Kawhi Leonard?

[blue9]

It's been reported that Leonard isn't too pleased with LA getting the kid gloves when Leonard has witnessed Pop tearing into future hall of famers like Manu and Duncan. Why does LA get the good side of pop but everyone else gets chewed out.

If that's true, then I think the narrative of Kawhi coming to Portland would be incredible.

• We'd have the story of how POR losing LA to SAS was suppose to kill POR's team (but it had zero effect) and extend SAS's dynasty (which it didn't).
• We'd also have the story of how LA couldn't play with Dame and eventually ran away to hide in his momma's skirt, followed by him driving away SAS's best player...into the open arms of the team he left.
• Which would lead to the story of how POR was a mediocre also-ran throughout LA's tenure, and turned into a juggernaut thanks to him pushing Leonard our way, all while SAS turns into the mediocre also-ran that POR use to be.

Honestly, if all this Leonard hoopla is because he can't stand LA, then he should force his way to the Blazers in order to exact his revenge.

 

[tester551]

It's been reported that Leonard isn't too pleased with LA getting the kid gloves when Leonard has witnessed Pop tearing into future hall of famers like Manu and Duncan. Why does LA get the good side of pop but everyone else gets chewed out.

Where did you see this reported?

LMA can't handle it. You saw what happened last year - he started sulking and mailing it in & requested a trade.

 

[CupWizier]

What else do we have to talk about?

Reality

 

[KingSpeed]

Only get Kawhi if we can keep our big 3.

 

[dviss1]

Gaping hole at the 2 is better than a gaping hole at the 3! Not to mention, as someone stated, you always trade a all-star caliber SG for a MVP caliber SF. It’s not even a decision.

We don't have a gaping hole at the 3 though....

 

[LayneStaley]

We don't have a gaping hole at the 3 though....

Harkless and ET are inconsistent at best.

Kawhi>CJ and Harkless

Do you believe CJ will ever be a MVP of the league type player? If not you make the trade and snag someone in the draft to play SG or make a play for a Will Barton type.

Kawhi/Barton>>>CJ/Harkless

 

[LayneStaley]

Bottom line is we are good, we aren’t title winners good though. I don’t think the next step comes from enteral growth either, I believe we are one trade and one good draft away.

Nurk/Zach(Chief)/Kawhi/WB/Dame

That’s a championship contender imo

 

[tester551]

Harkless and ET are inconsistent at best.

Kawhi>CJ and Harkless

Do you believe CJ will ever be a MVP of the league type player? If not you make the trade and snag someone in the draft to play SG or make a play for a Will Barton type.

Kawhi/Barton>>>CJ/Harkless

Completely agree. This type of logic seems lost on a lot of fans though.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Getting Kawhi is a total fantasy. So, if we're going to fantasize about getting him, my fantasy also has us doing so while keeping all of Dame, C.J., Nurk and Collins.

However, if the only way to get Kawhi is to give up C.J., don't forget we still have the Crabbe TPE that doesn't expire until July 24. We could use that to land someone like Courtney Lee to fill in at SG until someone better/younger comes along. Lee isn't as good as C.J., but he's always been a great 3-point shooter and a solid defender.

So...

Ultimate Fantasy Starters:
Dame
C.J.
Kawhi
Collins (or Aminu if we still have him for one more year)
Nurk
Bench: Who cares, anyone we have left plus cheap ring chasers

Alternate Fantasy Starters:
Dame
Courtney Lee
Kawhi
Collins (or Aminu if we still have him for one more year)
Nurk
Bench: Who cares, anyone we have left plus cheap ring chasers

BNM

 

[LayneStaley]

Why is CJ and a couple firsts while taking the Gasol contract back for Kawhi a fantasy? Is Tatum/Brown better than that? Or Tatum/surgically repaired Gordon better?

 

[BBert]

Why is CJ and a couple firsts while taking the Gasol contract back for Kawhi a fantasy? Is Tatum/Brown better than that? Or Tatum/surgically repaired Gordon better?

I'm going to guess because the idea is based on the premise that Kawhi wants out of San Antonio, and San Antonio wants him out. Both of those seem unlikely. If San Antonio wants him out, I'd be very suspicious that he's damaged goods.

I don't mind the random fandom speculation though. It's entertaining enough. And who the heck knows: It wouldn't be any crazier than some other trades over the years. Maybe it's our turn?

 

[Boob-No-More]

Why is CJ and a couple firsts while taking the Gasol contract back for Kawhi a fantasy? Is Tatum/Brown better than that? Or Tatum/surgically repaired Gordon better?

Hayward's injury wasn't career threatening. It wasn't like he tore his ACL, MCL or ruptured his Achilles. Often the most gruesome looking injuries aren't as bad as the ones that at first appear relatively innocuous. Paul George's fractured leg looked much worse than Wesley Matthews ruptured Achilles tendon. George made a full recovery. As hard as Wes has worked, he just hasn't been the same player post injury.

BNM

 

[LayneStaley]

I wouldn’t want to trade for Gordon until I actually saw him play, when was the last time a guy coming off a season long injury was traded as part of a blockbuster before playing again?

We actually might have one of the best players that would be offered in a Kawhi trade package.

 

[LayneStaley]

There’s something going on in SA, Parker saying his injury was way worse, Kawhi’s college coach saying he played through every injury in college. Too much smoke for no fire.

 

[BonesJones]

I wouldn’t want to trade for Gordon until I actually saw him play, when was the last time a guy coming off a season long injury was traded as part of a blockbuster before playing again?

We actually might have one of the best players that would be offered in a Kawhi trade package.

