Spurs open to trading Kawhi to Lakers

[Sark]

Stephen A Smith reporting on First Take right now that Lebron reached out to Durant about going to LA.

[ISayshowmee]

Fake fans.....Had no idea how Westbrook played on his first few years....they thought he was already great after a year or 2 in the league. Now they are comparing Lakers' young players to today's Westbrook. Hahahaha.....

This is a joke right?
Westbrook was an allstar by 22, the same age as Kuzma was last season. Kuzma will be lucky to ever make an allstar game in his career.

Westbrook was an all-star in his rookie year ? Wow oh wow !!

[bebopdeluxe]

Well said, Spens. The problem you have is that Magic and Jeanie Buss raised expectations and now if you don't deliver it's a failure. What was rather a straightforward offseason - signing PG and LeBron - may have gotten derailed with Kawhi's sh*t show.

I just hope Philly doesn't get involved. No putdown to your rebuild with Ingram, Kuzma and Ball (I think our young Big Three have potential to be better), we're a year ahead. There are five possible locations for LeBron: LA, Philly, Boston, Houston and Cleveland. Boston and Houston can give him a championship series but not without Cleveland's consent to a sign-and-trade. Why would Cleveland do that? Cleveland can't fix its roster. Tanking is the only option to save their 2019 pick, which is better than any pick they might be offered in a trade and which goes to Atlanta if they don't finish in the bottom 10.

That leaves Philly and LA. And as I said, we're a year ahead of you in our rebuild and have around $27 mil in cap space (which can be expanded to $35 mil) to enter the free-agency market and complete our roster if LeBron refuses. And next July, if we do one-year signings like you did with Caldwell-Pope, we'll have $32 mil. We'll know whether Fultz is going to be a future star. We'll know whether Embiid was bothered by his mask in the playoffs, whether Simmons can shoot a mid-range jump shot, whether Zhaire Smith will be a future Kawhi Leonard as Brett Brown indicated in his post-draft press conference.

Sometimes it's best to do nothing.

LeBron's still superman, but his kryptonite (age; he turns 34 in December) is coming upon him. He averaged 5.7 turnovers in the Celtics series and really looked tired in at least two of those games.

The Sixers "big 3" (Embiid, Simmons and Saric) won 52 games and were playing in mid-May, while the Lakers "big 3" were home eating tacos and watching the playoffs on TV.

This isn't about which team's young nucleus is better (duh). There is not a single young player on the Lakers roster that an NBA GM would trade Ben Simmons for (BRANDON INGRAM YO!), much less Joel Embiid. I would argue, in fact, that Saric is better than any of them as well.

This is simply about the narrative of playing in LA. Period.

If players like LBJ, Kawhi and Paul George want to play in LA, that is their right. But let's not confuse the situation - if LeBron and Kawhi were going to make their decision on which team is best positioned to get to the Finals and win rings over the next 2-3 seasons, they would be idiots to choose LA over Philly, IMO.

But, from my perspective, if it is more important for those guys to be in LA, then I wish them well. We were a top-5 team in the NBA last season without them. We will just keep growing our team and get to the Finals without them.

The way some Philly fans talk you would think they were a half away from winning the chip last season. Your team had a nice run but there's no guarantee they'll be some powerhouse that's just going to wreck the east, let alone the league.

My single point here is, if Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James - as a package deal - are deciding which team to join NEXT SEASON that has the best chance to win a ring, which team would they choose - the Sixers or the Lakers?

One team was in the lottery - ON MERIT. The other team had the 5th best record in the NBA and won a round of the playoffs - with an All-NBA player, the Rookie of the Year, and a 1st Team All-Defensive Team wing.

I cannot believe that I am having this argument.

[bebopdeluxe]

Stephen A Smith reporting on First Take right now that Lebron reached out to Durant about going to LA.

This whole thing has jumped the shark.

[KHRICH]

Read on Twitter

?s=19

[Ballerhogger]

Stephen A Smith reporting on First Take right now that Lebron reached out to Durant about going to LA.

This whole thing has jumped the shark.

that would be hilariously awesome

[Laker_Lenny]

The Sixers "big 3" (Embiid, Simmons and Saric) won 52 games and were playing in mid-May, while the Lakers "big 3" were home eating tacos and watching the playoffs on TV.

This isn't about which team's young nucleus is better (duh). There is not a single young player on the Lakers roster that an NBA GM would trade Ben Simmons for (BRANDON INGRAM YO!), much less Joel Embiid. I would argue, in fact, that Saric is better than any of them as well.

