run with his current roster, instead he is upping the ante and will possibly reload in a trade will LA.

I kill Ernie for a lot but why in the world would we do what Toronto just did? We basically would have had to sacrifice Beal and a pick to get a guy who probably has as little interest in playing in DC as he does Toronto.

[JWizmentality]

My entire post was in reference to this year. Kawhi better come to Toronto and play hard this year, even if he's pissed that he didn't get traded to LA.

Next year, he's an unrestricted free agent (assuming he exercises his player option). He can go wherever he wants to go. LA will have the cap room to pay him max money.

I was responding to your suggestion that it would be a bad idea to not play to his full potential or sit out as he would kinda be black listed by teams ala Cousins this year because of the injury.

I could see him not getting the offers he wants and just running to G-Sate to screw over the league.

But why is it good for him to get paid $5.4M when he can sign a 4-year $140M contract? That would be the dumbest decision by a player in league history.

Cousins had no choice. Nobody wanted him because nobody with cap room had a need for a grumpy center with a ruptured Achilles. Kawhi has a choice. Play hard in Toronto and teams will line up this summer with max offers.

What has he don't this offseason or leading up to this that leads you to believe he's operating on common sense?

[verbal8]

Masai is bold. I wish we had a GM like that.

Word, Masi is the exact opposite of Lazy Ernie. Masi could have kicked-back and just made another run with his current roster, instead he is upping the ante and will possibly reload in a trade will LA.

I kill Ernie for a lot but why in the world would we do what Toronto just did? We basically would have had to sacrifice Beal and a pick to get a guy who probably has as little interest in playing in DC as he does Toronto.

There definitely is risk, but there are a couple examples of potential payoffs.

Paul George - A year might change a star players mind about a team/city.
The 2010-11 Dallas Mavs - sometimes a good(vs. great) team wins a championship