MartinToVaught wrote:
Yeah, pretty obvious now that Kawhi's going to the Lakers, unfortunately. I don't think ALL of the Lakers' Plan B options would be signing elsewhere if they didn't know for sure that Kawhi's going there. This offseason has been an unmitigated disaster for us.
_IGNORED: Max Headrom-esqtvd-QRich3-EBledsoe12-alon8882-45clip
On one slightly deranged line of thought the Lakers must be getting Kawhi, because this is too busted a course of action to make sense of otherwise. So book it now: Kawhi Leonard is sliding into purple-and-yellow, completing what may well be the best trio of NBA talent ever. Or—he’s just bleeding out the Lakers’ options to surround the scariest two-man combination in the league, neutering them the best he can before he signs next door with the Clippers, who still have plenty of cap space to play with.
Ranma wrote:If it's true, that Kawhi was concerned about getting a 2nd star to join him, then that's either on him or he only had eyes on top-tier talent like Durant. Like I said, if he wanted Butler and/or Horford, the Clippers could have made it happen, but apparently he didn't...or at least not enough to commit. Broussard, Bayless and Sharpe all have bought into the Stephen A. Smith BS that Kawhi grew up a Lakers fan.
In any case, I'll tell you what. If Kawhi ends up choosing the Lakers over the Clippers and Raptors, I'll lose quite a bit of respect for him and he wasn't the player or person I thought him to be. Being his own man only to play second fiddle to LeBron and joining another stacked squad for an easy run at the title would be weak AF and short-circuit his burgeoning legacy-building.
Being the best player in the NBA encompasses being up to the challenge of competing. See what happened to Durant. His presence alone would make whatever team he chooses the early favorite for 2019-20, but if he chooses the Lakers in spite of all the public dysfunction in order to build a hollow dynasty and legacy, then I'd say good riddance.
SK21209 wrote:mttwlsn16 wrote:Nope. Overpaid and his 3pt % has come down the past couple years. Pass.Galloisdaman wrote:
You would not trade Shammy for Beal?
That's insane, Beal is 25 and was the first cut from the All-NBA teams, largely due to the fact that the Wizards are a complete dumpster fire. In all likelihood Shamet will never be as good as Beal is right now
madmaxmedia wrote:Ranma wrote:If it's true, that Kawhi was concerned about getting a 2nd star to join him, then that's either on him or he only had eyes on top-tier talent like Durant. Like I said, if he wanted Butler and/or Horford, the Clippers could have made it happen, but apparently he didn't...or at least not enough to commit. Broussard, Bayless and Sharpe all have bought into the Stephen A. Smith BS that Kawhi grew up a Lakers fan.
In any case, I'll tell you what. If Kawhi ends up choosing the Lakers over the Clippers and Raptors, I'll lose quite a bit of respect for him and he wasn't the player or person I thought him to be. Being his own man only to play second fiddle to LeBron and joining another stacked squad for an easy run at the title would be weak AF and short-circuit his burgeoning legacy-building.
Being the best player in the NBA encompasses being up to the challenge of competing. See what happened to Durant. His presence alone would make whatever team he chooses the early favorite for 2019-20, but if he chooses the Lakers in spite of all the public dysfunction in order to build a hollow dynasty and legacy, then I'd say good riddance.
I find it problematic to get too judgmental about where players choose to go in free agency. I mean yes it will impact how we judge a player from a basketball standpoint after everything plays out, but in terms of character who is to say what is too easy, what is too hard, what is just right? When players choose a lesser team, they're castigated as only wanting money and not caring about winning. If it's too easy, then they're soft or whatever.
I think it's completely legitimate to discuss how it affects their career achievements, but after that it's their personal choice. The last thing any human being should rationally worry about is 'legacy building' anyway, they should worry about their personal happiness and the happiness of their family (unless you're KD and you seem to get salty about everything...)
