No we don’t. I’m not sure why would the spurs give kawhi to the Lakers where they can get way better offers from other teams.
I'm starting to understand why you're the 'wiz. Bro' all you have to do is sort the forum posts that go back to 1999. So let's say it's been around since at least then. Can you show me the "Yahoo" forums that were around a decade before that?
Not possible to move fast here. This is Kawhi's power play. It's not about going home to Cali. It's about forming a super team to compete for titles. Kawhi sees LeBron and George drifting away and he doesn't want to get stuck in San Antonio busting his butt to win 45 ever year only to get knocked out in the first or second round by us, the Warriors, and the Jazz. So Kawhi is making a bid from the outside rail. See if he can swing LeBron and George to LA in free agency and then get the Lakers to pop the most assets for him. So he won't be traded to the Lakers unless and until that happens. That is, until LeBron and George sign there. And he is not interested in the Clippers or the Celtics. At this point he won't commit to either team so they're not going to risk as much in trade. Make no mistake. This is a power play bid by Kawhi to firm his own super team in Laker gold. And the reason this is happening....kawhi leaking...it's because there's others unleaked stuff going on. This was predictable. And it was predicted here on clutchfans.
Kawhi may eventually accept a trade to Boston and commit to them. But only after he knows LeBron and George aren't meeting up on the Lakers or they do meet up and the Lakers trade for somebody else and bypass him.
This post would have been so much better ending with... "Tell everyone what you’ve discovered when you ease on down the road, ‘wiz."
What the hell is wrong with me? Why did I just type up this pod? I need help. Spoiler Windhorst: Kawhi, it seems through the media, has asked to be traded from the Spurs. This is strategic because we are 6 days from the draft. What did you think of this & what does it mean? MacMahon: I saw it coming. This was a rift that is absolutely bizarre. Uncle Dennis is calling the shots and because of that, it was a relationship that couldn't be repaired. The way Kawhi's camp ie Uncle Dennis & co. are dragging the Spurs through the mud is ridiculous. Like this isn't a franchise with a track record. Like they didn't invent DNP-rest. Kawhi's reputation will take a hit but if he goes somewhere & wins, it won't matter. This idea that Kawhi & his camp of amateurs will bully the Spurs into making a trade that isn't market value, I'd tap the breaks on all that. Those folks in San Antonio know what they're doing. As much as the Lakers have leverage because that's where he wants to go, so do the Spurs. They can talk to other teams. Lakers have a deadline of sorts. They want Kawhi before free agency for obvious reasons. Jackie: All true. I'm a little surprised I guess because I have naive faith in the Spurs. They've been through a lot here in the last few months. I thought it would make Kawhi think twice. I thought if he got in a room with Pop alone they could smooth it out. That's probably why it never happened. MacMahon: His camp aka Uncle Dennis (primary shot caller over the last year or so) wanted him out of San Antonio. The Spurs frustration was obvious. This is the most tight-lipped organization as there is in the NBA, if not all of sports. For a lot of the season, you had Pop delivering thinly-veiled messages to Kawhi via the media which told you how much communication there was. Windhorst: Tony Parker line was a missile. MacMahon: The whole thing was a breakdown of a relationship. It's shocking in that it's the Spurs. People thought because Kawhi was quiet, he was the next low maintenance center piece. Fact is, no one knows Kawhi. He's quiet. There's been some things revealed about his personality & character over the last several months. Windhorst: I think it's cut & dry. Sometime earlier this week Woj came out with this story. It was mentioned in there the Spurs did not intend the super max this year. They wanted to see him go through a season. Knowing Woj, that was probably a direct line from the Spurs. As soon as I read that, I knew they were done. If they weren't willing to pay him the super max, Kawhi has no motivation to sign it. If he has no motivation to sign it, we're gonna be at this spot. Doesn't mean he had to demand a trade this way, this could have played out over a longer period of time but it was elementary. When the Celtics traded for Kyrie with 2 years left & the extension rules the way they work, we knew there would be a year Kyrie would play without an extension. Even if he played in every single game & they won the title & won Finals MVP, he would not have signed the extension. MacMahon: It'd be the worst financial decision he could make. The Spurs though, this is a case of not willing to put in on the table now, that's them saying Kawhi you went MIA on us this year, we can't