NBA Offseason

[jterrell]

I don’t think there’s any way he stays in Toronto. He’s got a few screws lose.

Kawhi doesn't strike me as a go through the motions fake it type dude.
I think he will be very deliberate but TOR is definitely in the mix still.
He is just an old school basketball player to me.
I kinda love that he hates the limelight and isn't a marketing machine; he just puts his head down and goes to work.
He's still 90% compete, 10% noise.
A guy like LeBron is great but he's at best 50/50 marketing and basketball.

How many basketball players don't use social media?
6th graders have accounts now to post videos of any shot that they make.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Keep hearing more chatter from talking heads including the usually reliable Marc Stein that DeAngelo Russell is just a chip to be flipped later.

I can’t even imagine what the move would be. I have to think it would be for a forward but I can’t think of a quality 3 or 4 that would be available.

Maybe a guy like Lauri Markkanen from the Bulls?

 

[jterrell]

If Kawhi signs w/ Toronto...I think they have a cake walk to the East final....then It's a toss up w/ whoever comes out of the west. I think you take that...and run w/ it. Toronto already proved they can win it all. They were beating Golden St. with Durant and Clay. Don't think it would have mattered if they were healthy. Toronto was just that much better defensively...and had more heart...and hit clutch shots.

GSW had KD for one quarter and won that quarter by double digits.
I don't think anybody was beating GSW at full force but that team will never have that talent again so it really doesn't matter.
TOR is not significantly better than PHI or BOS or MIL but they are better.
It will not be a cake walk and the East may have more talent at the top than the West for first time in a very, very long time.
TOR would be the favorite but it would be a very competitive field; fun to watch it all play out.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Kawhi doesn't strike me as a go through the motions fake it type dude.
I think he will be very deliberate but TOR is definitely in the mix still.
He is just an old school basketball player to me.
I kinda love that he hates the limelight and isn't a marketing machine; he just puts his head down and goes to work.
He's still 90% compete, 10% noise.
A guy like LeBron is great but he's at best 50/50 marketing and basketball.

How many basketball players don't use social media?
6th graders have accounts now to post videos of any shot that they make.

I think signing a one year deal with Toronto is still in play.

 

[phildadon86]

And Durant...they were missing Durant for the entire series, minus one half. Injuries played a large enough role that you simply can’t tell the story without mentioning them. Instead of worrying about respect, just enjoy the championship. Who cares what the media and a bunch of non-Toronto fans think...

Oh so they were missing 1 of their 5 all star starting lineup? Lol. I dont care about others opinions really. It's just irritating that it's like we still havent proven anything even after a championship.

 

[jterrell]

Warriors bring in Willy Cauley Stein. Good move for them. Was hoping the Celtics made a move for him. Still alot of upside there

WCS issuer was he doesn't love basketball. Guys that age have to really grind and he wasn't.
Maybe the GSW culture and development staff will get him where SAC couldn't but having lived through Chandler Parsons in DAL I don't want anymore guys that are about the lifestyle but not the game.
Gym rats only.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

If Kawhi signs w/ Toronto...I think they have a cake walk to the East final....then It's a toss up w/ whoever comes out of the west. I think you take that...and run w/ it. Toronto already proved they can win it all. They were beating Golden St. with Durant and Clay. Don't think it would have mattered if they were healthy. Toronto was just that much better defensively...and had more heart...and hit clutch shots.

Not me. I think we haven't heard the last from Boston and they have some pieces.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Toronto still not getting respect? After beating the best team in the nba and the MVP. And taking down the GSW who were missing Klay for one game.

Nothing this team ever does is good enough. The LAL will be good enough to win a title in another season or 2? How old will lebron be in 2 years? You make it seem like hes getting younger lol. Fact is Toronto if Kawhi stays is the team to beat in the east. Out of the west only houston scares me really. Utah got much better and are going to be tough. Denver looks to be a solid team too. But only one that really strikes fear is Houston. Just my opinion

I give Toronto their due but lets be honest here, a flu bug and injuries did more to aid that effort. Honestly, if San Antonio isn't trying to screw Leonard, Leonard never even lands in Canada. It's not as if Toronto didn't step into some of this.

