Leonard to the Raptors

Danny Green for Jakob Poetl and a protected 1st rd pk was the appetizer

Rofl the disillusioned raps fans here, I'm from Toronto btw. 

I read that Masai knows how to keep players, spurs are the best organization in the league by far and best gm yet they couldn't keep him and you expect the raps will?

Talking about falling in love with the city, like pg did in okc but he stayed in okc because of Westbrook.

This was a terrible trade for the raps, you get slightly better but he need two stars in the league now. People talking about rebuilding if kwahi leaves, why not keep DeRozan and trade him for a few picks... That's how you rebuild.

Now I read that they'll attract other players, you never have been able to and all of a sudden you expect you will? Won the east and no1 still wanted to come. 

Unplug you make logical pts...this trade will be a huge talking point for the rest of the week on all social media and major radio hoops talk shows, so equal arguments will be made pro and con for both teams...for this upcoming season alone, this puts Toronto right up there with Boston to win the East assuming we get a healthy, motivated Leonard...one has to assume Kawhi will be the ultimate trooper in the year where he needs to prove all the doubters in the league that he's worth pursing in free agency next summer where we will demand max money if he has a great all star type season like he has had in the past before this entire injury fiasco...Demar's kryptonite was always Lebron and there's no shame in that, however now that Lebronto is not in the east anymore, isn't it safe to say with this trade the Raps now have the best player within the entire conference (Assuming he's healthy and motivated to earn himself his future payday next summer) with a very deep roster built for success?  Kawhi is the type of player who can win you playoff series...the Raps have never had that type of player in the Casey era...this will be debated all season long.

Lets also not forget the possibility of the Raps flipping Leonard at the deadline if the Lakers still want him badly enough for a legit run at the Warriors this upcoming season if they feel he could possibly put the Lakers in a spot to get the #2 seed.

on the surface perhaps you are right but anything is possible after next year right? what if Kawhi signs a similar extension here similarly to what George did in OKC? what if the Raps get an incredible trade offer for Kawhi let's say from Houston Rockets as they could also be willing to go ALL IN for a title this upcoming season (although I don't know what Houston could ever truly offer)...obviously the Lakers could make a trade offer too...worst case scenario next year Leonard leaves which will allow the Raps to get some other potential elite type player which atleast allow them to compete in the East...we are all talking like Boston and Philly have won everything already...they are both set up for a nice little run in the East, but nothing is guaranteed or being handed out to them...Raps are also full of young talent and looking ahead past this season, they too are set up nicely for a modest run if they can land a few key pieces in free agency/trade/etc down the road.

The East will be fun to follow this season, that's for sure.

Basketball is a business...bottom line...what loyalty? the Raps paid Demar very well and treated him like a superstar long before he became an all star...DeRozan has nothing to complain about, and should be very grateful towards the Raps allowing him the opportunity to become a very wealthy man.

Future stars will always want to go to a winning organization with a history of success...outside of the Cavs, what team in the East has been more successful than Toronto lets say for the past 5 years? Toronto is one of the largest cities in North America...many people would find this city comparable to Chicago is terms of lifestyle, culture and weather...don't fall for the media's negative perception of Toronto...back in the David Stern era of the NBA, it was his agenda to always discredit the Canadian franchises in very subtle ways, as he ultimately regretted expanding into Canada...it was almost an unwritten rule for the longest time under Stern's reign by the majority of agents to talk bad about Toronto to their players and shoot down any legit trade to the Raps...this feeling became the norm among many top NBA players which trickled down to the tier 2 players and so on...fast forward to recent years of now, Toronto is a viable option for any player who is looking to win...and if a player is too stubborn to realize the opportunity to win now with this Toronto team, then let them end up elsewhere spinning their wheels.

Jurassic Park will be buzzing come next spring!

you're right...championship titles are not hanging in our rafters...however who has in the Lebron / Warriors era of the recent past? What has Boston or Philly done or won? They are both on the rise following successful rebuilds/trades (Boston) and tanking (philly)...while Toronto has consistently won more games with each passing season to become a 59 win team with LeBron in the East....sure it's not a title, but who in the east has beaten James in the past 8 years? As far as ownership/management goes, Raptors are elite, and the team is willing to spend when needed having essentially an endless supply of capital backing the team in Rogers/Bell Media.

Also, #1 seed in the conference is a nice feather in the cap as long as they can follow it up this year with a real run to the finals in a Lebronto-less conference....Nurse in on record saying "nothing matters to us except how far we go in the playoffs"...I read this as the Steve Kerr way of thinking when it comes to the regular season...don't expect the Raps to impress every night of the season...the team will be about building the right chemistry, playing total team defense, finding the right 5 guys to play at the same time at the right moment in games...all in prep for the playoffs where Defense matters.

GTD...you realize this entire chatter is merely about the Raps and the Eastern conference for this upcoming season right? did you hear the big news of the summer? Lebronto has been shipped out west...so the east is a 2 team race between Boston and Toronto

PB,

How DARE you question the smartest guy on Covers (or anywhere else!)... GTD.  (We all know what those initials stand for, of course! 

i'm open to a discussion with GTD...i'm sure he's an ok dude.

this entire debate is just to pass the time talking about a pretty big trade...not every day does a former finals MVP get shown the door in such a bizarre manner, right?

Not giving up any of Anunoby, Siakam or Wright is only really positive thing I can take from this.  We disagree that Leonard has to play well this year to have Lakers give him max money next year. 

I am not opposed to ridding team of DeRozans contract but I would much rather get a player who wants to stay, if not why not just go total rebuild and try and get draft picks and or young talent.

Toronto media has biggest chubb on going after today.

It will be an experience like you have never had before......

Albeit not likely as of this moment, anyrhing is possible....maybe Kawhi reups with Toronto at the end of this season for another 1+1 contract, thus rolling his inevitable payday multi yr contract for the 2020 season when the cap goes up again...its my opinion that if the Raps make the finals, that only goes to help them resign Leonard even just for another year, and thats all that really matters for this squad as no eastern conf team is beating the Warriors regardless.

Ujiri has alot invested in the next 82+ games...we shall see

Reports now that Kawhi and his wifener have made a deposit for preschool in L.A. for their little one for Spring, 2019.

bad move by the raptors imo with lebron going to the western conf they might of had a shot at making the finals with the same group from last year instead they fire their coach and traded their star player their chemistry will be different kawhi will get injured and sit out the season again than sign with the lakers the next year. 

Talk about re-hashing the same discussion!!!  Player mobility is a good thing.  Always has been.  Superstars going to different teams is normal.  Do we really need to bring up the entire thread about this again?  (Gretzky, Jordan, Shaq, etc.....)

I think its safe to say the Raps will be playing on Xmas day this year...does the league dare to schedule Raps vs Spurs??? 

Lakers-Raptors would be juicy too.  Complete with LaBron and Kawhi taking a selfie together.

what will happen if Kahwi report to the Toronto Raptors?