trust you. We're not putting $219M in front of you. Windhorst: That's true but talent will always have the leverage. MacMahon: You knew going into this they couldn't go another year of we don't trust each other thing. This summer had to be extension, and if you're Kawhi, you're not taking less than super max, or trade. Windhorst: The Spurs don't have to acquiese and acquiese now. Jackie: They're not gonna panic like Cleveland. They probably know all the scenarios. Doesn't mean they have to do anything now. MacMahon: You can get the Clippers or Boston involved. Han: Woj hinted Boston was interested at the deadline. Windhorst: Boston's offer at the deadline Jackie? Jackie: I would guess it involved a pick, young player. The fact the Spurs didn't entertain it tells me we'll never know. In Jaylen Brown's rookie year, Spurs were effusive in their praise. MacMahon: Any way they put Tatum on the table? Jackie: I don't know. Windhorst: I wouldn't. Jackie: I was asked that question 500 times during the course of this year. We know about Boston being interested at the deadline. Let me ask you: do you believe they were the only team? MacMahon: Absolutely not. Jackie: Isn't it interesting that's the one team we heard about. Why would that be? MacMahon: Perhaps because even though it's not the "preferred destination", it's an attractive destination with a ton of assets. Jackie: That's from the Spurs end. Assets upon assets upon assets. Windhorst: Before we go team by team, a couple things I want to point out. One, if Kawhi gets traded, loses the possibility as a super max. Side note: Super max isn't doing what the league thought it would. Harden & Wall took it. Paul George passed, Chris Paul passed. LeBron could pass. Actually LeBron & Chris wouldn't have qualified but the concept of getting more money than anywhere else, LeBron & Chris could pass. Take Chris Paul out. I'm not thinking that through correctly. The super max is only relvant if less than 10 years service. Jackie: The idea Chris gave up anything to go to Houston is laughable. MacMahon: He gave up salary last year. Windhorst: Here's with Kawhi, if he's traded, no super max. Two, he can't extend when he gets traded. He has to wait 6 months. Let's say it goes down July 1, he couldn't extend until January 1st. A lot can happen in 6 months. Thirdly, there's always wink-wink deals. How do you feel making a wink-wink deal with Uncle Dennis? MacMahon: Significant risk there. It's not like he has other clients. Windhorst: I don't like calling him Uncle Dennis. He's an agent. I'm just gonna call him agent Dennis Robertson. MacMahon: I'll call him Uncle Dennis. Windhorst: He has not done this before. Those facts need to be out on the table first. Now lets look at the teams. Start with Boston. MacMahon: We're talking young assets & picks. Kyrie & Kawhi are perfect salary matches. Windhorst: And both coming off injury. MacMahon: Correct me if I'm wrong, hasn't there been ties with Kyrie & the Spurs before? Jackie: The Chris Paul thing, right around then. Windhorst: Spurs were on Kyrie's "list" MacMahon: That might make sense. Windhorst: There's mutual accepted risk there because both are on one-year deals. Jackie: Which injury are you more concerned about? Windhorst: Kyrie's probably. MacMahon: Medically Kyrie, mentally Kawhi. Windhorst: If I'm the Spurs & elected to make that trade, I'd ask for a draft pick because I don't think Kyrie is the player Kawhi is. I've seen some suggest a straight up trade. Han: Kings pick next year. Jackie/Windhorst/MacMahon: No way. They ain't giving that up. Windhorst: We can negotiate. They aren't getting that Kings pick. Jackie, your view point on what the Celtics would offer? Jackie: I'm coming in a little blind because I haven't talked about this from anyone from the Celtics. I know Danny. He wasn't intending, or so he says, looking to trade Isaiah Thomas. He never promised him anything. All these interviews Kyrie has done the last few days, very hesitant to say I love it here & all those things. It was a little odd to me. He probably knew about this & possibly the Celtics would talk to LeBron. MacMahon: He also thinks the earth is flat. He's out there a little bit. Jackie: Celtics make sense because they have degrees of good young talent. Windhorst: Rank the Celtics assets. Jackie: Kyrie one. Windhorst/MacMahon: I have Tatum one. Jackie: Kyrie one, Tatum two, Brown three, Sacramento four, and Horford. I haven't even talked Gordon Hayward, wow. MacMahon: There's some risk with Hayward. Huge contract & major injury. Rozier is a valuable trade chip. If he's your 6th/7th most valuable trade chip, you're doing alright. Jackie: They have the 27th pick this year(their own), 2019 Kings pick, 2019 Grizzlies if out the top 8, 2019 Clippers pick if out of the top 14 and their own pick. Windhorst: Boston has a ton of options. In my mind, if I'm Boston, Tatum/Kings pick is untouchable & would protect Al Horford. Everything else I'd be willing to talk about.
