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

[wco81]

I know but you hear about athletes getting injured doing mundane tasks like some guy sliced up his hand while cooking or washing dishes.

In fact didn't Wall claim he ruptured his Achilles when he fell down the stairs in his home or something like that?

They have specific contractural language not to engage in risky activities, like skydiving or skiing.

What if he or someone dropped something heavy in a mover's box on his foot?

It does take people a long time to get used to such enormous wealth. Bill Gates was known in the 90s for holding people up in stores while he dug for coupons and for flying coach on flights. He was already worth a lot more then than any NBA player.

[Clemenza]

Hyperventilating is the word.

Considering how for the past year the Clippers have openly expressed interest in him, I'm sure there's at least concern there.

I know Kawhi is a simple guy, humble origins and all that. Seems like he wouldn't mess with moving or packing up himself, as opposed to hiring movers.

Nobody is hyperventilating. He's expected to resign with Toronto. I'll be shocked if he joins our team

[mttwlsn16]

i'm a Raptors fan and i thought i've seen the most dillusional fans ever in Raptorland but you my friend are beyond that.

Well, he's a Laker fan. In his defense, I think he was kidding about being "in the know." OTOH, he doesn't seem to know the Lakers' finances are already a dumpster fire, although I think it's inhospitable to our guest to be calling him the village idiot. We have a couple of our own around here.

You seem to have issues with how the salary cap works. The Lakers can excecute the deal on July 6th as an over the cap team if they get a committment from a free agent prior to that date. At least before you throw out a ton of mouthbreathing insults you should fact check your mumbo jumbo garbage. I tried to be nice and come here to tell you that Kawhi isn't a moron, and Dennis is all about the money and that voice matters in Kawhi's ear, they would never dwarf his own career by joining the Clippers while LeBron and AD are on the more well known team in the same city, but think what you want. You'll see in a few weeks who was "kidding."

Thank you for your input, snowflake.

[Ranma]

Kawhi was notably seen at a Dodgers game in Los Angeles during his rehab period as a Spur, so I'm thinking it's not much of a coincidence for him to be at a baseball game in Toronto when the Blue Jays are playing the Angels.

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[QRich3]

lol I can see Frank hyperventilating at a traffic light anxious for it to go green, he's that type of guy, but I don't see Winger or Jerry being fazed even if they're about to enter open heart surgery. Like I'm sure they really want Kawhi to come, but Windy suggesting they have everything riding on it is laughable, the construction of the team so far is looking more at the long term than having everything ride on this one dude's decision. I'm sure they know exactly what's the plan the second Kawhi says no.

[QRich3]

I've just seen the rumor doing the rounds about Ballmer paying Woj under the table to supposedly push the news that Kawhi is considering the Clippers when in reality he isn't

The rumor apparently started from an AEG employee, who are minority owners of the Lakers. Say what you want about the Lakers but their propaganda machine works like no other I've seen in sports. Most casual fans still think Dwight Howard was not a good player and Mike D'Antoni was a crappy coach.

Taking it a bit seriously though, it's scary how the "fake news" culture has permeated to every strat of society, and people now choose to call fake whatever news they don't like. Even if they come from a dude like Woj, who as greasy as he is, is the most impeccably reliable reporter I've seen in any area, at least when it comes to reporting facts. But now a good number of Raptors and Lakers fans have united in some sort of crusade to convince people he makes up stuff against them.

[MartinToVaught]

Looks like Kawhi just signed an endorsement deal with a Canadian airline. This same airline apparently gave Drake his own plane.



At this rate, you'd have to be delusional to still think he's coming here.

[Dynamix]

But what if Ballmer buys that airline?

[Tudalop]

You just need to google "cargojet+Leonard". That happened 4 months ago...

[Quake Griffin]

Looks like Kawhi just signed an endorsement deal with a Canadian airline. This same airline apparently gave Drake his own plane.



At this rate, you'd have to be delusional to still think he's coming here.

I've said this time and again.

I have one hope that he comes here and that ONE hope is that he actually takes a meeting with us and actually has to sit in a room and be pitched by Ballmer and Jerry.

Anything outside of that IMO is being delusional.
Any of it: LA is his hometown; he bought a San Diego Home; Twitter said this; Twitter said that; This "reliable" source said; Oh and if none of it makes sense, just say he's a weird guy...

All baggage.
ZZZZZZzzz.

[esqtvd]

You just need to google "cargojet+Leonard". That happened 4 months ago...

LOL
well done, Tudalop
this is why people believe "fake news" exists

because it does

and there was no deal
Kawhi was "hosted"


https://sharpmagazine.com/2019/01/31/raptors-fans-are-convinced-these-photos-of-kawhi-leonard-at-a-cargojet-staff-party-mean-hes-staying-in-toronto/

[MartinToVaught]

Even if we get a meeting, it will probably be another Durant 2016 situation where the reports are that he's "wowed" by the Clippers, only to sign elsewhere instead.

I'd love to be wrong, but I'm just very pessimistic at this point that any big-name free agent will ever take the Clippers seriously until we actually do something in the playoffs for once. Some fans like to downplay the whole "no WCF appearances" thing and act like it's an arbitrary benchmark, but it matters. No matter how much we improve in every other category, as long as that streak is still going, we're just going to be viewed as the "same old Clippers."

[wco81]

Probably would be best that Ballmer keeps quiet at the pitch meeting or not go at all.

These owners recently, like Fertitta, are not really making a great case for themselves.

