Isaiah Thomas takes veiled shot at Celtics

[JSD]

https://weei.radio.com/blogs/john-tomase/kawhi-leonard-trade-isaiah-thomas-takes-veiled-shot-celtics-after-spurs-and



Enough IT!

[Roy H.]

IT isn’t wrong. Neither is DeRozan. “Loyalty” is a one-way Street. Players are expected to give “home town discounts”, while teams show no loyalty to players.

[Tr1boy]

IT isn’t wrong. Neither is DeRozan. “Loyalty” is a one-way Street. Players are expected to give “home town discounts”, while teams show no loyalty to players.

But isnt smart

Money just keeps flying out the window 

[mrceltics2013]

I side with IT on this one. Loyalty is important and until the teams start showing it to players the players are going to keep disrespecting the league (GSW)

[footey]

IT isn’t wrong. Neither is DeRozan. “Loyalty” is a one-way Street. Players are expected to give “home town discounts”, while teams show no loyalty to players.

Teams ask for players to give home town discounts, but this rarely ever happens. Most players look to get the most $$ they can when they become free agents. The CBA is written so that home teams can offer more/longer deals.

But I don't mind IT taking a shot.  He has every right, after what he gave us.

[danglertx]

I'd agree if the players were the ones shelling out millions of dollars to the teams

[Roy H.]

I'd agree if the players were the ones shelling out millions of dollars to the teams

Aren’t they? The players are the product.

Everyone should just cut the word “loyalty” out of their vocabulary when it comes to pro sports.

[Scintan]

It's right.  But a bunch of people will get their hackles up, and wrongly attack him, anyway.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

IT isn’t wrong. Neither is DeRozan. “Loyalty” is a one-way Street. Players are expected to give “home town discounts”, while teams show no loyalty to players.

I agree, they are right, but you and they need to stop pretending that players are loyal. They want their pay and/or minutes and a large role or they leave! It's a business and there is no loyalty on both sides! How loyal was IT4 when he signed in Phx then immediately starting crying about his role pretty much forcing his way out? Players cry loyalty when they get their way but are the first to jump ship when it isn't perfect for them! Who knows what IT4 would have done if he didn't get the pay he wanted. He can cry about loyalty because the Cs didn't let him have the chance to walk on his own. I highly doubt you talk about loyalty if IT4 took the max from some other team.

IT4 nor any report has ever said DA promised he wouldn't trade him. DD apparently got a promise, totally different circumstances.

Loyalty isn't a one way street.

[Ilikesports17]

I'd agree if the players were the ones shelling out millions of dollars to the teams

Aren’t they? The players are the product.

Everyone should just cut the word “loyalty” out of their vocabulary when it comes to pro sports.

That's the best way to handle this. Gordon Hayward didn't owe the Jazz anything and Danny Ainge didn't owe Isaiah Thomas anything. Now if Toronto promised Derozan he was not going to be traded and they lied to him, then they are scummy, but it's a business. If it's not in writing it might as well not exist.

[Celtics4ever]

It's a business not club of friends.   After Ainge, traded PP you know anyone could be traded.  Especially, an undersized guard, who is injured even though he played his heart out and loved the City, but you knew he could be gone the moment he said the Brinks Truck statement.

[bdm860]

More players should fight to get trade kickers in their contract.

Supposedly DeMar left $14m on the table when he re-signed with the Raptors to allow the team room to add other players.

Per CBA FAQ, the trade kicker can't exceed 15% of remaining value of contract (not including option years) as long as it won't cause a player to be paid more than the max and is paid by the team trading the player away (but can be waived by the player to make a trade happen, like Kyrie did for the C's).

So the Raptors would have had to pay DeMar an additional $8.3m.  I think this would be a good compromise.  I think it's a little better for the league than a NTC, still allows movement, players can't hold a team hostage, but a team has to give additional comp to the player if they trade him away.

I wouldn't take a team friendly discount without one (anyone can get a trade kicker, as opposed to a NTC which is harder to qualify for).

[Big333223]

This feels like a non-story to me. Both Derozan and IT have reasons to feel the way they feel and I don't think either team did anything wrong in either situation. Life frequently doesn't feel good. You're allowed to not like it even when there isn't someone to blame.

[Banner18now!]

Lol some of you guys want loyalty to IT? Look were loyalty would have brought the Celtics. Where would they be if they gave a max contract to a 5'9 guard with a bum hip? This team wouldn't be competing for championships if they worried about loyalty.  Only the best players will get loyalty because they bring the best chance of winning. IT was great with Celtics but let's be real he was never going to be a corner stone player which made him expendable. Danny used him to get an elite player in Irving and that's the business of trying to win championships. IT screwed himself for whatever happened in Cleveland and LA. 

[playdream]

The guy who is barking for Brink truck when he is worth 2M$ is talking about loyalty?