after today I really hope nobody ever talks about the spurs FO being good at anything ever again

[itzsoweezee]

It's dumb to criticize the Spurs for the Toronto trade when there is only evidence that people were offering less for Kawhi than Toronto. If you want to talk incompetence, talk Danny Ainge not willing to trade Tatum or Brown for Kawhi. If he had, his team would have a le right now. Same for 76ers being unwilling to trade Ben Simmons. Even if Kawhi walks after one year, you got a le. Only a handful of the 30 teams have even one le. If Danny Ainge had won a le this year, they would bring down Red's jersey and replace it with Ainge as the best GM in Celtic history.

.

Spurs were afraid to play hardball and got suckered. They could've gone into the season and when teams were clamoring to get into playoff position, been a player in the market. But yes, the Celtics are almost as much of a loser as the Spurs in this case, but they at least still have a strong young core and a shot at Anthony Davis. The Spurs have no flexibility and are paying gasol and Patty Mills millions more than their market values, and hoping that a guy coming off a major injury after a season where he only averaged 9 ppg is going to be a franchise altering player. Total incompetence.

[SAGirl]

who said that the Spurs FO is good? I mean the writing was on the wall in 2017 and a lot of people saw it coming. PATFO is only good at drafting and developing players. Other than that they average at best. Just look at the big men they paired up Duncan with while he was here

Some people would bring up Scola. That was long b4 my time as a fan though.

Aside from what you said they have also lost a lot of talent in recent years and the new hires are still tbd. I want to see what they do this summer and in the future. There’s a chance they may not get another player as good as Kawhi in a decade but I prefer not be that pessimistic. Perhaps I should be pessimistic and accept that they are as good as they are going to be right now and things can only get worse b4 they get better. Sometimes I do think this, particularly when they are on losing streaks...

[DavidTheGoliath]

gots thinking our crop of losers can beat this GSW team

We lost to the team who got beat by the team that got SWEPT by Golden State.

Enjoy your 47 win seasons and first round beatdowns, losers. Kawhi runs the east

If you can do better than PATFO then why are you here? Some perennial lottery teams are in dire need of your great basketball knowledge. Go out there and build a contending team...for 2 decades.

[cd98]

.

Spurs were afraid to play hardball and got suckered. They could've gone into the season and when teams were clamoring to get into playoff position, been a player in the market. But yes, the Celtics are almost as much of a loser as the Spurs in this case, but they at least still have a strong young core and a shot at Anthony Davis. The Spurs have no flexibility and are paying gasol and Patty Mills millions more than their market values, and hoping that a guy coming off a major injury after a season where he only averaged 9 ppg is going to be a franchise altering player. Total incompetence.

What if Kawhi came into this season as a Spur and refused to play and claimed that he was injured? What trade value would he have then? Spurs had no leverage. If they had leverage, they would be getting Anthony Davis offers. But a player that missed the season on a mysterious injury and that said he wanted to play in LA and that threatened to sit next season...why can you do with a guy torpedoing his value. They got the best deal they could. Spurs are not bad negotiators. They don't get fleeced in trades. They got killed in this trade because they had no leverage and everyone knew it. That's why they got lowballed.

[DPG21920]

What if Kawhi came into this season as a Spur and refused to play and claimed that he was injured? What trade value would he have then? Spurs had no leverage. If they had leverage, they would be getting Anthony Davis offers. But a player that missed the season on a mysterious injury and that said he wanted to play in LA and that threatened to sit next season...why can you do with a guy torpedoing his value. They got the best deal they could. Spurs are not bad negotiators. They don't get fleeced in trades. They got killed in this trade because they had no leverage and everyone knew it. That's why they got lowballed.

Would the Spurs be that worse off if Kawhi left for nothing? Honest question.

[itzsoweezee]

Would the Spurs be that worse off if Kawhi left for nothing? Honest question.

