In today’s lesson of be careful of what you may wish for:
also, lolraptors.
Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri is taking a significant risk in pursuing the trade. Ujiri will make the deal with a determination that he can sell Leonard on re-signing with the Raptors next summer in free agency, sources said. Toronto would be able to offer Leonard a five-year, $190 million contract next summer. If Leonard left the Raptors, he could sign a four-year, $141 million deal with a team with the available salary-cap space.
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Leonard has been clear that he plans to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency next summer.
My thought has always been that if Kawhi is demanding a trade, you ship him off to somewhere he doesn’t want to go… and in that scenario, the Raptors are giving up way too much for a guy who might decide his injury is mysteriously flaring up.
Too awesome. Kawhi wanted to go to King’s Landing and instead got himself sent to the Wall.
I don’t know Kawhi’s relationship with his agency or what not, but he is very close to sending up red flags over his ability to be a franchise max player.
I mean, he is an incredible talent, but so was Dwight Howard, and suddenly chemistry issues began, and Dwight (as well as being old now) kind of missed the opportunity to be a franchise centerpiece max player. He is such an incredible talent that was squandered over his years of journeyman status. And now the 32 year old (who still can put up big numbers in the paint, and get those rebounds on d) is making 5 million a year on a 1 year contract.
Kawhi is a lot younger, but still, he may only have the Lakers trying to give him a max next year if he tanks it up in Toronto.
His agency is basically his uncle.
Thus the problems.
It honestly doesn’t seem that bad for the Raptors. DeRozan’s contract probably had negative value so if Kawhi doesn’t re-sign, then they’ve dumped him for Poeltl and a pick. That’s a problem but not a multi-year disaster like the Celtics-Nets trade or something.
I felt bad for DeRozan at first, but he’s going to the Spurs, so that will be great. They might be able to do amazing things with him.
The revenge story is delicious. Hats off to the Spurs.
And hey, if Kawhi signs with the Lakers, maybe it would be something interesting in regards to the Warriors. I’ll take what I can get!
Pop says nice things. Just not during games!
Yeah, this became more and more clear as this thing dragged on. I’m sure this has always been about money and more specifically that they feel like he’s a top 5 player who has no meaningful shoe contracts or endorsements and needs to go to LA to get them.
I suspect he will get “hurt” in Toronto and disappear until next offseason again.
Along with Anthony and his $27.9 million expiring contract, the Thunder will send a 2022 protected first-round pick to the Hawks for guard Dennis Schroder and forward Mike Muscala. The 2022 first-round pick is protected 1-14 and becomes two second-round picks if not conveyed in that first year, league sources said.
The Thunder will then send Muscala to the 76ers for forward Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Philadelphia will send guard Justin Anderson to Atlanta, league sources said.
Carmelo is free.
Carmelo OKC is free. :)
The Sixers needed to clear out some players to get to the roster limit so that was their part in this deal. I like both the players they had to move here. I think TLC will eventually become a decent bench player and Anderson’s toughness will keep him in the NBA a long time too, but they weren’t moving the needle enough to hold onto either. Anderson especially will be missed here as he was a Philly-type kid for sure, but this is business.
Rumors are the Sixers are going to move Bayless to the Cavs for Korver. I think that’s a great move.
Yeah, Cavs need to go full on tank mode now. Love Korver.
Cavs just need three #1 picks, plus LeBron, and they’ll be back in championship contention.
Too soon?
Bill Simmons is playing Fortnite on Twitch right now, and his son is yelling at him in the background. GOLD.
I heard him talking about playing for a whole day on last week’s podcast.
He’s really terrible…even worse than me, which I didn’t think was possible.
Next trip to the injury list will be for a funny bone contusion?
Reddit was killing it on this pic yesterday.
Another point in the “I don’t care that he went to LA” column.