Trade: [TOR/SA] Leonard and Green to TOR for DeRozan, Poeltl and draft considerations

[le_sean]

problem is which Kawhi are you getting. Odds are he misses significant time to start the year, then what rust are you looking at with barely playing over 6-12 months.

Even a healthy Kawhi doesnt make them better than the Celtics, they cant match the depth.

Kyrie, Hayward, Horford, Tatum, Brown

and a bench of Rozier, Smart, Morris, Baynes and Williams

Why would he miss time at the start? He’s supposed to go to the US camp.

Kawhi is still easily the best player between the two teams. Raptors bench is better too.

 

[JetsWillFly4Ever]

I feel bad for Demar, but this trade makes sense on a lot of levels for the Raps.

The Derozan-Lowry core was never going to win anything of consequence. Yea, we would have probably got back to the playoffs, won a round or two and bowed out and that's cool I guess but we had no chance of winning a title, and likely not even the East.

Masai is taking a big swing for the fences, if Kawhi comes in and plays to his ability, the Raps have a real shot at winning the East and making the finals. Maybe that can convince Kawhi to stay and then you have a franchise player who when at his best is a top 5 player in the game.

If it doesn't work, you blow it up just like you were going to do anyway after Derozan/Lowry lead Raps bowed out in round 2 for the next 2 seasons.

 

[Dr Pepper]

This honestly feels franchise sinking.

That basically sums it up.

Raps traded their best player, an all-star who loved this city and wanted to stay, for a player who sat out all of last year like a petulant brat, who also apparently said he didn't want to play here. This of course is after firing last season's Coach of the Year.

Lunacy.

I'd love to hear Ujiri's reasoning for stabbing DeRo in the back.

 

[sparxx87]

I am a purely casual fan but I feel like this is doing Demar dirty.

If he wasn’t so soft mentally and could perform when the stakes are high, this trade wouldn’t have happened.

You’ll never win anything if Demar is your best player.

Raptors were going to need to rebuild in 3 years anyway. This deal just gives them a chance to be great for one year rather than good for 3 more.

Hopefully Kawhi enjoys his time and falls in love like countless ball players, both base and basket. Toronto is one of the top cities on the planet.

 

[CupofOil]

What a dick move to tell DeRozan less than a week ago that they aren't dealing him. As if it wasn't hard enough to lure free agents to Toronto, they pull this stunt on a player who loved playing there? Not cool Raps management, not cool.

So essentially, they are making a title run with a pouty prima donna (Spoiler Alert - They aren't winning the title) then they will go into full rebuild mode with less futures than they had before they made the trade. Looks like the Kings and Magic will have some company in NBA purgatory soon enough.

 

[le_sean]

That basically sums it up.

Raps traded their best player, an all-star who loved this city and wanted to stay, for a player who sat out all of last year like a petulant brat, who also apparently said he didn't want to play here. This of course is after firing last season's Coach of the Year.

Lunacy.

I'd love to hear Ujiri's reasoning for stabbing DeRo in the back.

Whatever reassurances he made to DeMar were because he had no idea he could trade him for a better player. That goes out the window when Kawhi is a possibility.

Who honestly cares about loyalty? As a fan, it’s the team over the individual. Tired of this team being bounced in the 2nd round.

 

[LaVar]

Whatever reassurances he made to DeMar were because he had no idea he could trade him for a better player. That goes out the window when Kawhi is a possibility.

Who honestly cares about loyalty? As a fan, it’s the team over the individual. Tired of this team being bounced in the 2nd round.

Just don't make reassurances in that case.

I highly doubt Masai didn't at least try and reach out to the Spurs before saying that, either.

Talks probably died down prior to him telling DD he wouldn't trade him, then resumed afterwards....still shady though in my opinion.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

I don't like this trade for the Raptors just because I can't see Kawhi staying.

 

[Pilky01]

That basically sums it up.

Raps traded their best player, an all-star who loved this city and wanted to stay, for a player who sat out all of last year like a petulant brat, who also apparently said he didn't want to play here. This of course is after firing last season's Coach of the Year.

Lunacy.

I'd love to hear Ujiri's reasoning for stabbing DeRo in the back.

This feels like the Grizzlies drafting Steve Francis even though he explicitly told them he wouldn't play there.

Like deliberate franchise sabotage.

 

[chaosrevolver]

That basically sums it up.

Raps traded their best player, an all-star who loved this city and wanted to stay, for a player who sat out all of last year like a petulant brat, who also apparently said he didn't want to play here. This of course is after firing last season's Coach of the Year.

Lunacy.

I'd love to hear Ujiri's reasoning for stabbing DeRo in the back.

It probably starts and ends with the fact he's an absolute atrocity in the playoffs and that talks had broken down (which has been reported already) several times and picked up again likely after speaking to DD.

I'd rather see a winner. DeRozan isnt even an All-Star in the Western Conference.

 

[The Night King]

Glad the Lakers didn't go all-in for Kawhi.

 

[Dr Pepper]

It probably starts and ends with the fact he's an absolute atrocity in the playoffs and that talks had broken down (which has been reported already) several times and picked up again likely after speaking to DD.

I'd rather see a winner. DeRozan isnt even an All-Star in the Western Conference.

