Jimmy Butler causing more problems

[Wamu]

Because it is hard to land superstar free agents. Every team is trying to bring them in and so much of it is driven by personal relationships of the player.

Maybe Kawhi will come to LA. Maybe Kawhi will love playing with Lowry and Siakim and stay in Toronto. Or maybe he will prefer the Clippers over the circus that is the Lebron James media circle. I think it is pretty clear that Kyrie and KD will not be joining Lebron anytime soon.

So then you are looking at guys like Walker or Middleton who are not superstars but great players that will have numerous suitors.

When you have the chance to get a All-NBA level player, I think you do whatever you can to do it.

Kyrie in LA LA Land would be a bad idea. That fella would see the Pacific Ocean, notice how flat it is & his flat Earth nonsense will start all over again.

Trading him & who knows to N.O. for the Unibrow is a much better destination for that former dookie.

Celtics in seven!

 

[trojanfan12]

Maybe Kawhi will come to LA. Maybe Kawhi will love playing with Lowry and Siakim and stay in Toronto. Or maybe he will prefer the Clippers over the circus that is the Lebron James media circle. I think it is pretty clear that Kyrie and KD will not be joining Lebron anytime soon.

I think Kawhi stays in Toronto. From everything I've read and heard about Toronto, there is no middle ground with NBA players. Either they "get it", love the place and stay...

Or they hate it and can't get away fast enough. Kawhi's personality (at least the little we've seen of it) makes me think that he will "get it", love the place and stay.

Imo, about the only way he leaves is if things somehow fall apart or they end up not getting past the 2nd round (and I'm not sure not getting past the 2nd round would get him to leave).

Obviously Kyrie isn't going to want to play with Lebron or he'd have stayed in Cleveland.

KD is interesting. I'm not saying he's coming. But I heard some talk show guys that I respect talking about what he said. They pointed out that he never threw shade on Lebron. They said that he talked about a toxic environment created by the media and that not every player can handle that.

He did not, however, say that he couldn't handle it.

Again, not saying the Lakers are getting KD, just that KD hasn't said that he wouldn't want to play with Lebron.

 

[flyerhawk]

The Lakers weren't getting him for just Ingram and Kuzma. But if that was an acceptable to offer to Indy and the Lakers knew they were getting Lebron, then yes. But they didn't know they were getting Lebron.

I don't think it would have required a lot more than that. Unless Chad Buchanan really saw an All-NBA player in Oladipo and there was nothing anyone else could offer to top that. That seems unlikely.

The Pacers took a top 5 pick that people were starting to look at as a bust and a mid-round pick rookie that had a pretty meh rookie year.

Are you saying that Ingram and Kuzma and some change wouldn't have been as enticing as that if not more?

 

[flyerhawk]

I think Kawhi stays in Toronto. From everything I've read and heard about Toronto, there is no middle ground with NBA players. Either they "get it", love the place and stay...

Or they hate it and can't get away fast enough. Kawhi's personality (at least the little we've seen of it) makes me think that he will "get it", love the place and stay.

Imo, about the only way he leaves is if things somehow fall apart or they end up not getting past the 2nd round (and I'm not sure not getting past the 2nd round would get him to leave).

Obviously Kyrie isn't going to want to play with Lebron or he'd have stayed in Cleveland.

KD is interesting. I'm not saying he's coming. But I heard some talk show guys that I respect talking about what he said. They pointed out that he never threw shade on Lebron. They said that he talked about a toxic environment created by the media and that not every player can handle that.

He did not, however, say that he couldn't handle it.

Again, not saying the Lakers are getting KD, just that KD hasn't said that he wouldn't want to play with Lebron.

Hmmm. Well I don't think KD would ever say he couldn't handle it. But he certainly has made it clear that playing with Lebron is not exactly a dream come true. And, TBH, the only reason he would leave the Warriors is so that he could have his own legacy. If he left the Warriors to go play for Lebron James, I can't even imagine the media outrage. It would go past 11.

 

[flyerhawk]

Kyrie in LA LA Land would be a bad idea. That fella would see the Pacific Ocean, notice how flat it is & his flat Earth nonsense will start all over again.

Trading him & who knows to N.O. for the Unibrow is a much better destination for that former dookie.

Celtics in seven!

No way the Pels would want Kyrie as part of a trade. He's on an expiring.

 

[bksballer89]

Are you saying that Ingram and Kuzma and some change wouldn't have been as enticing as that if not more?

Pretty sure Indy would have accepted Ingram, the late 1st round pick that ended up as Kuzma, and someone like a Clarkson

 

[Wamu]

No way the Pels would want Kyrie as part of a trade. He's on an expiring.

Dammit!

 

[bksballer89]

Still hilarious that they thought a late first rounder and clarkson or randle would land Paul George lol. Pretty clear to see why Indiana wanted more.

That's a deal you only accept just before the trading deadline because you don't want to lose a player for nothing. Indy would never accept a shitty offer like that in June as they basically had 7+months to find a better offer

 

[trojanfan12]

Hmmm. Well I don't think KD would ever say he couldn't handle it. But he certainly has made it clear that playing with Lebron is not exactly a dream come true. And, TBH, the only reason he would leave the Warriors is so that he could have his own legacy. If he left the Warriors to go play for Lebron James, I can't even imagine the media outrage. It would go past 11.

Never heard him say anything about playing with Lebron one way or the other. Outside of the comment about the media.

