The Board Man Cometh!! Kawhi Leonard Signs 3 Year (2+1), $103 Million Deal

[MartinToVaught]

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The next few DAYS? This is getting ridiculous. Guess we have to hope he's just holding out so the Clippers have time to make a trade.

[mttwlsn16]

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The next few DAYS? This is getting ridiculous. Guess we have to hope he's just holding out so the Clippers have time to make a trade.

I'll take this report over all the Toronto news that was flying around earlier.

[MartinToVaught]

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The Lakers already starting to talk about their Plan B signings has to be a good omen, right?

[mttwlsn16]

Yessssss

[esqtvd]

LOL

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[donemilio21]

I don't want to sound overly optimistic but I find the following indication he is leaning towards us:
- Kawhi has not announced his decision today while in Toronto. That could mean he is not yet sold on Raptors.
- Lakers media and their fake insiders, and magic 8ball dude was almost completely quiet today.
- there are reports lakers are looking at other free agents.
- Clippers organization has been dead quiet.
- Kawhi is buying time on the day there were reports he wanted Clippers to add another star via trade.

[Tomhomes33]

I don't want to sound overly optimistic but I find the following indication he is leaning towards us:
- Kawhi has not announced his decision today while in Toronto. That could mean he is not yet sold on Raptors.
- Lakers media and their fake insiders, and magic 8ball dude was almost completely quiet today.
- there are reports lakers are looking at other free agents.
- Clippers organization has been dead quiet.
- Kawhi is buying time on the day there were reports he wanted Clippers to add another star via trade.

Or for Massai to add another star via trade..just saying

[QRich3]

I don't buy the thing that Kawhi needs a 2nd star to commit anywhere. If he was all about teaming up with stars he would've chosen the Lakers already.

FWIW, the Windhorst thing about him wanting a 2nd star that's been echoed everywhere, is completely based on the report from last Sunday that he contacted Durant to team up at the start of free agency, nothing else than that. So from that, he speculated that it must've been on the Clippers and that he may be waiting for them to trade for another star, not reported it but speculated from the Durant thing.

But most likely, he just wanted to see if he could play with Durant specifically, it doesn't say that he'd rather the Clippers sign Butler or that they gut their team for Bradley Beal, or that he's looking for stars. It's a sweeping assumption that might be true, but I personally don't think is a sticking point.

[playaloc916]

Here's my take based on my observations... I could be totally off base...

My guess is that Kawhi might have had the Clilps as his preferred destination, but did not expect pretty much all the free agents to be signed within the opening day. Maybe he thought they would be more like him or Danny Green (take meetings on his schedule, wait it out for others to make moves, etc). Not having an experienced agent really factors into this.

So maybe he still wants to sign with the Clips, but wants another player to sign/trade for (maybe not a star, but at least a solid starter). All this delay may be the time he's giving West and Co. to see if they can sign or trade for another player. Otherwise, the Raptors and Lakers situations are pretty fixed; run it back with the defending champs, or sign with LeBron and AD, not much else will change with the makeup of their teams. It's only the Clips that have the highest potential to make a material change to their team.

I don't really buy all these random tweets about done deals, etc... I was under the assumption that Kawhi's meetings are all hush hush, but how can people know what has or has not been discussed? Are there people in the room with them during these meetings, and afterwards they go out and tell everyone what happened??? I think it's just people having fun with the uncertainty and acting like they have the scoop when they don't.

I'm hoping this is the case, and that West and Co. is working around the clock to get someone in, but if not, hopefully he re-signs with the Raps.

[hookshot199]

I don't buy the thing that Kawhi needs a 2nd star to commit anywhere. If he was all about teaming up with stars he would've chosen the Lakers already.

FWIW, the Windhorst thing about him wanting a 2nd star that's been echoed everywhere, is completely based on the report from last Sunday that he contacted Durant to team up at the start of free agency, nothing else than that. So from that, he speculated that it must've been on the Clippers and that he may be waiting for them to trade for another star, not reported it but speculated from the Durant thing.

But most likely, he just wanted to see if he could play with Durant specifically, it doesn't say that he'd rather the Clippers sign Butler or that they gut their team for Bradley Beal, or that he's looking for stars. It's a sweeping assumption that might be true, but I personally don't think is a sticking point.

I come as a friend, mostly.

Mostly, truth be told, I just don't want Kawhi to go to the Lakers.

But from listening to bits and pieces of the commentary last night, it seems that the key for the Clippers
to win Kawhi over is finding a second star. He's there in June 2021: Bradley Beal. So the key to me is what
sort package can you give to get him within the next two days.

Beal makes $27 mil. What will Washington extort from you to trade him, assuming he's the second star
Kawhi wants (there's nobody else, I don't think)? Then, what are you willing to give up? You've got young
players and picks - Shamet, your own two or three if they're required, two Miami picks. Basically, the
Wizards gets to cherry-pick your roster.

It's hard to put oneself into Kawhi's head. We just don't know enough about. One of the people on your
board said - that I think it may be true - he's the one guy who played by the rules. And now he's stuck
in a situation where a) it is hard not to go back to team you led to an unexpected championship and
where you're effectively a national hero or b) to go to the area you want to live and to a team, which
has a good roster (but probably not good enough) and a good organization.

Or, let's hope it doesn't happen, a Lakers team that shouldn't even be in contention for his services
after all the management blunders, LeBron tampering (yea, it's legal but it stinks), etc.

