We will see what Jimmy Butler does, but if Kawhi signs with the Raptors after Paul George re-signed with the Thunder, it's going to boost confidence of contending teams to go out and take a risk on "rentals". Looking at Anthony Davis.
Doubt he leaves there after their GM, Lowry, training staff, & Drake get him to the table. He will stay at least 2 more years when they get him to the table.
A short-term deal for a guy who played in 9 games, and then followed it up with needing 20+ games off for rest, but still has looked hobbled at times in these playoffs? Idk about that for Kawhi, but I do really hope he stays in Toronto.
I don't think he "needed" all that rest. I think the Raptors were just scared that if Kawhi got a major injury at any point in the season, he'd likely "nope" outta Toronto real quick, despite their record or how far they got in the playoffs. It was a gamble trading for him. It was a gamble resting him so much. But hey, they're 3 wins away from a title, so all the gambling has paid off so far.
LOL That is so dumb and I hope ESPN pays his fine. Hey Steve, why was Pascal so tough to guard tonight? Fearing I might be fined for talking about another team's player, no comment. Next question. Zeeshan, you need to get that interview to Adam Silver. #tampering
The clippers entire plan was setup for Kawhi. I guess big markets don't have the draw they once used to.
Incredible read on Raptors director of sports science, Alex McKechnie. If Kawhi stays with the Raptors is it going to be because of McKechnie, and the trust that has been built there. (versus the lack of trust that Kawhi had with the Spurs)
you want to be the team that rents Chris Paul for a year, not the team that pays him a four year max contract afterwards
Not even pocket change. Change left in the washer that ends up in the Washer filter...that he throws out.
Toronto is basically the same size as Houston with a slight smaller Metro population (Houston is larger geography). Largest City in Canada. Not a small market. With TV and Internet, you don't have to live in NY or LA to be a media/advertising star. Those advantages those cities used to have is no longer there.
https://clutchpoints.com/raptors-ne...till-thinks-kawhi-leonard-will-join-clippers/ Ramona Shelburne, who is currently in Toronto covering the NBA Finals, joined the ESPN radio in Los Angeles to talk about the surprise Game 1 and was asked whether she thinks the winner of the Finals will have an impact on free agency. “If the Raptors win this, it’ll be hard for Kawhi to leave,” said Shelburne. “I still think he does, I know there’s like this flickering hope that he would stay regardless because he does enjoy Canada. “I just think the guy has been pretty clear. He wants to be back home in California. he has a house there which he has wanted the whole time. He wanted that before anything went south with the Spurs. This is a pretty consistent desire. It’s not like Paul George, where like Paul George, he’s from Palmdale but he likes fishing and that kind of a lifestyle. That’s very Oklahoma.” Back in January, it was reported by the L.A. Times that the star forward purchased a seven bedroom, five-acre, home in Rancho Santa Fe for $13.3 million. The home sits 30 minutes north of the heart of San Diego and approximately two hours away from downtown L.A. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, appearing on a live stream special ahead of Game 1, said he doesn’t think winning, losing, or money will have a significant impact on what each player decides to do in free agency. “I think he’s going to make a decision based on where he wants to live, where he wants to play,” said Wojnarowski. “I don’t know that winning or losing impacts what Kevin Durant does, and even with Kawhi Leonard. Both players could make $200 million plus by staying where they are. They’re going to have to take less money to go somewhere else… I don’t know if money is going to be a factor for either of them.”