Lets, for a second, say that you are right and James isn't the best player in the NBA in another year. He ain't falling off a cliff either. He's still one of the top 10 to 15 players in the NBA and AD, well, before last season, he might have been the best player in the League. Lakers aren't crashing and burning in two years. They will be better because they won't be handcuffed the way the Leonard situation has left them, in terms of bringing in pieces and I tell you now, if the Lakers come down to it and see that the window really is closing for them, they will go over the cap to bring in a player because they know that James isn't there for more then 4 years. LBJ is either retiring to go do his thing in Hollywood or he's taking time to work with his Oldest Son Bronny, maybe even leaving the Lakers to go play with him, if he goes straight to the NBA, Like James did. Either way, I think his salary is off the books in a few seasons so Lakers are going to have some cap to work with very soon. I just don't see the Lakers falling off a cliff here, unless their ownership just Titanics and screws every damn thing up in epic ways. Not saying that can't happen but I don't think that's likely. I just don't see a downside for the Lakers on this deal, to be honest. I mean, even if it didn't work out, AD's deal is tradeable and the Lakers would get value from it. Same with Leonard if they were able to sign him. I just see flexibility in the moves the Lakers have made and very little downside in the long term.

That's just my opinion.

 

[Rockport]

Kawhi doesn't strike me as a go through the motions fake it type dude.
I think he will be very deliberate but TOR is definitely in the mix still.
He is just an old school basketball player to me.
I kinda love that he hates the limelight and isn't a marketing machine; he just puts his head down and goes to work.
He's still 90% compete, 10% noise.
A guy like LeBron is great but he's at best 50/50 marketing and basketball.

How many basketball players don't use social media?
6th graders have accounts now to post videos of any shot that they make.

I’m a long time Spurs fans and have followed Kawhi since the day he was drafted. Both David Robinson and Tim Duncan could not figure him out although they both tried as well as Parker and Ginobilli. Nothing he does would surprise me. He’s a strange one.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Keep hearing more chatter from talking heads including the usually reliable Marc Stein that DeAngelo Russell is just a chip to be flipped later.

I can’t even imagine what the move would be. I have to think it would be for a forward but I can’t think of a quality 3 or 4 that would be available.

Maybe a guy like Lauri Markkanen from the Bulls?

Ive kinda been wondering who myself. Or whether or not they have someone in mind or are collecting assets. I really have heard of anyone being dangled that I see them going after

 

[jterrell]

I’m a long time Spurs fans and have followed Kawhi since the day he was drafted. Both David Robinson and Tim Duncan could not figure him out although they both tried as well as Parker and Ginobilli. Nothing he does would surprise me. He’s a strange one.

A LOT OF Californians are like that. Weird hippie culture lol.
I think KL is his own dude and he wanted a true free agency process.Not for glamour but to hear actual pitches form teams and how he would fit and what they would do around him.
He wasn't a high pick that was coveted when he crapped on LBJ's head for an entire series it was mostly ignored 5 days later and LBJ hailed as the greatest again the next season.
So I think we will find out what is important to him now as he makes the biggest decision of his career.
And yes, I think right now he is the best overall player in basketball.

I think it very likely Cuban has tried very hard to play the longest of all long shots and get in on KL. Which is both sad and the most Mavs thing ever.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Being Reported that Leonard is on a plane back to Toronto right now.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I don't believe Leonard is going back to sign with the Raptors. Believe it or not, I think he is only trying to show them respect.

Leonard recently bought a house in Southern California. If he signs with Toronto, he pays taxes in Canada, he pays California State Taxes and US Federal Income Taxes. The amount Toronto can pay Leonard is basically eaten up if he signs there and he ends up paying even more in Taxes. He's from SoCal, he was Lakers Fan growing up, he requested to be traded to LA before being traded to Toronto and he has a chance to be a part of, what could become the greatest team in NBA history. I think he's going to L.A. but I guess we'll see.