Because they're rich these players who are wanted by multiple teams are suppose to be impressed by billionaires?

I don't think they've had to sell anyone on anything for a long time. It's more the other way around, they're the ones used to being pitched to. But now that the tables have turned, it shouldn't be surprising they're not good at making their case.

[Quake Griffin]

The January IG post from Cargojet.






Today’s posts from Cargojet IG.
It’s even worse imo if there’s no deal in January and they’re saying there’s a deal today.

[Wammy Giveaway]

I'd love to be wrong, but I'm just very pessimistic at this point that any big-name free agent will ever take the Clippers seriously until we actually do something in the playoffs for once. Some fans like to downplay the whole "no WCF appearances" thing and act like it's an arbitrary benchmark, but it matters. No matter how much we improve in every other category, as long as that streak is still going, we're just going to be viewed as the "same old Clippers."

This is why I think the Clippers are better off just going after role players. Kabengele comes off the bench while producing starter's numbers while Mann has the mold of a defensive specialist similar to Sindarius Thornwell. The Clippers have two Sixth Man candidates in Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, Patrick Beverley is as gritty as they come, and the sophomore men in Gilgeous, Shamet and Robinson can only improve from their rookie years.

When they traded Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, it was an indication of forfeiting the right to ever get a superstar again. The Clippers, with star power, failed in the worst possible ways, what with the 3-1 collapse and all the times they were one away from a 3-0 lead. This role player team, even though they lost in the 1st round to the Ultimate Warriors, was the antithesis to the self-conscious concerns of the Lob City era, never backing down to anybody even as a lesser team. No team in NBA history has ever won a championship without a player having an All-Star appearance, let alone win a playoff series (the Nuggets in the 2012 lockout NBA Playoffs were the closest) - maybe winning with just role players might be what's best for the Clippers down the long run. They're becoming more Spursian by the day.

[esqtvd]

I'd love to be wrong, but I'm just very pessimistic at this point that any big-name free agent will ever take the Clippers seriously until we actually do something in the playoffs for once. Some fans like to downplay the whole "no WCF appearances" thing and act like it's an arbitrary benchmark, but it matters. No matter how much we improve in every other category, as long as that streak is still going, we're just going to be viewed as the "same old Clippers."

This is why I think the Clippers are better off just going after role players. Kabengele comes off the bench while producing starter's numbers while Mann has the mold of a defensive specialist similar to Sindarius Thornwell. The Clippers have two Sixth Man candidates in Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, Patrick Beverley is as gritty as they come, and the sophomore men in Gilgeous, Shamet and Robinson can only improve from their rookie years.

When they traded Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, it was an indication of forfeiting the right to ever get a superstar again. The Clippers, with star power, failed in the worst possible ways, what with the 3-1 collapse and all the times they were one away from a 3-0 lead. This role player team, even though they lost in the 1st round to the Ultimate Warriors, was the antithesis to the self-conscious concerns of the Lob City era, never backing down to anybody even as a lesser team. No team in NBA history has ever won a championship without a player having an All-Star appearance, let alone win a playoff series (the Nuggets in the 2012 lockout NBA Playoffs were the closest) - maybe winning with just role players might be what's best for the Clippers down the long run. They're becoming more Spursian by the day.

At least keeping our powder dry if there's no Kawhi makes sense. As for the org's rep--esp Doc's--it's becoming clear to all that the fault was Chris Paul's inability to lead and Blake Griffin's inability to lead OR follow.


I'm very anxious to see what happens with the Lakers if they succeed in their plan to get 3 big stars and try to win a title with no bench. GSW had a lot of luck not just with Curry becoming one of the GOATs and Klay becoming an all-star starter. Draymond came out of the second round to greatness and let's not forget Iguodala--the ultimate glue guy--agreeing to play whenever and wherever for whatever money they decided to give him.

Iggy was a Finals MVP too and is probably the forgotten man in all this.

All season long, Andre Iguodala sacrificed. When Steve Kerr came to him and asked him to come off the bench, he obliged. When shots that used to be his went to Klay Thompson, he never blinked. When media members wondered if he had fallen off, he never once wavered.

"He does everything for us," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters after Game 5, per Roderick Boone of Newsday. "He's our best defender on LeBron. He's an incredible decision-maker. He rebounds. He guards everybody. When he's off LeBron, he goes on to a shooter and stays at home with the shooters and challenges shots. He's a brilliant defensive player."

In the end, it was Iguodala's ability to do everything on both ends that wound up giving him this trophy.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2498418-nba-finals-2015-mvp-andre-iguodalas-stats-highlights-and-twitter-reaction

[wco81]

They had some more effective bench players.

This year they really tried to rely on all the young players who were drafted late in the first round or second round, hoping these project players were ready to contribute.

They let vets like West and even Zaza go. They let Clark go and I think he was more consistent than Cook was.

Not that these reserves would have stepped up with the catastrophic injuries to KD and Klay but over the course of the season, I think they'd have produced more.

So yeah, the Lakers are reportedly wanting to fill out their roster with second-round picks. Maybe they will get more ring chases if there are some vets who don't get the offers they hoped for in the free agent market.

[Ranma]

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[MartinToVaught]

I'm praying they come to their senses and don't do the whole billboard thing. It was pathetic when the Lakers did it for Dwight and it would be just as pathetic now.

[mttwlsn16]

Ya, billboard begging seems a little lame. But if it at all assist in us landing Kawhi, I can get on board with it.