Kawhi Thread, Numero 4 -- Traded to Raptors for DeRozan, others

[Valid]

Pretty hilarious how LeBron may end up alone in LA. No one likes this douche and it's obvious.

It wasn't obvious. Almost everyone on here gave multiple "George/Kawhi/Cousins" will be there 100% takes. So far they are all wrong.

Well, yeah. It wasn't obvious then, but it's blatantly obvious now.

[fallguy]

Pretty hilarious how LeBron may end up alone in LA. No one likes this douche and it's obvious.

It wasn't obvious. Almost everyone on here gave multiple "George/Kawhi/Cousins" will be there 100% takes. So far they are all wrong.

Well, yeah. It wasn't obvious then, but it's blatantly obvious now.

I'm pretty sure LeBron is ultimately going to end up drawing 1-2 more stars to the Lakers.

[ermocrate]

It wasn't obvious. Almost everyone on here gave multiple "George/Kawhi/Cousins" will be there 100% takes. So far they are all wrong.

Well, yeah. It wasn't obvious then, but it's blatantly obvious now.

I'm pretty sure LeBron is ultimately going to end up drawing 1-2 more stars to the Lakers.

There's no FA star and LA has only assets to get one eventually, maybe next year, depending on if LeBron fire will fade or not.

[sam_I_am]

Pretty hilarious how LeBron may end up alone in LA. No one likes this douche and it's obvious.

It wasn't obvious. Almost everyone on here gave multiple "George/Kawhi/Cousins" will be there 100% takes. So far they are all wrong.

Well, yeah. It wasn't obvious then, but it's blatantly obvious now.

LA could have had Cousins - but like 29 other teams they didn’t want him.

Edit: make that 28

[Valid]

It wasn't obvious. Almost everyone on here gave multiple "George/Kawhi/Cousins" will be there 100% takes. So far they are all wrong.

Well, yeah. It wasn't obvious then, but it's blatantly obvious now.

I'm pretty sure LeBron is ultimately going to end up drawing 1-2 more stars to the Lakers.

As ermo said, all of the free-agent stars already signed. I thought for sure Paul George would follow him there, but he didn't. Ultimately, I do think the Lakers will still end up with Kawhi, but this doesn't change the fact that it is becoming clear as day that other stars do not want to play with LeBron. Kyrie, PG13, now possibly Kawhi, etc.

[fallguy]

Well, yeah. It wasn't obvious then, but it's blatantly obvious now.

I'm pretty sure LeBron is ultimately going to end up drawing 1-2 more stars to the Lakers.

As ermo said, all of the free-agent stars already signed. I thought for sure Paul George would follow him there, but he didn't. Ultimately, I do think the Lakers will still end up with Kawhi, but this doesn't change the fact that it is becoming clear as day that other stars do not want to play with LeBron. Kyrie, PG13, now possibly Kawhi, etc.

Sure, but they can still spin out the kids in return for a star this year and/or add someone from the big free agent class next year, depending on how they manage their cap. The Lakers look like a curiosity in 18-19 but the city of L.A. alone is going to draw in stars eventually.

I do wonder if LeBron's decline (which has to be coming) will mean L.A. finds a Raptors-level of competitiveness. But no more.

[mbsnmisc]

I doubt that many truly want to play with Lebron anymore. I tried to tell people this when some were clucking at the idea of Lebron/Boston. He is just far too controlling and everything that is around him now has to do with his pathetic "GOAT" legacy. You can't even watch a damn Lebron game without them mentioning his all time stats and MJ every 4 minutes or putting charts on the screen.

I appreciate LBJ's accomplishments. He has had an historic 10-year run. If he stays healthy and within 70% of current production for another 5 years he will own the NBA record books.