DeRozan is a net 0 player with a huge contract, and the 29th pick in this ty draft is essentially worthless. They would've been better off missing the playoffs

[slick'81]

DeRozan is a net 0 player with a huge contract, and the 29th pick in this ty draft is essentially worthless. They would've been better off missing the playoffs

That what i was thinking.You really only miss out on poodle but would obviously miss the playoffs.Still more cap space and better draft pic

[DPG21920]

DeRozan is a net 0 player with a huge contract, and the 29th pick in this ty draft is essentially worthless. They would've been better off missing the playoffs

Maybe; but if SA can trade DeRozan and it nets assets? It will prove ^ this wrong though wouldn’t it?

[RC_Drunkford]

Would the Spurs be that worse off if Kawhi left for nothing? Honest question.

they would have 29 million more in cap space to sign free agents. So it's safe to say no

[itzsoweezee]

What if Kawhi came into this season as a Spur and refused to play and claimed that he was injured? What trade value would he have then? Spurs had no leverage. If they had leverage, they would be getting Anthony Davis offers. But a player that missed the season on a mysterious injury and that said he wanted to play in LA and that threatened to sit next season...why can you do with a guy torpedoing his value. They got the best deal they could. Spurs are not bad negotiators. They don't get fleeced in trades. They got killed in this trade because they had no leverage and everyone knew it. That's why they got lowballed.

They got fleeced. Teams get desperate during the season. Eg, Philly gave up a ridiculous amount for Tobias Harris. There would definitely have been a team willing to gamble and kawhi would probably have been desperate to play, because no matter what else, he definitely loves basketball. This front office has been making boneheaded decisions for at least the last 3 years

[GAustex]

I just wish we cut Mills. We need a sacrifice. We need the god's will.

That is funny
Thanks for the chuckle

[Strategic]

I’m sure your hopes and dreams are very important to you.

[itzsoweezee]

Maybe; but if SA can trade DeRozan and it nets assets? It will prove ^ this wrong though wouldn’t it?

That could potentially be a great move. But I'm seriously doubtful DeRozan will draw anything good in return in a trade. Spurs will probably have to take back bad contracts or give up a pick

[Dennis the Menace]

They got fleeced. Teams get desperate during the season. Eg, Philly gave up a ridiculous amount for Tobias Harris. There would definitely have been a team willing to gamble and kawhi would probably have been desperate to play, because no matter what else, he definitely loves basketball. This front office has been making boneheaded decisions for at least the last 3 years

Nailed it

[tbdog]

Leonard wasn't going to turn up due to injury. The group pulled him from team USA camp. They feared Pop would get him alone.

[Russ]

They got the best deal they could. Spurs are not bad negotiators. They don't get fleeced in trades. They got killed in this trade because they had no leverage and everyone knew it.

Agree.

See how the Kawhi trade looks in 3-4 years.

Kawhi may be a salary cap albatross by then. (If the Spurs were right, he has a chronic degenerative condition.)

Kawhi may not wear well with his new team (i.e., other than Toronto) on a five year deal. He won't have the good will of a championship to fall back on and he'll still be demanding at least 20 games off per season (maybe more later on). He won't be an "asset" in the PR world or the local community either.

Meanwhile, the Spurs may get more than we think out of DDR (or possibly a good player if he's traded). Plus, Poeltl may work out and even the 29th pick may surprise.

Everyone talked about how pathetic Detroit was when they had to sign and trade Grant Hill (another chronic injury risk) to Orlando for only a no-talent trade-filler named Ben Wallace. Detroit won the LOB with Wallace and Orlando has never won anything.

Fans and the media are always fighting (and analyzing) the last war rather than looking ahead.

[rjv]

Agree.

See how the Kawhi trade looks in 3-4 years.

Kawhi may be a salary cap albatross by then. (If the Spurs were right, he has a chronic degenerative condition.)

