Where Will Kawhi End Up?

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Glad he didn't go to the Lakers, but OF COURSE he ends up in the Western Conference on the "other" LA team.

There is just too much talent for us to compete in this conference. Hell, the Pelicans may have even gotten better despite letting go of AD!

[Monster]

Either you're a team with superstars or a team with assets that allow you to be in play for one.

The Wolves are neither and that's a bad place to be.

This team is tanking. Don't let Rosas, Taylor or anyone else convince you otherwise.

Tanking is a bit of an overstatement. I'd call it taking one or two steps back. That's how you accumulate assets that can eventually bring in superstars - either via the draft like the Warriors or via trade as we've seen recently from the Lakers and Clippers. It's about time we had a front office that understood there are no shortcuts to building a title contender and that the first step in accumulating assets. So let's see what develops out of KAT, Okogie, KBD, Culver, Nowell, Vonleh, Bell, Layman and next summer's lottery pick. And let's see if Rosas can acquire another 1st round pick or to two, or perhaps a couple of additional 2nd round picks in return for Wiggins, Teague and/or Covington. In three years LeBron will be 38 and Kawhi 31. Meanwhile KAT will be 27 at the height of his prime. The primary focus of Rosas should be making sure he has surrounded KAT with has as many similar vintage allstar caliber players as possible three years from now.

two steps back from a 36 win team means they'll undoubtedly be one of the 2-3 worst teams in the West with the other two teams farther ahead in their rebuilding process. If that's not tanking I don't know what it is. The Wolves can't view guys like their free agent pickups as assets. They're just guys, guys that may not be back here next year, guys that if they panned out might be too rich for Glen's blood. All Rosas has done is do what we've seen plenty of times before: sign a bunch of nobodies and castoffs and pray this team has the magical cure to fix them. This isn't the first time this has happened. The only difference between Rosas and Kahn at the moment is that Kahn was at least honest about how bad we'd be. Even in your scenario, Rosas would only have half a year to compete with KAT before KAT asks out.

Seriously, we're back to the "pray these stars get old and these teams blow it up". Even the teams that suck seem better equipped for the future than this team. The Pelicans might not make the playoffs and they're loaded. Sacramento is 2 deep almost everywhere, Memphis has their cornerstones on rookie deals for a long time to come. OKC just traded George yet still have Westbrook, now have SGA and a war chest of picks in addition to their own. Ive said it before and I'll say it again: I don't think Rosas realizes how hard it really is to build a competitive team here.

Fun fact: Only three Wolves have spent more than 7 seasons on this franchise: KG, Sam Mitchell and Doug West. Wally Szczerbiak entered his 7th season with the Wolves but was traded midseason to Boston. Gorgui Dieng and Andrew Wiggins will likely join this list, but that's because nobody wants them. Long story short, I'm not gonna believe Towns completes a 7th year with the Wolves until it actually happens.

If Rosas was actually tanking Covington would have been moved. These pray they might be good guys aren't just all just some dudes from nowhere a number of them come from winning basketball teams and all of them have some actual NBA experience. It's not like we signed a bunch of guys with little NBA value coming from 30 or less win teams. Maybe it doesn't work but it makes quite a bit of sense especially if we are an actual competent organization now. That means we actually have some ability to evaluate talent actually get the most out of some guys. Only time will tell. Like I've said before at least you can sell towns on bringing in a group of young guys that could surround him or be assets. It's a plan. If it fails...yeah that's bad news. Let's wait and see.

[Monster]

Wow Kawhi and PG to the Clippers? OKC with a ton of assets for PG. what does OKC do now? This league is crazy.

[Monster]

Lots of talk about Westbrook chasing away how high level teammates. Was there some discontent? I can buy that BUT Durant left to go play with 3 future HOFers. PG got traded to the biggest draft pick haul in NBA history and a promising young PG plus an expiring good player in Gallo. It's not like these guys were like Russ I hate you I'm going to play for the Suns...obviously players of that level have better options than that but they left to go to likely better situations.

Does OKC blow it up or do they make another surprise move to compete? Players they could move include Westbrook, Adams (turns 26 this month), Roberson and Schoder. Does Miami have any assets worth sending to get Westbrook???

And what do the Raptors do?

[60WinTim]

A couple positives of Kawai going to the Clippers are 1) the available FA money took a hit, which would not have happened had he stayed with Toronto, and 2) the Lakers did not become a new 3-star super team.

Once again, injuries will play a big role in who survives in the brutal West...

[TAFKASP]

Will the Raptors consider taking Maple Jordan off our hands now?

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Will the Raptors consider taking Maple Jordan off our hands now?

I'd say more like Maple Kobe. But they could be interested. Unlikely but it's worth a shot.....of Windsor.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Serge Ibaka for Andrew Wiggins straight up. Full send.

[Lipoli390]

Serge Ibaka for Andrew Wiggins straight up. Full send.

Make it happen, Cam!!

[Monster]

FWIW Raptors have like 20 million in salaries for next year. Yes they will have to pay Siakam (low cap hold) and they aren't a top FA destination (and not a great class next year) but will they want to give that up that space to add Wiggins? That option will likely be available later if they want to do it...unless you think there is some secret underground market for Wiggins. Lol