Anyway, I'm curious: What are you willing to give up to get Beal, assuming he's the one? Essentially,
you'll be rebuilding the Wizards.

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/washington-wizards/bradley-beal-10811/

[MartinToVaught]

The thing that bothers me is that if Kawhi really wanted a second star so much, he needed to be recruiting them at least a year in advance. It sucks, but that's how superteams are built. One phone call to Kevin Durant this late in the game wasn't going to cut it when Kyrie had been recruiting KD for at least a year or two. This is an instance where Kawhi's old-school approach has screwed him over.

[QRich3]

Again, I don't think Kawhi is really looking for a second star, he probably wants the strongest roster possible, I don't think he's as adamant about big names as Windhorst (and the whole of twitter after him) speculated.

But a trade for Beal would look like this, at the very least:

Shai
Shamet
Gallinari
Miami 2021 1st unprotected
Miami 2023 1st
Clippers 2020 1st

And probably more stuff, cause Beal has a few years left still, and they're in no hurry to trade him.

So, not worth it for the Clippers, and not worth it for Kawhi if he wanted to come to the Clippers. He'd have a worse team because of some stubborn whim about a second star. That's media talk, not player talk. He'll want the best team possible, not the most talked about on ESPN morning shows.

[Galloisdaman]

I'm over all the diva stuff from some players in this league. I do not see it nearly as much in other sports. KL if you want to be a Clipper great. If you don't that is fine also. Just make a decision before you turn 35.

[hookshot199]

The thing that bothers me is that if Kawhi really wanted a second star so much, he needed to be recruiting them at least a year in advance. It sucks, but that's how superteams are built. One phone call to Kevin Durant this late in the game wasn't going to cut it when Kyrie had been recruiting KD for at least a year or two. This is an instance where Kawhi's old-school approach has screwed him over.

Who would've thunk? to quote Arlo Guthrie on his recent 50th anniversary tour?

Anyway, if you can't pull it off and he signs with Toronto (I'll have to drink a bottle
of Pepto Bismol if he goes to the Lakers), I suspect he will probably sign a five-year
max deal ($190 mil) with a third year opt-out provision. In which case: You'll have
another swing at the bat assuming he doesn't get injured.

Good luck.

[mttwlsn16]

I'm over all the diva stuff from some players in this league. I do not see it nearly as much in other sports. KL if you want to be a Clipper great. If you don't that is fine also. Just make a decision before you turn 35.

This is nothing compared to when I was waiting and hoping the Yankees would sign Manny Machado lol. That dragged on for like 3 months.

[Galloisdaman]

I'm over all the diva stuff from some players in this league. I do not see it nearly as much in other sports. KL if you want to be a Clipper great. If you don't that is fine also. Just make a decision before you turn 35.

This is nothing compared to when I was waiting and hoping the Yankees would sign Manny Machado lol. That dragged on for like 3 months.

I'm a Yankees fan as well but I did not really want them to sign Manny. Figured they have hitting and needed a real #1 lights out starter instead.

[mttwlsn16]

I'm over all the diva stuff from some players in this league. I do not see it nearly as much in other sports. KL if you want to be a Clipper great. If you don't that is fine also. Just make a decision before you turn 35.

This is nothing compared to when I was waiting and hoping the Yankees would sign Manny Machado lol. That dragged on for like 3 months.

I'm a Yankees fan as well but I did not really want them to sign Manny. Figured they have hitting and needed a real #1 lights out starter instead.

Hindsight I'm definitely glad they got DJLM over Machado, but I wanted him big time.

And they failed miserably at getting an arm.

[GeetIt]

I do not believe that Kawhi wants to come to the Clippers only if they trade for a big name star, the likes of Beal, Jimmy Butler. The trade for Marc Gasol should be telling that Kawhi prefers to have an established big playing alongside him to fill the roster. Throughout his career he has always had a big. Duncan, spurs signing LaMarcus, Raptors trading for Gasol. Ibaka on the floor with him was also an impact on how it compliments Kawhi on the defensive end. If the Clippers are searching for this piece I think they are aiming for Steven Adams or maybe even Joel Embiid. Sixers being committed to Harris, Horford, and now Simmons, it'll be tough for sixers to maintain that payroll moving forward. I would personally go for Steven Adams over Embiid as it wouldn't take all of the Clippers future assets.

[Galloisdaman]

I do not believe that Kawhi wants to come to the Clippers only if they trade for a big name star, the likes of Beal, Jimmy Butler. The trade for Marc Gasol should be telling that Kawhi prefers to have an established big playing alongside him to fill the roster. Throughout his career he has always had a big. Duncan, spurs signing LaMarcus, Raptors trading for Gasol. Ibaka on the floor with him was also an impact on how it compliments Kawhi on the defensive end. If the Clippers are searching for this piece I think they are aiming for Steven Adams or maybe even Joel Embiid. Sixers being committed to Harris, Horford, and now Simmons, it'll be tough for sixers to maintain that payroll moving forward. I would personally go for Steven Adams over Embiid as it wouldn't take all of the Clippers future assets.

The Clippers do not have anything the 76ers would take for Embiid in my opinion. I do not think the 76ers value any of their players more than Embiid nor should they.

[GeetIt]

Myles Turner is another that can be a good get.