I am beginning to see what so many others pointed out in the LeBron to Boston thread. His grip on a franchise is stifling. His presence dictates a certain style of offense. It reminds me of that line in Bull Durham when Crash says " Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic." In LeBron's universe, he determines who gets fed. Now that he is still a great player, but closer to the pack than 2 or 3 years ago, I can see the next generation wanting to "Be the man" instead of revolving around LBJ's sun.

[mbsnmisc]

Spitballin' here. What if we traded the Clips back their pick, this allows them greater flexibility in a Kawhi trade. They trade us back a 2022 unprotected first. It staggers our assets.

[SmartWentCrazy]

It wasn't obvious. Almost everyone on here gave multiple "George/Kawhi/Cousins" will be there 100% takes. So far they are all wrong.

Well, yeah. It wasn't obvious then, but it's blatantly obvious now.

I'm pretty sure LeBron is ultimately going to end up drawing 1-2 more stars to the Lakers.

I’d agree with this.

My own personal feeling is that a Lonzo+Kuzma+Deng for Lillard would make a ton of sense. I feel like Lillard isnt long for Portland and that this may be one spot where Lonzo makes a ton of sense.

[mbsnmisc]

Welp, others have said it but happy 4th of Kawhi.

Hope you enjoy some fireworks IRL!

[ermocrate]

I'm pretty sure LeBron is ultimately going to end up drawing 1-2 more stars to the Lakers.

As ermo said, all of the free-agent stars already signed. I thought for sure Paul George would follow him there, but he didn't. Ultimately, I do think the Lakers will still end up with Kawhi, but this doesn't change the fact that it is becoming clear as day that other stars do not want to play with LeBron. Kyrie, PG13, now possibly Kawhi, etc.

Sure, but they can still spin out the kids in return for a star this year and/or add someone from the big free agent class next year, depending on how they manage their cap. The Lakers look like a curiosity in 18-19 but the city of L.A. alone is going to draw in stars eventually.

I do wonder if LeBron's decline (which has to be coming) will mean L.A. finds a Raptors-level of competitiveness. But no more.

Yeah and if they trade their young assets they can get Kawhi at best, not two stars tho(unless someone gives them a star for Deng and change).

LBJ is already on decline, has been for two years, just he knows how to make his decline less evident. He is going to put number like 25-5-5 in today's NBA while sleeping at the age of 45 but what really changes are not his numbers but his impact on the game and the team, he worked his ass off to make the Cavs barely beat a post adolescent Celtics team.

[SMTBSI]

It wasn't obvious. Almost everyone on here gave multiple "George/Kawhi/Cousins" will be there 100% takes. So far they are all wrong.

Well, yeah. It wasn't obvious then, but it's blatantly obvious now.

I'm pretty sure LeBron is ultimately going to end up drawing 1-2 more stars to the Lakers.

I remain 100% convinced Leonard will wind up with LAL. Now or in a year.

I will be very happy to be wrong, and everyone can laugh at me when I am. But, I haven't seen anything yet that makes me think I am.

[Valid]

Well, yeah. It wasn't obvious then, but it's blatantly obvious now.

I'm pretty sure LeBron is ultimately going to end up drawing 1-2 more stars to the Lakers.

I remain 100% convinced Leonard will wind up with LAL. Now or in a year.

I will be very happy to be wrong, and everyone can laugh at me when I am. But, I haven't seen anything yet that makes me think I am.

Nah you're right. Doesn't change the fact that guys don't really want to play with LeBron, though.

The thing with LeBron is, four years ago when he got to Cleveland he was 29 and had A LOT left in the tank. So, at that point, you could put up with all of his BS because you knew had a huge window of winning titles if you played with him. But now, he's 33 going on 34 and is in the Western Conference where you HAVE to run through Golden State. A lot of these guys probably just don't think all of the drama and scapegoating that comes with playing with James is worth it.

[SMTBSI]

I appreciate LBJ's accomplishments. He has had an historic 10-year run. If he stays healthy and within 70% of current production for another 5 years he will own the NBA record books.

https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=67302638#p67302638

Am I in hell?