Spoiler Windhorst: Let's talk about LA. Woj said he prefers the Lakers. MacMahon: Ingram is their most valuable asset. Windhorst: Agree. Kuzma #2. MacMahon: I wonder, especially given the trouble the Spurs have had recently with a relative acting as a shot caller, I wonder if they would want to touch Lonzo Ball with a 10-foot pole. Windhorst: If I'm San Antonio, I'm not taking Luol Deng. Let's be clear about that. Jackie: They'll have to waive & stretch him. MacMahon: That's your problem to deal with. Windhorst: Even if they were willing to include multiple picks. ... If I'm not mistaken, they can get there with Lonzo & Ingram. That trade works. MacMahon: They can get there with Ingram, Lonzo, Kuzma, Hart & Zubac. Windhorst: If I was the Lakers, I wouldn't want to give Ingram AND Kuzma. If I'm the Spurs, I want both. However, you can't do the deal for just those two. If you include Ball, you could. Jackie: Kuzma makes next to nothing. You might have to do some other things first. If you're Kawhi, my preference is LA but isn't that because you talked to LeBron and Paul George and they're coming? Windhorst: Yes, you'd think the players are talking to each other. I'd have to do the math. If they stretch Deng, do Lonzo, Ingram & Kuzma, not sure they have enough for... MacMahon: They may throw in Zubac & Hart to get off money. Windhorst: They can get there. I don't think that's the best deal the Spurs can make. Jackie: Of course not. MacMahon: I'd love to know how much value the Spurs place on Lonzo Ball. They've done a nice job developing Dejounte Murray. How many 6'6 PGs with jumpers that need a lot of work can you have on a roster? Windhorst: Let me bring something else up. This is game theory. Let's say the Spurs are negotiating with the Celtics & Lakers. Celtics say we'll send you Kyrie and nothing else because it could be a one-year rental but you know there's more to get. If Kawhi says I intend to stay in Boston long term, that can get you more assets. Let's look at LA. LA makes their best offer. Let's say it's Ingram, Kuzma & Lonzo. That's the best they can make. There is no sweetener there. Jackie: There's practically no one else on their roster. MacMahon: Hart is a sweetener. Windhorst: Not as much as a sweetner as like the Memphis pick. MacMahon: They could say fine, we'll throw in a couple of number ones. Windhorst: What's the incentive for the Spurs to make Kawhi happy? The incentive is you get a better trade. If Kawhi says I want to play for the Celtics & will sign long term, that makes him more valuable to the Celtics and Celtics willing to give more. If there's no other piece you're trying to get, what is the motivation for making Kawhi happy? That's why I think the Lakers trade is a tall order. Spurs can make a better trade. Han: Lakers deal is dependent on what the Spurs think of Ingram & Lonzo. MacMahon: Lonzo is the real wild card.
