***OFFICIAL KAWHI RELATED NEWS Thread***

[Nathan89]

Do guys think Durant is coming back? Toronto is getting great odds vs gsw tbh.

[lefty]

SUCK IT MOTHER ERS. SUCK IT LOOOOOOOONNNGGGG ANNNNNDDDDDDD HARRRRRDDDDDDDDDDDDD

BUT I THOUGHT HE WAS A SYSTEM PLAYER?!?!? I THOUGHT IT WAS ALL POP?!?!?

The real fun will be in the playoffs. They will lose to the Celtics or the Sixers.

Doubt it tbh.

[Uriel]

Enrique didn't run him off. The writing was on the wall before those comments and before the players only meeting.

The only way in which I'd put a lot of the blame on the Spurs is if, at some point, they indicated that the supermax was not an option. If you can give those contracts to Wombat and Pau, you have to give the supermax to Neph even if you have concerns about his thigh. If they didn't make it abundantly clear to Uncle that the supermax was theirs to have then they ed up royally.

Uh, that’s exactly what happened.

[bic50]

Uh, that’s exactly what happened.

Most likely.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

If Kawhi beats the Warriors, will that finally put an asterisk on the Zaza championship?

No, Spurs were going to lose that series because the Warriors owned the out of SA but at least it owuld've gone 6-7 where anything can happen.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

The city is BUZZING right now.

Cops high fiving people, restaurants offering Kawhi free food for life, even some real estate companies are offering Kawhi free penthouses (not that he needs them)

This Raptors team is the most memorable Toronto team since the '93 Jays.

And yet, it sucks, because while I'm happy for my friends who are die hard Raptor fans, and for this city that is usually stuck with teams that choke in their respective sports...we won't get another player of Kawhi's caliber for legit 20 years.

[ace3g]

[timvp]

I had the same reaction, tbh.

[SayTown]

Who is Kawhi?

[BillMc]

Let's not confuse the fact that KL is a great player (when willing to play) with the situation last year with the SuperMax.

I mean Kawhi and his crew claimed he was so hurt he could only play in 9 games, couldn't even give it a go in the playoffs, and in fact, required so much alleged treatment he couldn't even sit on the bench and support his team in the playoffs but had to be off in New York.

If true, you can't give a guy with such an injury the SuperMax until you see him healthy. Maybe Balmer could, but the Holts couldn't.

If false, he's a liar with an agenda, and you can't invest that money in him either. Especially when he literally hides from his employers paying him 19 million a year.

Either way, I understand the PATFO thinking. The fact that KL's camp held the Spurs over a barrel by making LA a public destination, killed his trade value. At that point, risking the financial investment trumped weak trade options. I applaud that the Spurs were even willing to uncharacteristically roll the dice at the very end and come with the SuperMax (according to Windhorst) despite health and agenda questions. This has nothing to do with the EGO of PATFO, they were watching out for the Spurs as they always do. When Kawhi, who always wanted to leave declined the offer, then the Spurs had no choice but to get the best trade they could. Given all those conditions they did well (relatively speaking).

[duncan2k5]

I do agree the media these days is always pushing an agenda and publicly Kawhi’s camp didn’t state where he wanted to go or even that he wanted to be traded

But either you are naive or disingenuous to act like he doesn’t have media members who are pushing narratives in his favor on a daily basis. Chris Carter, Monday through Friday since all this craziness started has been Kawhi’s ally and public mouth piece. He has even stated that he is good with the man and his family and has chatted with his Uncle Dennis.

He is also the same guy that said Kawhi wouldn't play for Toronto... He doesn't know

[Longlonglongtimelurk]

Let's not confuse the fact that KL is a great player (when willing to play) with the situation last year with the SuperMax.

I mean Kawhi and his crew claimed he was so hurt he could only play in 9 games, couldn't even give it a go in the playoffs, and in fact, required so much alleged treatment he couldn't even sit on the bench and support his team in the playoffs but had to be off in New York.

If true, you can't give a guy with such an injury the SuperMax until you see him healthy. Maybe Balmer could, but the Holts couldn't.

If false, he's a liar with an agenda, and you can't invest that money in him either. Especially when he literally hides from his employers paying him 19 million a year.

Either way, I understand the PATFO thinking. The fact that KL's camp held the Spurs over a barrel by making LA a public destination, killed his trade value. At that point, risking the financial investment truncated weak trade options. I applaud that the Spurs were even willing to uncharacteristically roll the dice at the very end and come with the SuperMax (according to Windhorst) despite health and agenda questions. This has nothing to do with the EGO of PATFO, they were watching out for the Spurs as they always do. When Kawhi, who always wanted to leave declined the offer, then the Spurs had no choice but to get the best trade they could. Given all those conditions they did well (relatively speaking).

This is as level headed and close to what is most likely what went on. I get the frustrations of the fans but this was a situation out of the Spurs control. Everything points to Kawhi wanting to be somewhere else, and once he decided that it was always going to be ugly one way or another.
I back the FO in that they played it how they needed to all things considered, and Leonard went about things in his somewhat autistic manner. I can’t help but still appreciate his game, and how incredible he has been this post season. End of the day he didn’t want to be here and that’s all there is to it.

[duncan2k5]

Hopefully that'll shut some of these people up that blame other reasons for last year happening other than him (or uncle Dennis) wanting him in LA.

U realize that was just a random person saying that right?

[duncan2k5]

He did want to be here... He was playing... Pop shut him down after 9 games... Kawhi didn't stop himself.... Then when rehabbing, all the Spurs vets start throwing shots in the media (what happened to class?) what

[tbdog]

He did want to be here... He was playing... Pop shut him down after 9 games... Kawhi didn't stop himself.... Then when rehabbing, all the Spurs vets start throwing shots in the media (what happened to class?) what

That clearly is not went down.

