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[Snakebites]

Clippers preparing an offer for Kawhi centered around Tobias Harris and our lottery pick. Going to be the trade of the century for the Clippers if they turn Blake into Kawhi without having to give up any additional assets beyond what we paid for Blake.

Yep.

I realize fully that we would not have been able to trade for Kawhi under the same circumstances, but that would still really sting, wouldn't it?

I have to believe the Lakers can build a better package if willing though.

[bstein14]

Clippers preparing an offer for Kawhi centered around Tobias Harris and our lottery pick. Going to be the trade of the century for the Clippers if they turn Blake into Kawhi without having to give up any additional assets beyond what we paid for Blake.

Yep.

I realize fully that we would not have been able to trade for Kawhi under the same circumstances, but that would still really sting, wouldn't it?

I have to believe the Lakers can build a better package if willing though.

I feel like Pop would want no part of Lonzo Ball.

[Snakebites]

Clippers preparing an offer for Kawhi centered around Tobias Harris and our lottery pick. Going to be the trade of the century for the Clippers if they turn Blake into Kawhi without having to give up any additional assets beyond what we paid for Blake.

Yep.

I realize fully that we would not have been able to trade for Kawhi under the same circumstances, but that would still really sting, wouldn't it?

I have to believe the Lakers can build a better package if willing though.

I feel like Pop would want no part of Lonzo Ball.

There’s other options. Other young players, picks, etc. They can do better than Tobias and the 12th.

[thesack12]

Yep.

I realize fully that we would not have been able to trade for Kawhi under the same circumstances, but that would still really sting, wouldn't it?

I have to believe the Lakers can build a better package if willing though.

I feel like Pop would want no part of Lonzo Ball.

There’s other options. Other young players, picks, etc. They can do better than Tobias and the 12th.

Exactly.

If Boston wants to take the gamble they can sell Kawhi on Brad Stephens and a winning culture within a storied franchise + playing with Kyrie/Hayward/Tatum/Horford, he'll be a Celtic.

Jaylen Brown + any of their many owed future 1sts will soundly outbid most other teams.

[Snakebites]

I feel like Pop would want no part of Lonzo Ball.

There’s other options. Other young players, picks, etc. They can do better than Tobias and the 12th.

Exactly.

If Boston wants to take the gamble they can sell Kawhi on Brad Stephens and a winning culture within a storied franchise + playing with Kyrie/Hayward/Tatum/Horford, he'll be a Celtic.

Jaylen Brown + any of their many owed future 1sts will soundly outbid most other teams.

If I’m the Celtics I just roll with what I’ve got honestly. At least with respect to Kawhi. He’s not worth their risk when they already have so many great young wings.

They may see it differently.

I could see a total dark horse come into the Leonard sweepstakes (no, not us).

[thesack12]

There’s other options. Other young players, picks, etc. They can do better than Tobias and the 12th.

Exactly.

If Boston wants to take the gamble they can sell Kawhi on Brad Stephens and a winning culture within a storied franchise + playing with Kyrie/Hayward/Tatum/Horford, he'll be a Celtic.

Jaylen Brown + any of their many owed future 1sts will soundly outbid most other teams.

If I’m the Celtics I just roll with what I’ve got honestly. At least with respect to Kawhi. He’s not worth their risk when they already have so many great young wings.

They may see it differently.

I could see a total dark horse come into the Leonard sweepstakes (no, not us).

I don't disagree. However, Kyrie could be an X factor. I'm thinking they will probably float the idea to Kyrie to get his thoughts. If Kyrie gives them indications he will sign an extension if Kawhi is brought into the fold, I think Ainge would pursue Kawhi aggressively.

As far as a darkhouse, I don't know if they would actually be considered one, but Philly might emerge as a serious suitor.

[ComboGuardCity]

I’m pretty sure regardless of what happens this year, Kawhi is going to be playing in LA in 2019-2020. He grew up In Riverside. Went 70 miles south for college. It’s clear he wants to live and play in SoCal and the closest teams are in LA.

[bstein14]

I wonder where KCP signs and for how much. Seems like LA will have no desire to resign him if they can get two bigger name FAs to come in.

[engelbert321]

East is wide open now. Wow

[DarkSyde]

LeBron to LA Lakers. 4 year 154 mill.

[DETermination]

LeBron to LA Lakers. 4 year 154 mill.

The east is so bad now we might actually make the playoffs

[thesack12]

LeBron must know something we don't about yet about LAL's secondary moves.

Bron + 4 guys can work in the East, but Bron with that current Lakers roster might not even get home court advantage in the 1st round.

[detroitKG]

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[Snakebites]

LeBron to LA Lakers. 4 year 154 mill.

The east is so bad now we might actually make the playoffs

Just for fun I checked out ESPN's top 25 players list from the beginning of last year.

The only eastern players who made the cut (of a list made at the start of last season) are:

Giannis (#9, will likely move up a few spots)
John Wall (#15- injury year- will fall some but I doubt he falls out of top 25)
Gordon Hayward (#20- will obviously not be this high after missing the season)
Kyle Lowry (#21- stable, I guess, might fall a few spots)
Porzingis (#22- off the map next year due to likely not playing much of the season)
Blake Griffin (#24- controversial for obvious reasons- regardless of how you think he'll do this year he'll fall off the top 25 based on last year)
Kyrie Irving (#25- will likely move up after playing well last season)

I think it's very likely Joel Embiid will move into the top 25 in this years rankings. I think Victor Oladipo has a great chance too. So that's 2 players from the east likely moving into the top 25, and 3 falling out of it (Porzingis, Hayward, Griffin).

By my count, the eastern conference will have SIX players in the top 25 at the start of next season. The other 19 will play out west. And likely all but one of the top 10 players will reside in the west. I'm not sure the conferences have ever been so unbalanced.

[thesack12]

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looks like 1 year 12 mil

Surely LAL has to have a Kawhi trade in the bag, right? If not they just wasted 12 mil of their cap space on a very questionable fit for Lebron.

[detroitKG]

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Woj slippin boyz!

[tradez401]

wonder if cleveland would entertain a love/griffin swap

[Neptune]

wonder if cleveland would entertain a love/griffin swap

Griffin is better than Love, why in the world would you make that deal?

[Neptune]

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looks like 1 year 12 mil

Surely LAL has to have a Kawhi trade in the bag, right? If not they just wasted 12 mil of their cap space on a very questionable fit for Lebron.

Yeah, it seems like Leonard is going to the Lakers. Not sure why Lebron would go there if he didn't have another star next to him in an already competitive western conference...

[MotownMadness]

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Woj slippin boyz!

What did it originally say?