I am still amazed that the reason the Clippers traded for PG was because Doc made a mistake in his meeting with Kawhi

[BladeDaywalker]

Looking back at last year, It is interesting to notice how Doc admitted that he had made a mistake when talking with Kawhi and telling him to choose whoever he wanted:

https://deadspin.com/the-clippers-showed-kawhi-leonard-a-list-of-guys-then-1838260876

"But according to a new Los Angeles Times tick-tock of the Clippers’ summer moves, the reality was much simpler, if also funny: The Clippers showed Kawhi a list of names, and then Kawhi picked one, waited for them to figure it out, and that was it. Here’s Arash Markazi:

It was a franchise-altering case of good news and bad news: Leonard wanted to be a Clipper but wouldn’t make the jump unless the team was able to get him a running mate to make them championship contenders.

“We actually had a list of guys, which was a mistake, but we got lucky,” [Clippers coach Doc] Rivers said. “We shouldn’t have had a list, because then he got to choose who he wanted to play with and the assumption was that we could get them. We didn’t know if we could get anybody. We just showed him guys that we thought would match him and when he saw Paul George’s name he said, ‘I want to play with him.’

“We showed him everybody else and he didn’t want to hear it. He just stayed on Paul George, so after the meeting we sat down and I said, ‘We got to get Paul George. I don’t know how we are going to do it, but we have to do it.’ We did know that Oklahoma City wanted to break their team up, so that helped, but we didn’t know if we could get him.”

[Showdown]

Kawhi don't watch basketball

[The Master]

Kawhi don't watch basketball

Paul George was 3rd in MVP voting, All-NBA First Team player and 3rd in DPOTY voting in 18-19 season - yeah, right now it seems it didn't work well for Clippers and Kawhi (they're still one of the most talented teams in the NBA), but stop this revisionism - it made lot of sense for Kawhi to put a pressure on Clippers board to get PG13.

[Dr Aki]

so paul george was the best player on that list

ok, he was #3 on mvp voting, but still...

[levon]

I don't really trust what Doc says in these interviews. Is it just me? I don't know why I just don't buy these accounts.

[homecourtloss]

Kawhi don't watch basketball

Paul George was 3rd in MVP voting, All-NBA First Team player and 3rd in DPOTY voting in 18-19 season - yeah, right now it seems it didn't work well for Clippers and Kawhi (they're still one of the most talented teams in the NBA), but stop this revisionism - it made lot of sense for Kawhi to put a pressure on Clippers board to get PG13.

Replace Kawhi with LeBron and you’d get the LeGM, LeCoachkiller, “turned PG13 into a spot up shooter,” “can’t play with stars,” etc., comments.

[xinxin]

isnt that a clear case of tampering????

[Dupp]

That seems more like a kawhi issue then a doc Issue.



To be fair to kawhi PG is a pretty great fit next to anyone the problem is he’s turned into a mental midget.

[LAKESHOW]

The FEAR of AD, Bron and Kawhi can force anyone into mistakes.

[ThunderBolt]

I don't really trust what Doc says in these interviews. Is it just me? I don't know why I just don't buy these accounts.

Yea Presti went out of his way to respond to comments about “okc wanting to break up their team” and said that wasn’t the case at all. Doc babbles.

[hoosierdaddy34]

Looking back at last year, It is interesting to notice how Doc admitted that he had made a mistake when talking with Kawhi and telling him to choose whoever he wanted:

https://deadspin.com/the-clippers-showed-kawhi-leonard-a-list-of-guys-then-1838260876

"But according to a new Los Angeles Times tick-tock of the Clippers’ summer moves, the reality was much simpler, if also funny: The Clippers showed Kawhi a list of names, and then Kawhi picked one, waited for them to figure it out, and that was it. Here’s Arash Markazi:

It was a franchise-altering case of good news and bad news: Leonard wanted to be a Clipper but wouldn’t make the jump unless the team was able to get him a running mate to make them championship contenders.

“We actually had a list of guys, which was a mistake, but we got lucky,” [Clippers coach Doc] Rivers said. “We shouldn’t have had a list, because then he got to choose who he wanted to play with and the assumption was that we could get them. We didn’t know if we could get anybody. We just showed him guys that we thought would match him and when he saw Paul George’s name he said, ‘I want to play with him.’

“We showed him everybody else and he didn’t want to hear it. He just stayed on Paul George, so after the meeting we sat down and I said, ‘We got to get Paul George. I don’t know how we are going to do it, but we have to do it.’ We did know that Oklahoma City wanted to break their team up, so that helped, but we didn’t know if we could get him.”