Spoiler Han: Any other realistic spots? MacMahon: Clippers Jackie: Sixers Windhorst: Let's stay in LA & talk about the Clippers. MacMahon: The Blake Griffin package. Windhorst: I want Tobias Harris. To me, ranking the Clippers assets, Tobias has one year on his contract but he's a stretch 4. I like him a lot. I like Harrell. Jackie: Let's talk about like. We like him because he's an energy guy. Windhorst: I'd ask for Tobias and two picks. I know you probably don't get all of that. MacMahon: I think you'd get all of that. Jackie: That's not enough. MacMahon: I need more. Windhorst: Depends on how the Spurs feel about this draft or what they could do with those two picks. Jackie: Let's talk Sixers. MacMahon: Two untouchables: Embiid & Simmons Jackie: Is he(Simmons) untouchable if you get Kawhi? Windhorst: If I knew he was extending. MacMahon: As a one year rental,...I would say absolutely they are both untouchable. Windhorst: Sixers have 6 picks in this draft. Two 2nd round pick are in the 50s. They have #10 & #27. #10 is pretty good. To me, you include Bayless for salary, Saric or Fultz, I'm asking for #10 no matter what, Saric or Fultz & ask for one other young piece like Richaun Holmes or we're not taking Bayless, we want Covington. Jackie: Covington's money is hefty. Windhorst: He has a nice contract. Jackie: I love Saric. Windhorst: I think Murray is their PG for a long time. If it were me, I'd want Saric & #10. Jackie: Doesn't McConnell have Spurs written all over him? Windhorst: Saric has Spurs written all over him. ... Bayless makes $9M. Kawhi's number is $20M so you need $15M. Between Saric & Bayless, may need a little more. MacMahon: Fultz is interesting. Windhorst: Depends on what they think of Fultz. You're fighting off them asking for Fultz AND Saric. Going back to negotiations, if you're the Spurs, it's not Saric or Fultz & the #10, it's all three. If you're the Sixers, Pop & RC, we're taking a gamble here with one year left on his contract. If Kawhi were to pledge to Philadelphia & know you'll have him and trust Dennis Robertson, then maybe you say alright. MacMahon: Why would Kawhi do that? Windhorst: He doesn't. That's what I'm saying. If you're the Spurs, it's a leveraged trade & the Lakers come back into this. If that's where he wants to go, Lakers may be more willing to throw everything in where other teams may not. MacMahon: Not like the Lakers have the Spurs over a barrel. They can create a market. Boston would bid believing they can keep him, Philly, Clippers and no one saw OKC coming in for Paul George. Windhorst: That'd be a cautionary tale. They gave away some good pieces for possibly a rental. Windhorst: Let me bring up one more team: The Sacramento Kings, who are highly motivated not to be bad next year because they don't have their pick. If I'm the Spurs, I'm thinking holy hell by this time next week we could have Luka Doncic. MacMahon: Pop & RC negotiating with Vivek & Vlade. That's like LeBron got an iso against Boban. Geesh. Windhorst: Kings have the #2 pick. This is what the Kings dream about. MacMahon: Doncic with the Spurs. What a beautiful fit that would be. Han: Possible the Kings will roll the dice trading #2 for a one-year rental. MacMahon: Adam Silver has to step in. He can't let this happen. Jackie: They drafted Jimmer instead of Kawhi. ... Windhorst: Do you remember the footage from Stauskas?