This is simply about the narrative of playing in LA. Period.

If players like LBJ, Kawhi and Paul George want to play in LA, that is their right. But let's not confuse the situation - if LeBron and Kawhi were going to make their decision on which team is best positioned to get to the Finals and win rings over the next 2-3 seasons, they would be idiots to choose LA over Philly, IMO.

But, from my perspective, if it is more important for those guys to be in LA, then I wish them well. We were a top-5 team in the NBA last season without them. We will just keep growing our team and get to the Finals without them.

The way some Philly fans talk you would think they were a half away from winning the chip last season. Your team had a nice run but there's no guarantee they'll be some powerhouse that's just going to wreck the east, let alone the league.

My single point here is, if Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James - as a package deal - are deciding which team to join NEXT SEASON that has the best chance to win a ring, which team would they choose - the Sixers or the Lakers?

One team was in the lottery - ON MERIT. The other team had the 5th best record in the NBA and won a round of the playoffs - with an All-NBA player, the Rookie of the Year, and a 1st Team All-Defensive Team wing.

I cannot believe that I am having this argument.

But it's the sixers...

[bebopdeluxe]

The way some Philly fans talk you would think they were a half away from winning the chip last season. Your team had a nice run but there's no guarantee they'll be some powerhouse that's just going to wreck the east, let alone the league.

My single point here is, if Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James - as a package deal - are deciding which team to join NEXT SEASON that has the best chance to win a ring, which team would they choose - the Sixers or the Lakers?

One team was in the lottery - ON MERIT. The other team had the 5th best record in the NBA and won a round of the playoffs - with an All-NBA player, the Rookie of the Year, and a 1st Team All-Defensive Team wing.

I cannot believe that I am having this argument.

But it's the sixers...

What does that mean? I know that you are trying to be snarky, but if you do not agree with me for BASKETBALL REASONS, I would love to hear your argument.

As I said, if they want to be in LA because Kawhi is from LA and LBJ wants to work on his post-basketball life, that is fine...but let's not argue that - purely from a basketball perspective - that LA is a better team RIGHT NOW to go to the Finals next season.

[Jordan45822]

Stephen A Smith reporting on First Take right now that Lebron reached out to Durant about going to LA.

Probably the only way Lebron knows he can win another ring 'get Durant away from the Warriors' good luck with that.

[John Murdoch]

I feel like the clippers are a leaked smoke screen from Spurs camp to get us to up the offer. No way in hell you leave the Spurs for the Clippers

[OkcSinceSGA]

I said this on draft night, the Spurs messed up declining Tobias Harris + 12 + 13, that is a damn good offer for Leonard given we don't know what he is medically? This could be a Kawhi Leonard who comes back significantly worse, to the point he may not even be that much better than Harris is now.

I'm glad they didnt in hindsight. Clippers have a chance to add a top 5 pick next year to the few young pieces and will have two max slots worth of cap space.

Sent from my SM-G960U using RealGM mobile app

[LastNameEver]

I thought LeBron had boundaries when it came to who he would play with to win.. but he clearly doesnt

[Sark]

I thought LeBron had boundaries when it came to who he would play with to win.. but he clearly doesnt

Since when?

[dontforget]

Haha, I so hope that report about Kawhi not wanting to play with LeBron is true. Perhaps he saw what happened with Kyrie and thought he wouldn't be able to maximize his value sharing the spotlight with LeBron and he may be better off in SAS by himself if that was the case.

Also sets up a possible interesting debate with the Lakers. If it's a 26 yr old Kawhi or a 34 year LeBron who do you go with? And if you're choosing Kawhi do you no longer trade for him knowing that you no longer have to worry about LeBron's timeline?

[PistolPeteJR]

Read on Twitter

?s=19

This is stupid and makes no sense.

It's LA, with or without LeBron.

Stephen A. Smith is getting worse and worse ugh.

[ISayshowmee]

Haha, I so hope that report about Kawhi not wanting to play with LeBron is true. Perhaps he saw what happened with Kyrie and thought he wouldn't be able to maximize his value sharing the spotlight with LeBron and he may be better off in SAS by himself if that was the case.

Also sets up a possible interesting debate with the Lakers. If it's a 26 yr old Kawhi or a 34 year LeBron who do you go with? And if you're choosing Kawhi do you no longer trade for him knowing that you no longer have to worry about LeBron's timeline?