[truth18]

Well, yeah. It wasn't obvious then, but it's blatantly obvious now.

I'm pretty sure LeBron is ultimately going to end up drawing 1-2 more stars to the Lakers.

I remain 100% convinced Leonard will wind up with LAL. Now or in a year.

I will be very happy to be wrong, and everyone can laugh at me when I am. But, I haven't seen anything yet that makes me think I am.

In a year? Sure, but fwiw I was always talking about this year saying Leonard/George may not end up there.

[Valid]

I'm pretty sure LeBron is ultimately going to end up drawing 1-2 more stars to the Lakers.

I remain 100% convinced Leonard will wind up with LAL. Now or in a year.

I will be very happy to be wrong, and everyone can laugh at me when I am. But, I haven't seen anything yet that makes me think I am.

In a year? Sure, but fwiw I was always talking about this year saying Leonard/George may not end up there.

Not sure what that has to do with the result, though. Yeah, many of us thought George would end up there, but he didn't. Now there is talk of Kawhi not wanting to play with LeBron. DAJ immediately signed in Dallas. KD wanted no part of it. Neither did CP3. To be fair, KD and CP3 would have had to leave great situations, but regardless, it seems pretty obvious what's going on here.

[truth18]

I remain 100% convinced Leonard will wind up with LAL. Now or in a year.

I will be very happy to be wrong, and everyone can laugh at me when I am. But, I haven't seen anything yet that makes me think I am.

In a year? Sure, but fwiw I was always talking about this year saying Leonard/George may not end up there.

Not sure what that has to do with the result, though. Yeah, many of us thought George would end up there, but he didn't. Now there is talk of Kawhi not wanting to play with LeBron. DAJ immediately signed in Dallas. KD wanted no part of it. Neither did CP3. To be fair, KD and CP3 would have had to leave great situations, but regardless, it seems pretty obvious what's going on here.

I agree. I'm just trying to point out that the media is bought by the Lakers. People were willing to bet their lives that George went there. The Lakers/Lebron are not a premier destination anymore.

[Valid]

In a year? Sure, but fwiw I was always talking about this year saying Leonard/George may not end up there.

Not sure what that has to do with the result, though. Yeah, many of us thought George would end up there, but he didn't. Now there is talk of Kawhi not wanting to play with LeBron. DAJ immediately signed in Dallas. KD wanted no part of it. Neither did CP3. To be fair, KD and CP3 would have had to leave great situations, but regardless, it seems pretty obvious what's going on here.

I agree. I'm just trying to point out that the media is bought by the Lakers. People were willing to bet their lives that George went there. The Lakers/Lebron are not a premier destination anymore.

Absolutely. I mentioned this earlier, but I am truly beginning to wonder how much Kawhi REALLY wants Los Angeles. This whole "I won't play in Boston" thing could definitely be a media-generated ploy.

[Captain_Caveman]

Spitballin' here. What if we traded the Clips back their pick, this allows them greater flexibility in a Kawhi trade. They trade us back a 2022 unprotected first. It staggers our assets.

They are projected to have double max cap slots next summer. No thanks.

[robdog_5]

Kawhi has been in San Diego training all off season.
#1 He's healthy
#2 He's not really a big flashy type guy, this is stated all the time, but it can't be stressed enough. The Lakers spectacle that is going on I don't think Kawhi has any joy in joining that. He really doesn't like that flash.
#3 Kawhi when recruited by SDSU, was undervalued and a bit under the radar. He blew up between his Jr and Sr in travel ball. He began getting offers and interest from larger schools including PAC 10 schools and Memphis who at the time was lead by Calapari. He committed to SDSU and never wavered. He wasn't interested in all the glitz and glamour but wanted to be somewhere that he was wanted and appreciated from the start.

Having said that and hearing former SDSU teammates and coaches talk on local radio recently about Kawhi i think if someone grabs him and makes him feel at home, he will stay. I dont think he wants any part of Fake show