Spoiler Han: We listed the teams with assets in the running. If you're in Kawhi's camp & it's out there your preference is the Lakers, how would you rank these teams if you're Kawhi's camp? MacMahon: I don't know how important LA is to him. From basketball, Lakers assuming that if Kawhi goes they become front-runners for LeBron, then Celtics, Sixers. Han: Jackie, how would you rank these from the Spurs perspective? Jackie: Boston one. Maybe LA two. All depends on what you can get. Celtics have blue chip players along with picks. Windhorst: *This is not a report* *This is my opinion having spoken to nobody* Are we all clear? I'll read the Woj tweet. ... Let me translate in my opinion: that's the Spurs extending a middle finger to Kawhi. We're not sending you to the Lakers just because you want to go there. MacMahon: This was a break down in trust between Kawhi & the Spurs. Windhorst: Any darkhorse team that could come in from nowhere & make an offer? Han: Memphis? Jackie: Washington? Windhorst: Washington is interesting. They have the 15th pick, Otto Porter & Kelly Oubre. I don't think they beat a legit offer from Philly or Boston. Jackie: What if they give you Bradley Beal? MacMahon: Minnesota? Windhorst: I got one. What about New Orleans? Jrue Holiday. Jackie: Not enough. MacMahon: Not nearly enough. Minnesota, I'm thinking KAT. Windhorst: If you're Minnesota, can you go into a season with Butler & Kawhi as free agents to be? Jackie: Answer is no because of who their owner is. Their owner is Glen Taylor until further notice. ... Windhorst: It's interesting MacMahon. What was your Memphis proposal? Han: #4 pick and Parsons and something else. Windhorst: Oh my God, they're not taking Parsons. Han: If Luka is available at #4, rebuild around Luka and Parsons is expiring after next season. Windhorst: Rather have Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving? MacMahon: Not qualified to answer that. If you think he's a legit future superstar, I'd say him. Much longer window & clean bill of health. Windhorst: Manu was not this good at 19. I think Manu is more athletic than this kid. ... For the sake of argument, let's say your favorite young Kings player and the #2 pick. That's the deal. Now compare to Boston & Philadelphia if you're the Spurs. MacMahon: I love Jaylen Brown. And picks on top of that? Windhorst: Agree, I love Jaylen Brown but Luka Doncic isn't coming in that trade. MacMahon: I've seen Brown be a proven impact 2-way player with cajones factor in the playoffs and is 21. Han: Offers are similar but Boston is set up to compete with Kawhi & it's like what is Sacramento doing? Windhorst: That's not relevant to the Spurs. Let's include Philly. When this first happened, I was wondering maybe this is Kawhi's camp way of getting the super max offer. My read is they let him know it's not coming and this was the way to force the offer but there seems to be some venom here. To me, the Lakers & Clippers can't touch these other 3 offers. I don't think the Lakers are in the top 3 and Clippers aren't in the top 4. It depends on how you feel. If you're the Sixers, you may have to have Fultz & Saric to outbid the other two offers. Han: Boston & Philly don't offer nearly everything unless they get that wink-wink. Windhorst: For the sake of this exercise, I don't think you can assume a wink-wink with anyone. You're trading for him & rolling the dice. Jackie: If you're rolling the dice, no Kyrie and no Tatum. MacMahon: If you're Boston & get Kawhi, who goes in as the favorite in the East? If you're Philly & get Kawhi, who goes in as the favorite in the East? Jackie: Not how Danny thinks. He had all those Brooklyn picks. Kept saving them & saving them. Make a deal already! But he knew exactly what he wanted to do. He waited, was patient, didn't care about criticism. For him to go for one year with Kawhi, that's not what he's about. He's trying to build something. This isn't a franchise that has never won. This isn't Cleveland or Sacramento. It's a team with a great, long history & can wait. If it works with Kawhi, great. If not, we're on a good pace & not going for the quick fix. Not how they operate. Windhorst: We'll be talking about this for awhile. One week from today, is Kawhi on the Spurs? Jackie: It's a possibility. He has to be on the phone with LeBron. Windhorst: There are scenarios that exist where LeBron could still go to Philly where they trade half their assets for Kawhi, other half for LeBron. Jackie: Can't tell me those guys aren't talking. Windhorst: I feel better about this as we talked this out. The concept a lot of people rushed to judgement is LeBron, Paul & Kawhi will end up on the Lakers, I don't feel good about that happening. MacMahon: LeBron, Paul George & Lillard? Windhorst: It'd be amazing if Boston gets Kawhi & Philly gets LeBron. Han: If Kawhi is moved before this time next week, it spreads out free agency more. I think all of you predicted things will get crazy before July 1st, not quite after. Windhorst: Big factor is Kawhi is now in play before June 30. We also don't know if LeBron will pick up that option. That option is super valuable. Let's say Boston makes the deal & is the winner & LeBron doesn't feel great about the Lakers and his other options, the Cavs would make a deal with Philadelphia by June 30.