When was the last time? A Kawhi trade would be unprecedented regardless. You're also forgetting that Kawhis been injured too. Like I said, two of the three. If SAS wanted Tatum, Brown, Morris (to match salary), and the SAC pick, we couldn't even get close to competing against that.

 

[BonesJones]

Why is CJ and a couple firsts while taking the Gasol contract back for Kawhi a fantasy? Is Tatum/Brown better than that? Or Tatum/surgically repaired Gordon better?

Brown is arguably just as good as CJ because he posits both ends of the floor. Tatum will likely be better than CJ. San Antonio won't be on position to win so they'd rather use young, cheap players with high potential than someone like CJ. Plus Boston has the draft capital that we don't.

 

[BonesJones]

Only way we could ever get him is through and opt-in/sign-and-trade.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I wouldn’t want to trade for Gordon until I actually saw him play, when was the last time a guy coming off a season long injury was traded as part of a blockbuster before playing again?

We actually might have one of the best players that would be offered in a Kawhi trade package.

Well, Isaiah Thomas was a key part of the Kyrie Irving trade. Of course, that was a different type of injury and CLE knew Thomas would miss the first couple months of the season.

Hayward has been rumbling about possibly returning for the playoffs. Probably won't happen, because Ainge and Stevens won't let him, but with an additional two and a half months to heal, I'm sure he'll be able to work out for any team considering trading for him.

I'm not even saying BOS will offer him, but the precedent of Danny Ainge convincing someone to take his damaged goods in return for an all star exists and is less than a year old.

Of course, Hayward isn't the only one in this scenario who has been out all season with an injury. If I was trading for Kawhi, I'd also want to put him through an intensive workout and a complete physical.

BNM

 

[Driew]

Where did you see this reported?

Not a perfect source just something I read on r/spurs a few months back. One of their Jason Quick type "beat reporters" tweeting it. Can't find it now though to save my life haha

Edit: Grammar

 

[tester551]

Brown is arguably just as good as CJ because he posits both ends of the floor. Tatum will likely be better than CJ. San Antonio won't be on position to win so they'd rather use young, cheap players with high potential than someone like CJ. Plus Boston has the draft capital that we don't.

And Ainge is SO easy to make a deal with. I'm sure he would just open up his assets and give SAS what ever they want.

 

[BonesJones]

And Ainge is SO easy to make a deal with. I'm sure he would just open up his assets and give SAS what ever they want.

Was this sarcasm? My sarcasm detection device is miscalibrated at the moment.

 

[LayneStaley]

When was the last time? A Kawhi trade would be unprecedented regardless. You're also forgetting that Kawhis been injured too. Like I said, two of the three. If SAS wanted Tatum, Brown, Morris (to match salary), and the SAC pick, we couldn't even get close to competing against that.

I really think your overvaluing Brown.

 

[DDolla]

It would be interesting if the Blazers can get Kwahi next season. Open your pocket PA, we could have a Big Four in Dame-CJ-Kwahi and Nurk

 

[BonesJones]

I really think your overvaluing Brown.

He's a 21 year old who's starting for a contwndering averaging 14ppg on 46FG%, 37.5 3PT%, with top-notch defense. He reminds me of the type of player Kawhi was before he broke out, and he's cheap for the next couple years. The Spurs would value him as much as they would CJ. And then you throw on a top 5 pick next year and Tatum? Yeah, San Antonio does that.

 

[BonesJones]

It would be interesting if the Blazers can get Kwahi next season. Open your pocket PA, we could have a Big Four in Dame-CJ-Kwahi and Nurk

We need to be pursuing guys in free agency, especially in 2019 when sign-and-trades will be much easier with Meyers and Turner expiring.

Something I wanna see is Meyers and a 2nd round pick or two for Asik. Asik is making $11M next year, with a player option the year after. If he opts in, his team can cut him as only $3M is guaranteed.

Not only is that type of contract valuable for trades in the summer ($11M outgoing, basically $3M incoming), but it's also easy to package. If we need that $3M. 1 year of Turner at $18M, and an additional $3M of Asik is easy to send out with a pick or assets (maybe Swanigan plus 2nds?). We could send them to a team for a sign-and-traded player, an opt-in-and-traded player, or create a huge trade exception.

 

[Lanny]

Could you imagine if the Spurs pampering of Aldridge internally is pushing Kawhi away.

Picture kawhi showing up to the gym and Aldridge is in the corner like leonidas being fed grapes by his concubines.

Being fed grapes by concubines? Where can I get some of that action?

 

[tester551]

Being fed grapes by concubines? Where can I get some of that action?

They're not your type. They are too old for you. The concubines are all over 21 years old

 

[Lanny]

They're not your type. They are too old for you. The concubines are all over 21 years old

Good point.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Worst case scenario: we get one year of Kawhi, he's average, we don't get past the 2nd round, he leaves in FA summer 2019, and we still have Dame, Nurk, Collins, Moe, and a decent bit of cap space/flexibility a year from now. That's probably no worse than where we are right now.

As for if Boston's assets are better: if Ainge had a stroke and offered Tatum and Brown for CJ and Turner, I'd do that in a heartbeat. I'm sure the Spurs would much rather that pair than ours. Salary matching is really the only question, and would be Boston's biggest hindrance in making such a deal.

 

[CupWizier]

Worst case scenario: we get one year of Kawhi, he's average, we don't get past the 2nd round, he leaves in FA summer 2019, and we still have Dame, Nurk, Collins, Moe, and a decent bit of cap space/flexibility a year from now. That's probably no worse than where we are right now.

In 2019 no worse than we are now? Do you really think a team without CJ and cap space is as good as this team right now that is knocking at 50 wins and a 3rd seed? Your valuation of CJ needs to be re-evaluated.