I just had an epiphany...one that connects all of the rumors into one, coherent thought. First, the reported facts: - Lebron doesn't want to the be "first" star in LA. He wants someone else there first. - The Lakers are desperately trying to trade for Kawhi. In fact, they are trying to take on salary to gain another pick for a trade. - Paul George, despite the fact that OKC had a hugely disappointing season (on par with the Rockets 2015-2016 season), and despite that he has been very vocal about wanting to play for the Lakers, is considering resigning with OKC on a 1+1 deal. So how does all of this connect? - I believe Lebron wouldn't go to LA without Kawhi. Kawhi is an elite, top 6 level player in the league when he's healthy. George is nowhere near the same player. Saying Lebron would go to the Lakers because George is going there is like saying he would go to another team because Gordon Hayward is there. Kawhi is a completely different level of player. - The Kawhi trade must happen first. Not because of salary, but because Lebron needs certainty. He won't go to LA on the hope they can trade for Kawhi. - This is a little tangent, but I now completely buy the idea that Kawhi's injury, him accusing the Spurs of mishandling him, and everything in-between is COMPLETELY manufactured. What kind of idiot organization would purposely mishandle its franchise player like that...especially a smart, well run one like the Spurs? No...this was created by the Lakers, Lebron, Nike (with that ridiculously tiny shoe offer) and Kawhi's people, as far back as last summer. This also explains the reaction from mainstay Spurs players like Parker and Ginobili...they KNEW the injury was bogus, and that Kawhi was quitting on the team. - The last piece is Paul George. With Kawhi and Lebron going to LA, there isn't room for George. So what should he do? Here's what I would do: go to OKC management and say "I will resign with you on a 1+1 deal under one condition...if we aren't competing, you will trade me to the Lakers before the deadline in a deal for any of their remaining young players". If OKC agrees, then he resigns with OKC. If the trade doesn't happen, then he walks to the Lakers next year, when they can trade Deng as an expiring with a 1st round pick. So how do the Rockets come into this? The Rockets are the backup plan. Lebron, according to almost every news outlet out there, wants the Lakers, and Kawhi + Lebron + George IS a legitimate contender. The Rockets step into the picture if the Lakers can't get Kawhi. This has been in the works for over a year. I've always thought it was ridiculous to buy into the idea that a player just decides on the spot to go somewhere. Nothing in business works like that. Basically, Lebron, Nike, Kawhi and the Lakers sabotaged the Spurs to rebuild the Laker empire.
If Kawhi gets traded to Lakers and they sign Lebron... they would literally have no cap for PG (unless he takes paycut...). So your theory works. It comes down to a team taking on Deng (ideally the Spurs for Kawhi or Lebron opting in and getting dealt with Deng as a salary filler). There are too many things that have to go the Lakers way (it can happen but will it?... only if other teams allow it too and I doubt that's the case). I still find it hard to believe Lakers get Kawhi, Lebron and PG. Not gonna happen. I hope this stalls and PG becomes a Laker. This would all but eliminate them from having all 3 in my eyes from a cap perspective.
It's certainly complicated. The Lakers have a difficult task of trading for both Kawhi and George, which is why George needs to manufacture his leverage by using his free agency to get OKC to agree to a behind the scenes deal (which is entirely plausible, given OKCs lack of options in free agency). Here's how I think we will know if my theory is or could be correct: LA trades for Kawhi, Lebron signs, PG resigns with OKC on a 1+1 and the Lakers don't sign any salary beyond next season.
I can see all this being correct besides Nike being involved. We would be fools to think these players don’t sit around and discuss this years in advance... then they all go out and execute thier part of the plan. The more I think about it , Lebron will want to create a super team , not join a great team that turns super upon his arrival. I think he will come to Houston if he can’t create his own. But if Lebron is dead set on creating his own , he will have his way.