Kawhi may not wear well with his new team (i.e., other than Toronto) on a five year deal. He won't have the good will of a championship to fall back on and he'll still be demanding at least 20 games off per season (maybe more later on). He won't be an "asset" in the PR world or the local community either.

Meanwhile, the Spurs may get more than we think out of DDR (or possibly a good player if he's traded). Plus, Poeltl may work out and even the 29th pick may surprise.

Everyone talked about how pathetic Detroit was when they had to sign and trade Grant Hill (another chronic injury risk) to Orlando for only a no-talent trade-filler named Ben Wallace. Detroit won the LOB with Wallace and Orlando has never won anything.

Fans and the media are always fighting (and analyzing) the last war rather than looking ahead.

great points but they will fall on deaf ears in this "live in the now" world of ours.

[vy65]

Would the Spurs be that worse off if Kawhi left for nothing? Honest question.

100% agreed.

Maybe; but if SA can trade DeRozan and it nets assets? It will prove ^ this wrong though wouldn’t it?

There is no plausible, let alone probable, scenario where SA moves DeRozan.

[vy65]

What if Kawhi came into this season as a Spur and refused to play and claimed that he was injured? What trade value would he have then? Spurs had no leverage. If they had leverage, they would be getting Anthony Davis offers. But a player that missed the season on a mysterious injury and that said he wanted to play in LA and that threatened to sit next season...why can you do with a guy torpedoing his value. They got the best deal they could. Spurs are not bad negotiators. They don't get fleeced in trades. They got killed in this trade because they had no leverage and everyone knew it. That's why they got lowballed.

I'm curious how the guy who just led his team to a championship could sit out for a second year, functionally getting $40mm gratis. I haven't reviewed the CBA or KL's contract, but I'd be shocked if the Spurs wouldn't have any kind of leverage to either force KL to play, force KL to examination by independent doctors, or initiate an arbitration proceeding (an arbitration proceeding being the most likely).

I don't buy the notion that the Spurs had to trade him last summer and haven't seen a persuasive explanation to the otherwise.

[vy65]

I'm curious how the guy who just led his team to a championship could sit out for a second year, functionally getting $40mm gratis. I haven't reviewed the CBA or KL's contract, but I'd be shocked if the Spurs wouldn't have any kind of leverage to either force KL to play, force KL to examination by independent doctors, or initiate an arbitration proceeding (an arbitration proceeding being the most likely).

I don't buy the notion that the Spurs had to trade him last summer and haven't seen a persuasive explanation to the otherwise.

For example, there is nothing to suggest the Spurs couldn't use the Fitness-to-Play provisions of the CBA to force KL's hand ....

[Genovaswitness]

You're not even a Spurs fan. GTFO.

Im the biggest spurs fan alive

[rascal]

Right, it's not like they played a part in who surrounded Duncan or anything...

You could have surrounded Duncan with almost anyone and still win. Duncan was that good.

I always said No Duncan No les.

[baseline bum]

You could have surrounded Duncan with almost anyone and still win. Duncan was that good.

I always said No Duncan No les.

You also said you hated watching the Spurs with Duncan.

[cd98]

I'm curious how the guy who just led his team to a championship could sit out for a second year, functionally getting $40mm gratis. I haven't reviewed the CBA or KL's contract, but I'd be shocked if the Spurs wouldn't have any kind of leverage to either force KL to play, force KL to examination by independent doctors, or initiate an arbitration proceeding (an arbitration proceeding being the most likely).

I don't buy the notion that the Spurs had to trade him last summer and haven't seen a persuasive explanation to the otherwise.

He could sit out and get paid if he claimed injury.

[cd98]

Would the Spurs be that worse off if Kawhi left for nothing? Honest question.

I think they were better off with getting what they got. I’m not as low as people are here on DeRozen. Spurs wanted to make the playoffs and no way they do it without him. But even if you think all the pieces are garbage, at least look at what happens with those pieces in the next three years.