Kawhi wants out of San Antonio

[tlance]

You don't know that. Looking at their roster, acquiring Love will fit with their apparent plan of getting as many white big men as possible. They already have Mozgov, Hernangomez, Kaminsky, and Zeller

You are right.

That might be their plan.

 

[trojanfan12]

That's my line of thinking. For the Spurs, it sends the message that they're the quality franchise that they perceive to be. Sure, it may not net them the best deal potentially, but the long term message is what they're probably aiming for. If the Spurs eventually trade Kawhi to the Lakers and give into their demands, other players will likely feel that they can pull off the same stunt.

Disagree. I don't see how not doing what's best for you franchise says you're a quality franchise.

 

[trojanfan12]

You don't know that. Looking at their roster, acquiring Love will fit with their apparent plan of getting as many white big men as possible. They already have Mozgov, Hernangomez, Kaminsky, and Zeller

Pretty sure they'll be trading for all the Plumlees soon.

 

[tlance]

Pretty sure they'll be trading for all the Plumlees soon.

Maybe they want a roster of nothing but white big men and Wendell Carter. That would be epic.

 

[Heatles84]

Disagree. I don't see how not doing what's best for you franchise says you're a quality franchise.

We just disagree on perception. As Wiggy said (see you have me quoting Wiggy now), the Spurs have the cache to pull off moves like this. The Spurs may have found their replacement in Lonnie Walker whom has a high ceiling. It's public perception in the league as it relates to your franchise. Look at what the Pacers did, there was a team that took a chance in convincing George to stay in hopes of winning with another start. Indiana at the time took the perceived less valued deal; and we all were wrong as Oladipo blossomed into a potential star once he was put into a more ideal situation.

Indiana didn't give into George's perceived destination (by all reports he didn't necessarily tell the Pacers he's only signing with LA, but that was public perception). The Spurs will likely send a message to the league and players stating that they're not going to let someone under contract dictate where he gets traded to.

 

[trojanfan12]

As Wiggy said (see you have me quoting Wiggy now),

That alone should tell you you're wrong.

 

[trojanfan12]

We just disagree on perception. As Wiggy said (see you have me quoting Wiggy now), the Spurs have the cache to pull off moves like this. The Spurs may have found their replacement in Lonnie Walker whom has a high ceiling. It's public perception in the league as it relates to your franchise. Look at what the Pacers did, there was a team that took a chance in convincing George to stay in hopes of winning with another start. Indiana at the time took the perceived less valued deal; and we all were wrong as Oladipo blossomed into a potential star once he was put into a more ideal situation.

Indiana didn't give into George's perceived destination (by all reports he didn't necessarily tell the Pacers he's only signing with LA, but that was public perception). The Spurs will likely send a message to the league and players stating that they're not going to let someone under contract dictate where he gets traded to.

Thing is, you don't build up that kind of cache being stupid and petty. A team can lose all of the cache they built in one off-season.

Look what happened to the Lakers cache when Short Buss fucked up negotiating with Dwight (although that turned out to be a blessing, imo).

End of the day, I don't see the trade happening. But assuming it doesn't, I really doubt it would be because the Spurs decided to take significantly less than the Lakers best offer. They may take a lesser offer, but it won't be significantly less.

 

[Heatles84]

Thing is, you don't build up that kind of cache being stupid and petty. A team can lose all of the cache they built in one off-season.

Look what happened to the Lakers cache when Short Buss fucked up negotiating with Dwight (although that turned out to be a blessing, imo).

End of the day, I don't see the trade happening. But assuming it doesn't, I really doubt it would be because the Spurs decided to take significantly less than the Lakers best offer. They may take a lesser offer, but it won't be significantly less.

I can agree with this. As I've said before, I think the Spurs would take a slightly lesser deal than what the Lakers will likely offer.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I actually kind of think they are.

I do not think Pop wants to send the message that he and the Spurs can be strong armed by a player under contract.

I'm not sure that NOT trading Leonard to the Lakers under any circumstances is or would be that stupid if it resulted In another Lakers dynasty with KL

 

[flyerhawk]

End of the day, I don't see the trade happening. But assuming it doesn't, I really doubt it would be because the Spurs decided to take significantly less than the Lakers best offer. They may take a lesser offer, but it won't be significantly less.

I don't think the Sixers or Celtics will offer significantly less than the Lakers if Kawhi becomes truly available.

 

[Gman]

Read a pretty good article from the Boston Celtic perspective on this...

