Holy shit, what a wild conclusion to the Kawhi sweepstakes. Kawhi to Clippers, and the Clippers by the way also traded for Paul George!
Many picks, Galinari and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to OKC in exchange for George. Awesome. The West is gonna be nuts!
“Many picks” is one way to put it: 4 unprotected 1st round picks, 1 protected one, and 2 pick swaps… that’s crazy. Though I guess you have to look at it as part of the price of signing Kawhi, since he wouldn’t have come if George wasn’t there.
And I saw Danny Green signed with the Lakers. Poor Toronto.
I missed the big news though: the Wizards traded Dwight Howard to the Grizzlies for a dude named CJ Miles. I don’t know who he is but I love him!
Ohhhh, Lakers. Hilarious.
Nets and Clippers beat out the Knicks and Lakers. That’s a testament to better ownership and organization.
This better result in a ring, though. It seems like the Clips kind of got cleaned out in the George deal.
It’s the right move. They have the two best 2-way players in the league in their prime, and an awesome, deep team around them.
FREE AGENTS, FREE AGENTS, FREE AGENTS, FREE AGENTS
It’s absolutely the right move. If you have a chance to get Kawhi, you take it, especially if you’re the perpetual little brother team.
I was just saying…win now. There’s not much of a tomorrow.
I don’t have the same faith in Paul George that you do.
That’s almost Kawhi.
My only concern is his health.
Meanwhile, if the Pelicans had acquired Lebron 18 months ago, you’d have the 2019-2020 Lakers. Rondo has also re-signed.
Kawhi said he didn’t want to form a super team with the Lakers. What if the Lakers kept all their players from the AD trade and just signed Kawhi instead? He’d have his duo with LeBron.
Kind of a funny thought: hardly any good draft picks will be playing in LA for the next 5 years or so. Haha!
That’s okay, kids. Just stick it out for a few years in Sheboygan and then demand a trade.
This off-season truly shows how the league is essentially controlled by the superstars like none other. Fundamental changes in the power structure of the league in one offseason. A player like Kawhi changing the outlook three teams in the Raptors, OKC, and Clippers in a season. Just crazy.
ESPN story on Thunder trading Jerami Grant to the Nuggets for a 2020 first-round pick. es.pn/2XzIOTQ
If it wasn’t obvious from the PG trade then this confirms that a full tear down is happening in OKC.
Anyone taking bets on where Westbrook winds up playing by January?
DET or MIA apparently have the “assets” to trade for him soonish.
If he’s not moved in the next couple of weeks i’d say that there is a fair chance he might go to the Knicks after the guys they just signed become trade eligible because that would be very knicksy
Despite LOL Knicks not getting a marquee free agent, the Knicks are not knicksy these days. I’d be shocked if they took on Westbrook’s massive contract or parted w any assets for a star in decline.
Update
Woj bomblet
Story filed to ESPN: In aftermath of Paul George’s departure, OKC star Russell Westbrook is welcoming to idea of Sam Presti engineering a trade that would bring an end to his illustrious 11-year Thunder tenure. Miami’s expressed interest, a destination that appeals to Westbrook.
Can you imagine Jimmy Butler and Russell Westbrook on the same team both with big guaranteed contracts? Not enough ball to go around is an understatement. Sheesh.
They will also punch each other out at some point during the season.