[jmard5]

Let's not confuse the fact that KL is a great player (when willing to play) with the situation last year with the SuperMax.

I mean Kawhi and his crew claimed he was so hurt he could only play in 9 games, couldn't even give it a go in the playoffs, and in fact, required so much alleged treatment he couldn't even sit on the bench and support his team in the playoffs but had to be off in New York.

If true, you can't give a guy with such an injury the SuperMax until you see him healthy. Maybe Balmer could, but the Holts couldn't.

If false, he's a liar with an agenda, and you can't invest that money in him either. Especially when he literally hides from his employers paying him 19 million a year.

Either way, I understand the PATFO thinking. The fact that KL's camp held the Spurs over a barrel by making LA a public destination, killed his trade value. At that point, risking the financial investment trumped weak trade options. I applaud that the Spurs were even willing to uncharacteristically roll the dice at the very end and come with the SuperMax (according to Windhorst) despite health and agenda questions. This has nothing to do with the EGO of PATFO, they were watching out for the Spurs as they always do. When Kawhi, who always wanted to leave declined the offer, then the Spurs had no choice but to get the best trade they could. Given all those conditions they did well (relatively speaking).

Agree. I couldn't have said it any better myself. Kawhi-stans here have short memories, or wouldn't admit that Kawhi's team did the Spurs no good.

[r0drig0lac]

Hate he's not with us but he's a superstar. It's funny how all this unfolded afterTimmy left.

this is not a coincidence, Duncan carried Pop and the franchise

[Bender]

Damn, Nephew's sister really look like Nephew

I was thinking Derek White

[vander]

man, that Zaza foot really altered NBA history.

oh well, the silver lining is it exposed Pop.

[Dejounte]

Let's not confuse the fact that KL is a great player (when willing to play) with the situation last year with the SuperMax.

I mean Kawhi and his crew claimed he was so hurt he could only play in 9 games, couldn't even give it a go in the playoffs, and in fact, required so much alleged treatment he couldn't even sit on the bench and support his team in the playoffs but had to be off in New York.

If true, you can't give a guy with such an injury the SuperMax until you see him healthy. Maybe Balmer could, but the Holts couldn't.

If false, he's a liar with an agenda, and you can't invest that money in him either. Especially when he literally hides from his employers paying him 19 million a year.

Either way, I understand the PATFO thinking. The fact that KL's camp held the Spurs over a barrel by making LA a public destination, killed his trade value. At that point, risking the financial investment trumped weak trade options. I applaud that the Spurs were even willing to uncharacteristically roll the dice at the very end and come with the SuperMax (according to Windhorst) despite health and agenda questions. This has nothing to do with the EGO of PATFO, they were watching out for the Spurs as they always do. When Kawhi, who always wanted to leave declined the offer, then the Spurs had no choice but to get the best trade they could. Given all those conditions they did well (relatively speaking).

Facts

[cjw]

Hopefully Kawhi realizes what a cakewalk the east is and stays there. Could be the only silver lining here.

[Harry Callahan]

The Raptors success in the playoffs against very flawed teams does not change ANYTHING regarding the underhanded dealings of KL, his group, Uncle Fester (I mean Uncle Dennis) and Impact Sports. The National and local media simply is not interested in what actually happened - I just wish someone in the media would actually challenge KL with real questions on why he passed on playing in the 2018 AND 2017 playoffs for the Spurs. He was cleared to play for months and just walked away from the team last year.

He was actually injured for a period of time in 2017 with the ankle, so I think I could buy that, but the 9 game 2018 season was a disgusting display by the Nephew.

He will have to be on the podium at the press conferences during the Finals. It would be nice to a straight answer out of that guy for once. Probably won't happen, the media will drink the alternative universe Kool-Aid peddled by the "group".

[acoelho1]

I’m over the Kawhi situation and excited about our young players and the future. I can’t and won’t cheer for the Warriors. People need to just let it go and move on.

[TDMVPDPOY]

kawhi is worth the supermax
the year he took a break, that was one of a weak year of contestants to wins mvp, make all nba team etc.... had he played, he wouldve locked up maybe mvp, all nba and all defensive team...and if patfo still didnt hand out the supermax? u might as well leave

[kobyz]

Let's not confuse the fact that KL is a great player (when willing to play) with the situation last year with the SuperMax.

I mean Kawhi and his crew claimed he was so hurt he could only play in 9 games, couldn't even give it a go in the playoffs, and in fact, required so much alleged treatment he couldn't even sit on the bench and support his team in the playoffs but had to be off in New York.

If true, you can't give a guy with such an injury the SuperMax until you see him healthy. Maybe Balmer could, but the Holts couldn't.

If false, he's a liar with an agenda, and you can't invest that money in him either. Especially when he literally hides from his employers paying him 19 million a year.

Either way, I understand the PATFO thinking. The fact that KL's camp held the Spurs over a barrel by making LA a public destination, killed his trade value. At that point, risking the financial investment trumped weak trade options. I applaud that the Spurs were even willing to uncharacteristically roll the dice at the very end and come with the SuperMax (according to Windhorst) despite health and agenda questions. This has nothing to do with the EGO of PATFO, they were watching out for the Spurs as they always do. When Kawhi, who always wanted to leave declined the offer, then the Spurs had no choice but to get the best trade they could. Given all those conditions they did well (relatively speaking).

Even in the worst case scenario You still don't trade him for that deal(you trade him only for a bigtime future asset like Zion), you keep him for his final year(spurs had power to make him play out the season), try your best to keep him and at the end if he's out he's out, you go rebuild... No need to over smart things, pop should be ashamed and put down his keys!!!