Are We Having Fun Yet?esqtvd wrote:madmaxmedia wrote:Ranma wrote:If it's true, that Kawhi was concerned about getting a 2nd star to join him, then that's either on him or he only had eyes on top-tier talent like Durant. Like I said, if he wanted Butler and/or Horford, the Clippers could have made it happen, but apparently he didn't...or at least not enough to commit. Broussard, Bayless and Sharpe all have bought into the Stephen A. Smith BS that Kawhi grew up a Lakers fan.
In any case, I'll tell you what. If Kawhi ends up choosing the Lakers over the Clippers and Raptors, I'll lose quite a bit of respect for him and he wasn't the player or person I thought him to be. Being his own man only to play second fiddle to LeBron and joining another stacked squad for an easy run at the title would be weak AF and short-circuit his burgeoning legacy-building.
Being the best player in the NBA encompasses being up to the challenge of competing. See what happened to Durant. His presence alone would make whatever team he chooses the early favorite for 2019-20, but if he chooses the Lakers in spite of all the public dysfunction in order to build a hollow dynasty and legacy, then I'd say good riddance.
I find it problematic to get too judgmental about where players choose to go in free agency. I mean yes it will impact how we judge a player from a basketball standpoint after everything plays out, but in terms of character who is to say what is too easy, what is too hard, what is just right? When players choose a lesser team, they're castigated as only wanting money and not caring about winning. If it's too easy, then they're soft or whatever.
I think it's completely legitimate to discuss how it affects their career achievements, but after that it's their personal choice. The last thing any human being should rationally worry about is 'legacy building' anyway, they should worry about their personal happiness and the happiness of their family (unless you're KD and you seem to get salty about everything...)
I agree and I would also guess that going to GSW and collecting 2 rings and 2 Finals MVPs still didn't make KD happy.
IMO, in many other opinions, and I think KD's opinion itself, his years at GSW were a hollow achievement, which is why he's starting all over again with the Nets. Maybe this time he gets it right and it makes him happy.
itsme23 wrote:Yea what’s the point of the NBA season if Kawhi signs with Lakers and a bunch of vets com for the absolute minimum.
The league if Kawhi stays with Raps or goes to Clips would be wide open.
Wider than a stripper on a Friday night.
antonaki1 wrote:Kawhi should think twice before cheapening his legacy and making the NBA non-competitive again. Joining a team to become 3 of the top 5 players in the league shouldn't really make any of the three feel like they accomplished anything significant if they won the championship. What Kawhi accomplished last year is the type of story you tell your grand kids, the type of story that gains worldwide accolades. Winning with a bought team that has 3 of top 5 in the NBA is something that gets swept under the rug.
The Clippers winning for the first time, regardless of how, is obv way different than the Lakers winning again.Wammy Giveaway wrote:antonaki1 wrote:Kawhi should think twice before cheapening his legacy and making the NBA non-competitive again. Joining a team to become 3 of the top 5 players in the league shouldn't really make any of the three feel like they accomplished anything significant if they won the championship. What Kawhi accomplished last year is the type of story you tell your grand kids, the type of story that gains worldwide accolades. Winning with a bought team that has 3 of top 5 in the NBA is something that gets swept under the rug.
Let's say the Clippers pulled off a hat trick that grants them a super team, a minimum Big 3. They're on a team who's never won, never gotten out of the 2nd round, and never been a destination; a franchise that has only known losing and being the butt of every joke. You said super team stories get swept under the rug. If the Clippers were to win their first title behind a super team, given all the circumstances they had to endure in their 50-year history, would it still be a story you'd tell your grand kids?
How do we look back at the Celtics lone title in the 21st century - is it still a story for the kids?
D.Brasco wrote:itsme23 wrote:Yea what’s the point of the NBA season if Kawhi signs with Lakers and a bunch of vets com for the absolute minimum.
The league if Kawhi stays with Raps or goes to Clips would be wide open.
Wider than a stripper on a Friday night.
That's literally been the league the last 4 seasons really with the Warriors.
TheNewEra wrote:How can the Nets sign free agents and we never can? Again we were used
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