Doesn't Popovich actually have to trade Kashi to the Lakers for this conspiracy to work? lulz What difference does one year make to Nike? Kawhi is free to go anywhere in 2019 whether Parker and Bruce Bowen suck his dick or not. Nike has plenty of time to reap Kawhi in La La Land. Lakers would be stupid not to compete with other teams for Kawhi ... why is that called "sabotage?" I don't get the Lebron angle. He wanted Kashi to fake an injury so the Spurs suck last year vs being another legit contender to maybe stop GSW from getting to the Finals. What is his motivation again to conspire to sabotage the Spurs as early as Dec 2017? Hell, he probably legitimately prefers Houston (but we have salary-matching hang-ups), and this would contribute to sabotaging his preferred result. Or, maybe Kashi isn't having fun playing old-school ball with LMA, and views the Spurs as a sinking ship with Pops retiring, so doesn't want to re-up on a 5yr deal as the only star when he's not enjoying the game. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Consider this: Lebron, Kawhi, the Lakers and Spurs are all with Nike. You might say "well they are tied to both organizations, so why would Nike get involved?" and you might be right. At the same time, the Lakers probably represent a SIGNIFICANTLY larger portion of Nike's business. Also my main evidence for this is the contract Nike offered Kawhi...4 years $20 million. Compare that to Harden's 10 year $300 million deal with Adidas. This was Nike telling Kawhi he needed a change of scenery.
I like your theory but the marketability between Harden and Leonard is night and day. Nike having Kawhi under its brand is not all that valuable, hence the lowball offer.
It matters because if the Lakers don't get Kawhi, then they don't get Lebron, and the moneytrain that could be Magic, Lebron, Kawhi & George may die. To be clear, I'm not necessarily making the argument that this was one, homogeneous, coordinated plot. Nike's role and interests could be relatively minor. It may be as simple as "The Lakers could make us a lot more money, and we need Kawhi to get Lebron. So we're going to offer Kawhi a bogus 4 year $20 million deal to influence him to switch to a different team."
Fair enough, but that could be a kind of chicken or egg argument. Is it low because he's in San Antonio (small town with a team that stays out of the public spotlight) and Nike wants him elsewhere, or is it low because he's genuinely not marketable? Not sure, but he's a rare exception as a top 6 player that's not marketable.
Tim Duncan comes to mind immediately as an elite player that couldn't be marketable. I mean your theory is still sound without the Nike factor. Plus Kawhi is Jordan brand and yes I know Nike owns JB but it's been historically rare for a Jordan brand player to have their own shoe. Melo CP3 and Russ are the only 3 JB players that have received their own line out of dozens that have came and went
^^ When did that become fact? Imagine if a Spurs fan started this thread at SpursTalk lulz at the "Everyone is out to get the Spurs, otherwise Kawala has no reason not to love such a great organization like San Antonio and takes his Supermax like a good boy" theory. You're evading my questions, so I'll keep peppering your elaborate conspiracy theory with more, just to make you think this completely through Doesn't Popovich actually have to trade Kashi to the Lakers for this conspiracy to work? lulz When did Kahwaii as a pre-requisite for Magic to land Lebron become some fact? Why did Lebron want to kill Popovich by convincing Kimchi to fake an injury in Oct 2017, vs competing against GSW for him? When did Lebron give up on Chris Paul and Houston, by conspiring to make everything harder for Morey to land him? Why again are the Lakers trying to sabotage the Spurs and Kill Popovich anymore than Boston is trying to? When did offering trades for a disgruntled superstar become sabotage?
100%. Shoe companies run it all. Durant is a Warrior because of Nike. The Narrative Basketball Assignment is Nike’s little fiefdom and has been since forever. Ironically, Jordan is the one who broke the league, not Katy.
And Nike has no love for the Adidas/Duncan-lead Spurs. These shoe companies build these relationships with the players in middle school. I think most don’t realize the level of stakes and influence for the players and shoe companies. To think that Nike a) doesn’t have marketing preferences about who is where, and b) doesn’t try to exert their will (with literally billions of $ on the line) is naive. College basketball is a cesspool of shoe company corruption and manipulation. Do the shoe companies make more money on college or pro basketball? But we’re to know that it’s a free-for-all of manipulation and backroom deals at the college level but hands off and all fair play at the pro level? Nope.
It's kinda sad, that for all we achieved last season we r "da rebound/back up plan" for these free agents. But then again, it's better than not being consider
