2018-19 NBA and Raptors thread

[SebC]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

This kind of reminds me of how Burke won in Anaheim

Pronger needed out of Edmonton
Niedermayer wanted to play with his brother

Not replicable

Everyone wants out of Edmonton.
Lots of players have brothers.

Replicable?

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by Matata

The Raptors beat any team outside the NBA easily (except US national team, which would be all NBA players), that should be a good enough definition of World Champ for anyone

May be, may be not. Until it actually happens, it's nothing definite.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by midniteowl

May be, may be not. Until it actually happens, it's nothing definite.

No, it's not definite. It's basketball. You win basketball championships by having one or two of the top 5 players in the world.

There is no player who is currently playing in another professional league that is better than Kawhi, LeBron, Steph, Giannis, or Embiid. To say nothing of a supporting cast.

You may as well argue Rouyn Noranda 'could' beat the Blues. 'We just don't know.' Yes we do. The St Louis Blues stomp them and the Raptors kick the snot out of every pro team in Spain, Latvia, Australia, Israel, everywhere on this planet, in a seven game series.

The Raptors are world champions. Period.

[Shazam]

World champs? Pfft. First they have to beat the St Louis Blues.

[SuperMatt18]

After watching some of the post game interviews, and the Rachel Nichols interview with Kawhi and Kyle, I really don’t think Kawhi comes back.

That will be his right as a UFA but damn I wish he’d stay to try to defend this.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

After watching some of the post game interviews, and the Rachel Nichols interview with Kawhi and Kyle, I really don’t think Kawhi comes back.

That will be his right as a UFA but damn I wish he’d stay to try to defend this.

No kidding. I get it if he doesn't want to commit to 5 years, but you're the champs. Basketball prioritizes title defences more than any other sport - come back for one more year.

On the other hand, if Kawhi leaves, this season remains a perfect jewel in all our minds.

[browna]

No way he stays. He didn't want to come to Toronto in the first place, but he did so to prove a point to everyone that doubted him and his injury and his motivation etc.

He felt betrayed by the Spurs who wanted him to come back before he was ready and then, didn't agree to trade him where he wanted to go.

He came to Toronto, and did what he needed to prove his worth and his point before the final buzzer. He ultimate revenge to the Spurs and to anyone who sided with the Spurs last year.

Wherever he wanted to go (and live) before and the Spurs wouldn't let him, he will go there now on his terms. Hell, Balmer would move the Clippers back to San Diego if Leonard wanted to play in his home town.

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by browna

No way he stays. He didn't want to come to Toronto in the first place, but he did so to prove a point to everyone that doubted him and his injury and his motivation etc.

He felt betrayed by the Spurs who wanted him to come back before he was ready and then, didn't agree to trade him where he wanted to go.

He came to Toronto, and did what he needed to prove his worth and his point before the final buzzer. He ultimate revenge to the Spurs and to anyone who sided with the Spurs last year.

Wherever he wanted to go (and live) before and the Spurs wouldn't let him, he will go there now on his terms. Hell, Balmer would move the Clippers back to San Diego if Leonard wanted to play in his home town.

Well I'm glad that's settled then.

I bet he hasn't even decided yet. Obviously it's possible he just chooses to go home, but staying in the East with TO probably gives him a better chance of winning then almost anywhere else. Again, maybe he does just leave, but I could see him signing a short deal with a plan to have TO sign him to a Max deal after in a sign and trade back to LA.

[icarus]

I was at Oracle Arena last night, man what a night!

Such a nailbiter, I thought it was over when that stupid pass went out of bounds but the boys came through and then we partied in the arena, in the club level bar, outside the arena, on the BART train, in the streets of SF and in the bars of SF. It was definitely a big Canadian celebration, it felt like Canada Day on steroids. My cousin and I got interviewed live on CP24 in the first quarter too.

It was a sea of gold, but once the Warriors fans filed out it was amazing how many Raps fans were in the arena, felt like maybe 2000, who knows? Lots of Calgarians there (and knowing where we were and what sport was being played none of us wore our city's hockey jerseys, which is more than can be said for some Edmontonians present).

Credit to the Warriors fans, they are definitely passionate but apart from one ######bag in the bathroom they were respectful and congratulatory toward us. We filled the club level bar after security finally managed to usher us out of the lower bowl and credit to the few Warriors fans who stuck it out in there--could you imagine being in Dutton's if filled with opposing fans celebrating winning the Stanley Cup in the Saddledome?

[browna]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Well I'm glad that's settled then.

I bet he hasn't even decided yet. Obviously it's possible he just chooses to go home, but staying in the East with TO probably gives him a better chance of winning then almost anywhere else. Again, maybe he does just leave, but I could see him signing a short deal with a plan to have TO sign him to a Max deal after in a sign and trade back to LA.

In all seriousness, has his language in any interviews all year long, given anyone the thought that he's changed his mind in Toronto? Yes he's an enigma and a weird interview, and robotic. But I just don't think Toronto is in his top 15 to go there maybe even top 25 and nothing in his language or demeanor last night, after winning a trophy, was any different from the media wanting to get an answer from him back when he arrived.

As much as Raptor fans, and people from Toronto itself, that want that validation that they are an NBA destination for stars, before and even after winning it all want, Leonard hasn't given it to them. He doesn't seemed to have changed his distant feelings one ioata, even after lifting a trophy.