It’s funny to me the narrative around the Zubac trade, and how the Clippers front office was apparently laughing at how gullible the Lakers front office was. Fast forward 4 months and you have Sam Presti sensing the desperation and adding a first round pick to the package every time his caller ID said “Clippers”.

“Hey Sam, Jerry West here...yeah we can do the 3 first rounders...oh you want 4? Ok let me cal you right back”...” Yeah Sam we can do 4, let’s call it in...oh you said 5. I didn’t hear that. Ok sure Sam you have a deal”

[The Laker Kid]

The other names were: Jared Dudley, Udonis Haslem, and Quinn Cook

[Pure_Basketball]

I don't really trust what Doc says in these interviews. Is it just me? I don't know why I just don't buy these accounts.

Yea Presti went out of his way to respond to comments about “okc wanting to break up their team” and said that wasn’t the case at all. Doc babbles.

But it clearly was the case, look at the trades they did?

[spikeslovechild]

These dumb narratives have to end. I can't wait until the master of panic Ty Lue takes over and then you can see what a clueless players coach actually looks like.

[Lalouie]

so does that mean kawhi was ready to sign up with the clips from the get go without anyone else,,,but they showed him a list of names and THEN he said "i want pg or i'm not signing"

or maybe kawhi was ready to sign with the lakers and then the clips gave him the choices to sweeten the deal? and here's the problem i have with this one. uncle dennis wanted to heighten kawhi's profile and he knew kawhi wasn't getting it playing with lebron so i think this scenario is nixed.

it feels like there's parts missing in this story and it's not "as simple" as the writer is putting forth................nothing is.

what we know is, kawhi wanted to play in LA.
kawhi inc wanted to reboot his image.
kawhi PROBABLY wasn't going to get that done playing next to lebron.

[cjmcallist]

I don't really trust what Doc says in these interviews. Is it just me? I don't know why I just don't buy these accounts.

Yea Presti went out of his way to respond to comments about “okc wanting to break up their team” and said that wasn’t the case at all. Doc babbles.

But it clearly was the case, look at the trades they did?

Nope. PG13 went to Presti and asked for a trade to the LAC, forcing his hand. OKC was planning on running it back (at least) one more year.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2847065-thunders-sam-presti-disagrees-with-paul-george-calling-clippers-trade-mutual

[ThunderBolt]

I don't really trust what Doc says in these interviews. Is it just me? I don't know why I just don't buy these accounts.

Yea Presti went out of his way to respond to comments about “okc wanting to break up their team” and said that wasn’t the case at all. Doc babbles.

But it clearly was the case, look at the trades they did?

Not really. George blindsided the organization when asking for a trade. It's splitting hairs but Doc made it sound like OKC was the one pursuing a trade and George said it was mutual. That wasn't the case at all. My point is that Doc and George both have a tendency of being loose lipped when people start asking they get in front of the media. Not a big deal though. I'm happy how things worked out.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27257071/gm-george-claim-thunder-wanted-trade-not-true

[Homer38]

LeBron was a much better GM in Cleveland that Kawhi is...I mean,the cavs had a all-time great offenses come playoffs time in 2016 and 2017.Also LeBron was right about Wiggins!

[ATLTimekeeper]

Did Doc bring this list in himself? I'm not sure I see the direct connection to it being only Doc's fault. He says "we" in the quote. The reporting already stated that Kawhi was talking to literally everybody all year about joining up in LA. The Lakers were always "out," and it's only the Lakers gullibility that caused them to think they had a shot at Kawhi. The Raptors, as we've learned, quickly realized Kawhi had no interest in returning and Uncle Dennis was acting like an *** in that meeting.

The mistake was that the Clippers believed that Kawhi had leverage. He didn't. He wasn't going anywhere but to the Clippers. And Presti was easily going to make that trade with 4 picks instead of 5, or whatever. He didn't have any other trading partners for George, and George wanted out. The whole thing is just a headslapping self-own by Kawhi and the Clippers. I can see why Ballmer's upset, he was told he had the best negotiator in the league in Michael Winger, and the best negotiator in the league was taken to the cleaners. The Clippers spent the whole year communicating with Kawhi's people, and Kawhi still played them to get what was best for him. And I don't blame him for thinking this way, especially with his chronic leg condition, but it was myopic. Kawhi wasn't even friends with George.

[Richard Miller]

The real mistake was blowing 3-1 lead when having double digits lead in the 3rd quarter.