Your Morning Dump... Where Kawhi Leonard could head east

The long and short of it:

• If Boston were to get in on the action, it would probably be down the line. Marcus Smart would likely have to be signed and then there would be a 3 month waiting period before he could be traded to another team... he would likely be a piece used to make salaries match.
• Therefore, C's become potential players the more this situation drags on.
• In the end, though, it comes down to how the C's feel about Jaylen Brown... who would likely have to be added to any deal. If they see Brown as on a Kawhi-like track and see him reaching towards that potential, then from a purely financial perspective it makes little sense to trade him away.
• Another issue at play is if the C's are willing to take on the potential highest payroll in the league in the coming years.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I don't think the Sixers or Celtics will offer significantly less than the Lakers if Kawhi becomes truly available.

Depends. If Kawhi publicly comes out and says he's signing in LA in 2019 no matter what, something Paul George didn't actually do last year, I highly doubt the Sixers and Celtics with their progressing young core will offer the Spurs anything worth their attention.

 

[Gman]

Depends. If Kawhi publicly comes out and says he's signing in LA in 2019 no matter what, something Paul George didn't actually do last year, I highly doubt the Sixers and Celtics with their progressing young core will offer the Spurs anything worth their attention.

You'd have to think that kind of play by Kawhi would piss San Antonio off something awful...

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

You'd have to think that kind of play by Kawhi would piss San Antonio off something awful...

Very much so. But it doesn't sound like he has many friends left in that organisation any way

 

[Gman]

Very much so. But it doesn't sound like he has many friends left in that organisation any way

Perhaps... but the big concern would be that it would lead San Antonio to seek to not give Kawhi what he wants...

I've seen @trojanfan12 and others argue that the Spurs would accept the best offer in the end... but in such a scenario, I have a lot of trouble believing San Antonio would simply roll over and take it from Leonard...

... and I generally agree with the counter-argument that an organization can't afford to react weakly in the face of such shenanigans... that such weakness would be bad long term even if there is a shorter term cost in accepting a lesser offer.

 

[bksballer89]

Perhaps... but the big concern would be that it would lead San Antonio to seek to not give Kawhi what he wants...

I've seen @trojanfan12 and others argue that the Spurs would accept the best offer in the end... but in such a scenario, I have a lot of trouble believing San Antonio would simply roll over and take it from Leonard...

... and I generally agree with the counter-argument that an organization can't afford to react weakly in the face of such shenanigans... that such weakness would be bad long term even if there is a shorter term cost in accepting a lesser offer.

I just don't see the Lakers having anything appealing enough to offer the Spurs unless a 3rd team gets involved

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Perhaps... but the big concern would be that it would lead San Antonio to seek to not give Kawhi what he wants...

I've seen @trojanfan12 and others argue that the Spurs would accept the best offer in the end... but in such a scenario, I have a lot of trouble believing San Antonio would simply roll over and take it from Leonard...

... and I generally agree with the counter-argument that an organization can't afford to react weakly in the face of such shenanigans... that such weakness would be bad long term even if there is a shorter term cost in accepting a lesser offer.

I agree. But it would seem petty on behalf of the Spurs if they're not taking the best offer available just to piss off Kawhi and the Lakers.

If Kawhi came out and said he's not signing anywhere but LA in 2019, other teams are no way in hell going to offer the Spurs an acceptable package.
If the Lakers then said they'll offer Ingram, Kuzma, Ball and a bunch of picks, then the Spurs are going to look like idiots not to take that.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I just don't see the Lakers having anything appealing enough to offer the Spurs unless a 3rd team gets involved

Ingram, Kuzma, Ball and picks not good enough?

 

[tlance]

Perhaps... but the big concern would be that it would lead San Antonio to seek to not give Kawhi what he wants...

I've seen @trojanfan12 and others argue that the Spurs would accept the best offer in the end... but in such a scenario, I have a lot of trouble believing San Antonio would simply roll over and take it from Leonard...

... and I generally agree with the counter-argument that an organization can't afford to react weakly in the face of such shenanigans... that such weakness would be bad long term even if there is a shorter term cost in accepting a lesser offer.

Yes.

That is why the Spurs can't and won't trade him to the Lakers right now.

But give it some time. See what happens, and perhaps a comparable offer from an EC team comes along. If not, they can deal Kawhi to the Lakers closer to the deadline. The elapsed time makes it look like they didn't just cave, yet they still accept the trade that is going to help their franchise most.

 

[bksballer89]

Ingram, Kuzma, Ball and picks not good enough?

Lakers will never do that trade. They're only going to offer 2 of 3 which won't be good enough even with a draft pick