Really doubt there'd be any more "outrage" than what he faced when he chose to join the 73-9 team that just beat his in the playoffs.

Especially since he'd likely be going to a team that didn't make it past the 2nd round.

Having said that, I don't think KD is coming to the Lakers, but I don't think it will be because he doesn't want to play with Lebron.

Like you, I think it will be because he wants a team built around him (his own legacy). So it may very well be that he goes to a team that doesn't have another star (or a star that's on his level), but can acquire one after he gets there.

I'd say maybe the Knicks, the Wizards if they move Wall or maybe even the Clips if he wants to be in LA. The Clips would be interesting in that he could compete directly with Lebron in the same city and same building.

That would actually be a lot of fun.

 

[trojanfan12]

Still hilarious that they thought a late first rounder and clarkson or randle would land Paul George lol. Pretty clear to see why Indiana wanted more.

That's a deal you only accept just before the trading deadline because you don't want to lose a player for nothing. Indy would never accept a shitty offer like that in June as they basically had 7+months to find a better offer

lol

Not exactly what happened, but whatever.

 

[flyerhawk]

Still hilarious that they thought a late first rounder and clarkson or randle would land Paul George lol. Pretty clear to see why Indiana wanted more.

That's a deal you only accept just before the trading deadline because you don't want to lose a player for nothing. Indy would never accept a shitty offer like that in June as they basically had 7+months to find a better offer

It makes sense if you think that you are going to get him in the offseason during free agency. Which they clearly did. I get that reasoning but it is REALLY risky.

 

[trojanfan12]

It makes sense if you think that you are going to get him in the offseason during free agency. Which they clearly did. I get that reasoning but it is REALLY risky.

Exactly.

Also, from what I heard reported out here, that was the Lakers initial offer. Indy countered with an offer that would have essentially gutted the team. From what was reported, it was 3 of the young guys (including Ingram) and a couple of picks. The Lakers balked at that and Indy accepted OKC's offer before the Lakers countered (probably because they knew the Lakers weren't giving them Ingram).

Pretty much every initial offer is a lowball offer because a team is trying to give up as little as possible. Plus, it was pretty clear that the situation with Indy had become untenable.

Definitely a very risky move, but it was the correct move, imo. Sometimes things just don't work out the way we'd like.

 

[flyerhawk]

lol

Not exactly what happened, but whatever.

My take on the impending 2018 free agency of Paul George and Demarcus Cousins

That thread was two months before George was traded to the Thunder.

And this thread has some absolutely awesome hot takes...

Paul George traded to OKC

 

[SideSwipe52]

Maybe the issue was never the Bulls, T-Wolves (coaching / front office), it was him the whole time.

 

[flyerhawk]

Exactly.

Also, from what I heard reported out here, that was the Lakers initial offer. Indy countered with an offer that would have essentially gutted the team. From what was reported, it was 3 of the young guys (including Ingram) and a couple of picks. The Lakers balked at that and Indy accepted OKC's offer before the Lakers countered (probably because they knew the Lakers weren't giving them Ingram).

Pretty much every initial offer is a lowball offer because a team is trying to give up as little as possible. Plus, it was pretty clear that the situation with Indy had become untenable.

Definitely a very risky move, but it was the correct move, imo. Sometimes things just don't work out the way we'd like.

I disagree that it was the right move. And any rumors suggesting that the Lakers needed to give up 3 young players AND picks sound like damage control from the Lakers front office. We know what he was traded for so that is the baseline.

IMO, the Lakers simply were not willing to give up Ingram in the trade and he was a requirement. That's what it boiled down to.

 

[trojanfan12]

I disagree that it was the right move. And any rumors suggesting that the Lakers needed to give up 3 young players AND picks sound like damage control from the Lakers front office. We know what he was traded for so that is the baseline.

We'll have to agree to disagree on it being the right move. The guys I heard talking about it are usually pretty accurate (not Woj level, but close) and that's what they said. They aren't beholden to the Lakers (they're on the Clippers station lol). But, of course it could be damage control, but I doubt it. The Lakers didn't need damage control, especially since they got the biggest FA of them all.

IMO, the Lakers simply were not willing to give up Ingram in the trade and he was a requirement. That's what it boiled down to.

I agree. End of the day, the Lakers weren't dealing Ingram. Depending on what he develops into, that could be the part that makes it a wrong move.

He shows flashes of being able to make it the right move. But those "flashes" are going to have to start being the norm if it's going to end up that way.

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

He's a better player, but he reminds me of Carmelo a bit with this stuff

That's a great comparison

 

[flyerhawk]

I agree. End of the day, the Lakers weren't dealing Ingram. Depending on what he develops into, that could be the part that makes it a wrong move.

He shows flashes of being able to make it the right move. But those "flashes" are going to have to start being the norm if it's going to end up that way.

I think if the Lakers knew they were going to get Lebron, they would have made the deal for George. But they didn't.

 

[trojanfan12]

I think if the Lakers knew they were going to get Lebron, they would have made the deal for George. But they didn't.

I agree. Timing had as much to do with it as anything else. Had they been able to know and knew they would get Lebron, they are absolutely making that deal.

So, they made what looked to be the right move based on the info they had at the time.

 

[flyerhawk]

I agree. Timing had as much to do with it as anything else. Had they been able to know and knew they would get Lebron, they are absolutely making that deal.

So, they made what looked to be the right move based on the info they had at the time.

I agree. In hindsight it was the wrong move but I understand why they did what they did.