Sure, he's probably pleasantly surprised and humbled, and glad he had the experience of being in a unique market, but this season was always about him proving and redeeming himself to those who told him he was soft or faking an injury, and wouldn't let him go where he wanted. Toronto was the place he was forced to go. The Raptors took the risk with him to prove to him they were serious about winning, and saw a window for themselves with getting a guy like this, and it worked out spectacularly. But, he's got his heart set somewhere else, that has always been clear. And now he can choose to go there without anything or any team holding him back.

[savemedrzaius]

Originally Posted by browna

In all seriousness, has his language in any interviews all year long, given anyone the thought that he's changed his mind in Toronto? Yes he's an enigma and a weird interview, and robotic. But I just don't think Toronto is in his top 15 to go there maybe even top 25 and nothing in his language or demeanor last night, after winning a trophy, was any different from the media wanting to get an answer from him back when he arrived.

As much as Raptor fans, and people from Toronto itself, that want that validation that they are an NBA destination for stars, before and even after winning it all want, Leonard hasn't given it to them. He doesn't seemed to have changed his distant feelings one ioata, even after lifting a trophy.

Sure, he's probably pleasantly surprised and humbled, and glad he had the experience of being in a unique market, but this season was always about him proving and redeeming himself to those who told him he was soft or faking an injury, and wouldn't let him go where he wanted. Toronto was the place he was forced to go. The Raptors took the risk with him to prove to him they were serious about winning, and saw a window for themselves with getting a guy like this, and it worked out spectacularly. But, he's got his heart set somewhere else, that has always been clear. And now he can choose to go there without anything or any team holding him back.

Wow you've got more insight on Kawai than Uncle Dennis.

How long have you and Kawai been BFFs?

All you need to know about Browna and how he is talking of his bunghole "But, he's got his heart set somewhere else, that has always been clear."

Yeah he sure did play like crap in the playoffs. You could just tell he wasn't giving it his all.

Kawai strikes me as the type of guy that lets his play do the talking.

[Senator Clay Davis]

After what happened to Durant and Klay, is Kawhi really gonna risk losing big money on a short term deal? I think the Raps best play is to offer him the five year max with player options after years two, three and four. Offers him the most flexibility while protecting him if anything catastrophic happens. But I still tend to think he's off to the Clippers, and winning the title actually makes it easier for him to leave because he delivered the max return to Toronto he possibly could have. There's no feeling of unfinished business. It's not like the Raps had a dominant run to the title either, a lot went right for this to happen and the Raps are very limited in how they can improve the roster. Clippers on the other hand have so many options to improve their team, in addition to having a really nice core right now. But we'll see.

[The Big Chill]

Didn't someone day a player option is only possible on the last hear of a contract?

[Flamenspiel]

I have not seen any information about this either way, it’s all guessing. It’s fascinating as we really have two similar examples in hockey. John Taveras decided to go back home to join the re-organized and talented Maple Leafs. Which was contrasted by the Steven Stamkos decision to settle in with his adopted home of Tampa Bay. Like those decisions I think it will go right down to the wire, I really do not think Kawhi Leonard has decided yet.

[dammage79]

I think Toronto has at the very least been given an opportunity to re-sign Kawhi. They let him take the reigns on how he felt and whether he played or not. That one thing will not go un-noticed and likely has a bigger play in his decision than almost anything else.

One other thing in play is whether Masi returns or not. If he jets then any chance of Kawhi staying is gone.

I don't know. It sounds like even if Kawhi leaves most people are okay with it. He came, did the thing he said he was going to do and can ride off into the sunset back to Cali and no hard feelings.

[Dion]

That must have hurt

https://twitter.com/user/status/1139617661325848576

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Dion

That must have hurt

https://twitter.com/user/status/1139617661325848576

There's nothing not funny about a man climbing a streetlight pole and smashing his own testicles on the sign for Yonge St.

[Drake]

The Pelicans have agreed to a deal to trade Anthony Davis to the Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first-round picks – including the No. 4 overall in 2019 Draft,

[devo22]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1140023139142971392

lol

https://twitter.com/user/status/1140024377062436864

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by Flamenspiel

I have not seen any information about this either way, it’s all guessing. It’s fascinating as we really have too similar examples in hockey. John Taveras decided to go back home to join the re-organized and talented Maple Leafs and Steven Stamkos who had really settled in well in his adopted home if Tampa Bay. I think it will go right down to the wire, I do not think Kawhi Leonard has decided yet.

Yeah, I agree, I don't think he's decided, but I think he also knows that everyone is hanging on every word he says, and he's trying to be careful not to say something that's going to give people the wrong impression. He's not going to have a Kyrie Irving moment where he says what's taken as a promise to sign, before everything changes. And the fact that he doesn't say anything like that is causing people to jump to conclusions. I think he goes into free agency and meets with a number of teams with a truly open mind. Nobody rushes him. He's going to be slow and deliberate.

So all that said, I do think the Raptors have great odds of keeping him. Salary-wise, it makes a lot of sense for him to sign a two-year contract, (or more likely 2+1 player option, which gets him to the point he can get a vet max). If he wants to eventually get to southern california, he's still got lots of time to do that: take a two-year deal, try and repeat with Toronto, and still have the chance to sign with one of the California teams by the time he's 30 and before his kids are school-aged, if that's important to him.