 

[Rockport]

A LOT OF Californians are like that. Weird hippie culture lol.
I think KL is his own dude and he wanted a true free agency process.Not for glamour but to hear actual pitches form teams and how he would fit and what they would do around him.
He wasn't a high pick that was coveted when he crapped on LBJ's head for an entire series it was mostly ignored 5 days later and LBJ hailed as the greatest again the next season.
So I think we will find out what is important to him now as he makes the biggest decision of his career.
And yes, I think right now he is the best overall player in basketball.

I think it very likely Cuban has tried very hard to play the longest of all long shots and get in on KL. Which is both sad and the most Mavs thing ever.

Kawhi doesn’t care about any other player or team. That’s not him. He wants to go to California his home. IMHO

 

[lukin2006]

Leonard has landed in Toronto aboard the Raptors owners private plane. Toronto has to still be very much in play...

I think we know tonight or tomorrow.

 

[jterrell]

I don't believe Leonard is going back to sign with the Raptors. Believe it or not, I think he is only trying to show them respect.

Leonard recently bought a house in Southern California. If he signs with Toronto, he pays taxes in Canada, he pays California State Taxes and US Federal Income Taxes. The amount Toronto can pay Leonard is basically eaten up if he signs there and he ends up paying even more in Taxes. He's from SoCal, he was Lakers Fan growing up, he requested to be traded to LA before being traded to Toronto and he has a chance to be a part of, what could become the greatest team in NBA history. I think he's going to L.A. but I guess we'll see.

That's not mostly true lol.

A. He has stated he wasn't a Lakers fan growing up. He was an Iverson fan.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles...snt-lakers-fan-growing-up-liked-allen-iverson
B. His home is in San Diego, 2-3 hours from LA. And it is owned by an LLC.
https://www.latimes.com/business/re...nard-rancho-santa-fe-home-20190124-story.html
C. If he signs in LA he pays city taxes and state income tax. He doesn't pay those if he lives outside California most of the year. Property tax is only 1% in CA.
Part‑year residents of California are taxed on all income received while a resident and only on income from California sources while a nonresident .
D. He flew from Cali to TOR with TOR mgmt lol.

 

[jterrell]

Kawhi doesn’t care about any other player or team. That’s not him. He wants to go to California his home. IMHO

I get Spurs fans feel this way but there's really little to demonstrate that's true.
He was very upset that SAS vets playing out their careers used the media to bully him into playing injured.
The org focus was one more run with the old men versus building around Kawhi.
It put him at odds with them.
Pop losing his wife and miserable at surly at the same time was not in a position to coddle anyone or course correct the relationship.

I truly feel for you guys on this. I am a rabid enemy but you drafted and developed this kid and he turned into the best player in the league.
Trading him off at his peak for a set of used golf clubs is hurtful I know.

End of day we will see what KL decides and I am sure some of his thoughts and motivations will come out.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Josh Jackson just got trade to Vancouver. So that is 3 out of the first 4 picks of the supposedly strong 2017 draft to be after only two years

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Josh Jackson just got trade to Vancouver. So that is 3 out of the first 4 picks of the supposedly strong 2017 draft to be after only two years

Man, they sent him to Vancouver!?!?

lol

 

[phildadon86]

That's not mostly true lol.

A. He has stated he wasn't a Lakers fan growing up. He was an Iverson fan.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles...snt-lakers-fan-growing-up-liked-allen-iverson
B. His home is in San Diego, 2-3 hours from LA. And it is owned by an LLC.
https://www.latimes.com/business/re...nard-rancho-santa-fe-home-20190124-story.html
C. If he signs in LA he pays city taxes and state income tax. He doesn't pay those if he lives outside California most of the year. Property tax is only 1% in CA.
Part‑year residents of California are taxed on all income received while a resident and only on income from California sources while a nonresident .
D. He flew from Cali to TOR with TOR mgmt lol.

Thank you. This notion of our taxes being worse has been debunked more than once but people keep saying it. Its humorous at this point.