Let Lebron take his talents somewhere else.

[Jedi32]

The Sixers "big 3" (Embiid, Simmons and Saric) won 52 games and were playing in mid-May, while the Lakers "big 3" were home eating tacos and watching the playoffs on TV.

This isn't about which team's young nucleus is better (duh). There is not a single young player on the Lakers roster that an NBA GM would trade Ben Simmons for (BRANDON INGRAM YO!), much less Joel Embiid. I would argue, in fact, that Saric is better than any of them as well.

This is simply about the narrative of playing in LA. Period.

If players like LBJ, Kawhi and Paul George want to play in LA, that is their right. But let's not confuse the situation - if LeBron and Kawhi were going to make their decision on which team is best positioned to get to the Finals and win rings over the next 2-3 seasons, they would be idiots to choose LA over Philly, IMO.

But, from my perspective, if it is more important for those guys to be in LA, then I wish them well. We were a top-5 team in the NBA last season without them. We will just keep growing our team and get to the Finals without them.

The way some Philly fans talk you would think they were a half away from winning the chip last season. Your team had a nice run but there's no guarantee they'll be some powerhouse that's just going to wreck the east, let alone the league.

My single point here is, if Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James - as a package deal - are deciding which team to join NEXT SEASON that has the best chance to win a ring, which team would they choose - the Sixers or the Lakers?

One team was in the lottery - ON MERIT. The other team had the 5th best record in the NBA and won a round of the playoffs - with an All-NBA player, the Rookie of the Year, and a 1st Team All-Defensive Team wing.

I cannot believe that I am having this argument.

That sounds nice on Realgm, but that's not how real life works. You can't sit here and say for certain that the 76ers with LeBron and kawhi are better than the Lakers with LeBron and kawhi. Again you had all that and won ONE round of playoffs. Like I said before the way some of you guys are talking you would think they were 24 minutes away from the finals or something.

[Traderwest]

Leverage:

Spurs are not in a rush, trade him in December?

Lakers are in a rush, need him as soon as possible

[Laker_Lenny]

My single point here is, if Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James - as a package deal - are deciding which team to join NEXT SEASON that has the best chance to win a ring, which team would they choose - the Sixers or the Lakers?

One team was in the lottery - ON MERIT. The other team had the 5th best record in the NBA and won a round of the playoffs - with an All-NBA player, the Rookie of the Year, and a 1st Team All-Defensive Team wing.

I cannot believe that I am having this argument.

But it's the sixers...

What does that mean? I know that you are trying to be snarky, but if you do not agree with me for BASKETBALL REASONS, I would love to hear your argument.

As I said, if they want to be in LA because Kawhi is from LA and LBJ wants to work on his post-basketball life, that is fine...but let's not argue that - purely from a basketball perspective - that LA is a better team RIGHT NOW to go to the Finals next season.

In a vacuum considering only basketball reasons, I could see why you would want to play for team B. Lets delve deeper; your all nba player is one in a very weak position. He has played how many games in his career? Banking on his health going forward is iffy. Your all rookie is a that, a rookie who was shut down easily by clogging the paint. The all Def wing would likely be gone in a trade to get said players.

Include all the other ancillary reasons and the argument isnt so one sided.

[hookshot199]

My single point here is, if Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James - as a package deal - are deciding which team to join NEXT SEASON that has the best chance to win a ring, which team would they choose - the Sixers or the Lakers?

One team was in the lottery - ON MERIT. The other team had the 5th best record in the NBA and won a round of the playoffs - with an All-NBA player, the Rookie of the Year, and a 1st Team All-Defensive Team wing.

I cannot believe that I am having this argument.

But it's the sixers...

What does that mean? I know that you are trying to be snarky, but if you do not agree with me for BASKETBALL REASONS, I would love to hear your argument.

As I said, if they want to be in LA because Kawhi is from LA and LBJ wants to work on his post-basketball life, that is fine...but let's not argue that - purely from a basketball perspective - that LA is a better team RIGHT NOW to go to the Finals next season.[/quote]

And that's an important point: Even if the Lakers are equal or better than the Sixers with LeBron and Kawhi or LeBron and Paul George (arithmetically it's virtually impossible to sign all three without gutting their young roster), they have to get past Houston and Golden State to get to the finals.

We have to get past Boston. The Celtics are really good and, if they're healthy and can re-sign Smart and Baynes, might be the team to beat in the East. The Celtics are good. But I don't see them as equals - yet! - to Houston or Golden State.