Toronto, San Antonio talking Kawhi-DeRozan Swap (UPDATE: Done deal)

Cod, now that a lot of pieces have fallen, any updates on the Rockets direction with Capela/Anderson, our wing position? any stars? Thanks for sharing your ears with us Cod! Hope you are doing well.

 

minutes before the trade was finalised his uncle's leaking tool posted that he's not interested in playing in Toronto. It's on page one of this thread.

Then there were good analysts like Lowe expaining the consequences of refusing to report.

All that about a person who blackmailed his previous team and feigned injury.

I don't know about you but to me it is indications of a Steve Francis situation.
Let's see if he will have the balls to see it through because the nba landscape and social media has changed a lot.

 

The Raptors' conversations with Kawhi Leonard and his representatives since the trade have been "positive," according to Bruce Arthur of The Toronto Star. Leonard reportedly hadn't wanted to play for Toronto and was focused on joining an L.A. team, but according to Arthur, "[In recent talks] there was no indication of a holdout or even an unwillingness to play in Toronto. So far, it seems like Leonard may have an open mind." - Toronto Star

 

Jesus if Leonard pulls that crap....

I think a great solution would be to suspend him for a year while simultaneousmy "pausing" his contract until the suspensions over. That way when the suspension is over, he still has a year left on his deal with the Raptors.

 

This is how bad Kawhi wanted out of San Antonio. If he doesn't re-sign with the Raptors (which he is expected not to) then he leaves 1 year and $80 million on the table. Geez.

"Leonard was eligible starting Monday to sign a five-year, $221 million super-maximum contract extension with the Spurs prior to the trade.

Toronto can offer Leonard a five-year, $190 million contract to re-sign with the Raptors next summer. If Leonard leaves, he can sign a four-year, $141 million deal with a team with cap space."

 

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Kawhi and his camp have been in communication with Raptors president Masai Ujiri, saying he is healthy and will report to training camp.

“The one thing I was told today, [Kawhi’s] started to warm to the idea that he’s going to a contender,” Wojnarowski said. “Now it’s on Toronto to try to recruit him, keep him.”

Wojnarowski’s colleague at ESPN, Brian Windhorst, has also reported that Leonard will be ready to go for the Raptors.

“From what I understand and from talking to people, [Kawhi’s] going to be a professional about it,” Windhorst said on SportsCenter. “He’ll accept the situation and go try to make the best of it.”

These are hardly ringing endorsements for a long term tenure for Kawhi in Toronto, but it’s not the doomsday scenario yet either. The fact that the 27-year-old will be ready for training camp is a win in itself, meaning he is willing to play out the season with the Raptors and evaluate the potential of being in Toronto long-term.

Wojnarowski added that Leonard’s focus is still Los Angeles, but he could change his mind depending on the Raptors’ success and the relationships that will be built by the end of the season. That’s what happened with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who were able to re-sign Paul George.

For the Raptors, the sell job starts now.

 

Kawhi's an idiot. He was already on a contender.

 

Which will be the better team next season, the Spurs or the Raptors?

 

https://www.12up.com/posts/6120574-the-raptors-completely-screwed-demar-derozan-financially

Derozan took a pay cut back in '16 so that the Raptors could build around him. He could have easily taken the max (which definitely would have been offered to him).

While it is true that there's not that much difference between 139 and 152 (especially to an NBA player), it's the principle of it all.

That's like taking a pay cut at your current job (that you really love) so that your employer can hire more people to lighten the load, but then two years later, your boss ships you off to a completely new location. Who'd be happy about that?

 

I'd go with Raptors, If KL comes back 100%, that team will be ridiculously good on defense.

 

I know you hate Kawhi now. Which is fine. I get it. But, are you creating Francis/DMo drama before it happens?

Current Info is posted above by @J.R. (from Toronto Star's sources) and @YOLO from Woj and Windhorst. All sounded positive, wrt actual conversations between Ujiri and Kawhi.

Drama will come soon enough if it does. Let's not peddle it before it happens, like is so common on the internet...and, if for nothing else, just to keep the thread on track with current info as we get it.

Spoiler: As for initial reports equaling a Francis Drama situation

"minutes before finalized"

not that it really matters, just fwiw: The tweet on Page 1 was 4 1/2 hours before the trade was finalized. In the morning, Carter also never said anything indicating a Francis situation during his conversations with KL's camp. Listen to Carter's videos. Aside from the clear new info that Pops promised to keep them in the loop on a trade (but didn't), sounded to me like Carter was also reciting preferred destination talk (and/or resigning preference), and certainly nothing about not reporting like Francis/DMo.

Given Arthur's report from Toronto Star, Woj's new report above and Windhorst chiming in, seems the speed of the internet (and wont for drama) didn't allow us the time to hear what the GM said after talking to Kawhi, and what Kawhi said. I hope you aren't going to say the internet citing failure-to-report penalties changed' Kawhi's mind about not reporting. If so, save it...that's wild speculation, and drama peddling.

Seems we have a PG13 situation. Next up is the press conference. Will he be as positive as PG13 was with his first OKC presser last year? Let's save the drama for if he screws up that press conference....and if he does, I'll be sad for Kyle Lowry, and my friends in Toronto.

 

There's a lot wrong with Toronto. But for a multi-millionaire, it's perfectly fine. You get all the big-city luxuries in Toronto.

 

Yes now it's full of semi positive reports that he's willing to play and report. Let's hope so.
However at the time when the news broke it looked like it was heading to a different direction.
I dont hate Kawhi. I am disgusted by his behaviour as completely cowardly.

Good luck Toronto.
Hopefully there will be reports in the near future of the next stage aka He's willing to give Toronto a chance etc Even if it's just PR.

 

If Toronto/Kyle/OG/etc can win him over, this is absolutely the best thing possible for the Rockets (aside from Kawhi coming here).

All Rockets fans should send positive vibes to Toronto to resign him like OKC did in shocking the NBA world.

I.D.I.O.T.

There should be an introductory press conference soon, at time of the physical. That will be fun. I suppose it might get delayed due to Team USA minicamp.

Here's the PG13 version from last year, for comparison. He's *hugely* positive. I forgot how flattering he was to OKC. He had 2 weeks to prepare.



We all thought that was BS, right?

 

This bolded part of the quote is just so bizarre to me. This guy is under contract which provides for awesome compensation. This is part of the job! He can just choose not to honor his contract? I know that it is more complicated than this and involves union relations and player relations, but I just want a team to enforce its rights under a contract and sue an entitled player like Kawhi. This is crazy.

 

here's to chearing for hawaii to get injured for real and turn to damaged goods so his next contract will be vet min. maybe he can fall faster than drose.

 

Kahwai Leonard playing for the LeBronto Raptors

 

Paul George set the precedent, and unlike PG Kawhi already has a ring.

If Toronto treats him right he can totally sign with them long term since the money disparity is just too much. The only they will put money on the side is if it is a guaranteed ring like going to GSW. LeLakers arent even gonna make the WCF let alone the Finals.