While it's true Demar tried and failed to get the Raps anywhere significant in the playoffs, and on paper Kawhi is the better player......this trade still leaves a bad taste in the mouth, you know?

If Kawhi actually wanted to play here, I'm on board, but after the stunt he pulled last season and the reports of him wanting nothing to do with Toronto, I don't know what to expect next season. Going to be a surreal first home game.

Has Lowry given his .02 on the deal yet? I haven't checked IG.

 

[chaosrevolver]

While it's true Demar tried and failed to get the Raps anywhere significant in the playoffs, and on paper Kawhi is the better player......this trade still leaves a bad taste in the mouth, you know?

If Kawhi actually wanted to play here, I'm on board, but after the stunt he pulled last season and the reports of him wanting nothing to do with Toronto, I don't know what to expect next season. Going to be a surreal first home game.

Has Lowry given his .02 on the deal yet? I haven't checked IG.

Not yet no.

I totally understand. I wish it was Leonard coming in talking like DeRozan does...ultimately I wish DD..who has a great attitude..could get it done when it mattered most and elevate his game.

That being said..adding Danny Green makes me quite excited too as he is exactly what we need at the 2.

C - JV
PF - Ibaka
SF - Leonard
SG - Green
PG - Lowry

Bench:
FVV
Wright
Siakim
Miles
OG
Backup C?? (Bebe maybe coming back?)
Powell

Still lots of depth and a much better two-way rotation I think.

 

[Paris in Flames]

I don't like this trade for the Raptors just because I can't see Kawhi staying.

Of course he's not staying. He probably won't even sign a lease on a condo in Toronto. Just week by week airbnb hoping he somehow gets out early.

 

[darko]

Raps got better. If Kawhi is healthy they'll push the Celtics.

 

[Reality Check]

The biggest winner in this trade is the Lakers. Keep all their assets and still, in all likelihood, will sign Leonard next summer.

I sort of like it for Toronto. On one hand you're getting out of DeRozan's contract and accepting what you had wasn't working. On the other, Leonard isn't staying in Toronto and wouldn't surprise me if he gets moved again.

San Antonio...meh...I think the best move would have been to completely blow it up

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

I kind of like this for the Raps. You knew what the ceiling was as currently constructed. East isn't that hard and if Kawhi is healthy and invested they should be a legit contender.

 

[Voight]

That basically sums it up.

Raps traded their best player, an all-star who loved this city and wanted to stay, for a player who sat out all of last year like a petulant brat, who also apparently said he didn't want to play here. This of course is after firing last season's Coach of the Year.

Lunacy.

I'd love to hear Ujiri's reasoning for stabbing DeRo in the back.

If you have a chance to acquire a top 5 player, you go for it. End of story.

 

[Terry Yake]

wow can't help but feel terrible for derozan

although i think he'll find success under pop. if kawhi gets healthy+has his head in the right place, that raptors team could make a lot of noise in the lebron-less EC. but this is going to be an awful move for them if he ends up missing half the season

either way, this is the best possible scenario for the lakers. my only fear is that toronto deals him to the clippers at the deadline

but it's very simple: if kawhi wants to be a laker then he'll be one

 

[TMLeafs18]

DeRozan had to go eventually. I’m happy I don’t have to watch this same core over achieve in the regular season only to get destroyed when it really matters. Even if it happens again this year and he signs somewhere else a rebuild is better than watching Lowry and DeRozan lead our team into playoffs for three more years.

If Leonard gives legit effort this year I will be happy because with the growth of OG and Siakam this will be our most entertaining team in a long time.

If DeRozan wanted loyalty in this business he should have shown up in playoffs.

 

[Voight]

People will say it's just business, etc.... but apparently the Raps met with DeMar a couple of days ago and told him they wouldn't trade him.

So yes, this is doing him very, very dirty.

They probably didn't think they'd be able to make a deal at that point. My guess is Spurs wanted OG or Siakam, Ujiri said no shot and they settled for Poetl.

 

[Dr Pepper]

If you have a chance to acquire a top 5 player, you go for it. End of story.

Well hopefully Drake can turn on the charm and convince Kawhi that it's really not so bad here.

 

[TMLeafs18]

However if the report is true about the team saying he wouldn’t be traded that’s pretty gutless... but again you have to perform to insure your safety on a team.

 

[N o o d l e s]

It doesn’t matter. Toronto has a losing core that was never going to accomplish anything and should have blown it up right after the season. Firing Casey was the first step. Can’t believe it took so long for the rest.

 

[Voight]

wow can't help but feel terrible for derozan

although i think he'll find success under pop. if kawhi gets healthy+has his head in the right place, that raptors team could make a lot of noise in the lebron-less EC. but this is going to be an awful move for them if he ends up missing half the season

either way, this is the best possible scenario for the lakers. my only fear is that toronto deals him to the clippers at the deadline

but it's very simple: if kawhi wants to be a laker then he'll be one

Leonard is healthy (going to the team USA minicamp next week) so he should be good to go for the regular season - their hope is he doesn't pull a Kyrie and threaten to sit out.

But Kawhi learned from Duncan and I think he knows sitting out & being petty will hurt his rep around the league. Its better to play the year out, reassure teams you are still a top 5 player and go from there.