ESPN - East Race Predictions post-Kawhi Trade

[Moranis]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24133210/kawhi-leonard-trade-debate-raptors-east-favorites-celtics-sixers

[timpiker]

Thanks.

This guy is a certifiable nutjob - "Jeremias Engelmann, ESPN Insider: Fact. The Raptors had significantly more Pythagorean wins"....what the hell?

And further down someone mentioned the C's should have traded Hayward for Kawhi.  I swear, some people are sick.  For a 1 year rental?  Really?

These guys get paid for the crap that rolls off their tongues?

[Monkhouse]

People still use ESPN as a credible source?

[BringToughnessBack]

Thanks.

This guy is a certifiable nutjob - "Jeremias Engelmann, ESPN Insider: Fact. The Raptors had significantly more Pythagorean wins"....what the hell?

And further down someone mentioned the C's should have traded Hayward for Kawhi.  I swear, some people are sick.  For a 1 year rental?  Really?

These guys get paid for the crap that rolls off their tongues?

Total nut job. Danny is not looking to alienate our coach by trading Hayward after that injury. Can you imagine?

This is not the same thing as IT situation, we signed Hayward as a free agent and he chose us vs max in Utah. This is a big differentiator with trading players. IT wanted the brinks truck so Danny sent him packing for a top 10 player in Kyrie. Not saying that Danny would not trade anyone for the right situation, but clearly, this is not one of them.

[knuckleballer]

2. Fact or fiction: The Celtics or Sixers should have topped Toronto's offer for Kawhi.

Herring: In theory? Fact. I would've considered trading away Gordon Hayward if I were Danny Ainge. And I would've been open to moving Markelle Fultz if I were Philly. The catch is that you'd obviously want a firm sense of commitment from Kawhi before pulling the trigger. There was no indication that Kawhi was going to offer that, so it might have been in both teams' best interest to pass.

He would trade Hayward and considered trading Fultz?  I know Fultz is younger and makes a lot less, but really?

[slamtheking]

saw the article yesterday.  total hack job.   

[Rosco917]

He's not going to stay in Toronto, it's a Hockey town. There will be no 175 million dollar sneaker deals in Toronto. The Raptors wanted to get out of the DeRosen contract and they did. Just like they want out of the Ibaka contract. They're paying an aging Lowery 31 million a year...I'm sure they want out of that contract too.

IMO in the long run, what they really want is to rebuild asap.

Kawhi will end up in LA by this time next year, by trade or FA.

In the meantime, Toronto will be a good team. The C's will be just as good if not better.

[wdleehi]

2. Fact or fiction: The Celtics or Sixers should have topped Toronto's offer for Kawhi.

Herring: In theory? Fact. I would've considered trading away Gordon Hayward if I were Danny Ainge. And I would've been open to moving Markelle Fultz if I were Philly. The catch is that you'd obviously want a firm sense of commitment from Kawhi before pulling the trigger. There was no indication that Kawhi was going to offer that, so it might have been in both teams' best interest to pass.

He would trade Hayward and considered trading Fultz?  I know Fultz is younger and makes a lot less, but really?

If Kawhi is healthy and indicated he wanted to stay well past the season, then it would make basketball sense in terms of talent upgrade.  But none of that happens. 

[Fafnir]

There was a weird tendency to view Kawhi as likelier to be healthy than Hayward/Kyrie by some analysts.

Not sure why. I guess the C's have two all-stars instead of one to worry about. Both teams should be better this year. Lowry will likely decline some but the rest of Toronto's age curve should improve.

All three of the top teams in the east should improve.

[gouki88]

2. Fact or fiction: The Celtics or Sixers should have topped Toronto's offer for Kawhi.

Herring: In theory? Fact. I would've considered trading away Gordon Hayward if I were Danny Ainge. And I would've been open to moving Markelle Fultz if I were Philly. The catch is that you'd obviously want a firm sense of commitment from Kawhi before pulling the trigger. There was no indication that Kawhi was going to offer that, so it might have been in both teams' best interest to pass.

He would trade Hayward and considered trading Fultz?  I know Fultz is younger and makes a lot less, but really?

Why would SAS be even somewhat interested in Fultz?

[Fafnir]

If Kawhi is healthy and indicated he wanted to stay well past the season, then it would make basketball sense in terms of talent upgrade.  But none of that happens.

Yeah he wanted no part of the east coast in every single report, so just didn't make sense for the C's or 76ers. Not sure why they would gloss over that.

[footey]

May be hack job but I for one think Toronto is going to be really good this year. Leonard is twice the player DeRozen was, even if a one year rental. Don’t understand others’ flippancy. 

[saltlover]

May be hack job but I for one think Toronto is going to be really good this year. Leonard is twice the player DeRozen was, even if a one year rental. Don’t understand others’ flippancy.

I’m there with you.  The Raptors were a terrific team last year.  Yes, they choked in the playoffs against LeBron (and LeBron hit a crazy shot to win another game as well).  My gut says if we had played Toronto in the postseason we wouldn’t have beaten them.  Yes, we were down some key players, but Toronto didn’t win 59 games by accident, and they are a better team this year than last (assuming Kawhi actually shows up).  Anyone taking them for granted is going to be sorely disappointed.  I think we should come out ahead of them, but the margin for error isnt very large.  They are a far greater threat than Philly.

[Moranis]

2. Fact or fiction: The Celtics or Sixers should have topped Toronto's offer for Kawhi.

Herring: In theory? Fact. I would've considered trading away Gordon Hayward if I were Danny Ainge. And I would've been open to moving Markelle Fultz if I were Philly. The catch is that you'd obviously want a firm sense of commitment from Kawhi before pulling the trigger. There was no indication that Kawhi was going to offer that, so it might have been in both teams' best interest to pass.

He would trade Hayward and considered trading Fultz?  I know Fultz is younger and makes a lot less, but really?

It would have been Kawhi and Green for Hayward straight up most likely.  It would have been Saric, Covington, Fultz, 1st for Kawhi straight up most likely.  The trade packages would have been completely different.

[PhoSita]

ESPN is mostly clickbait these days.  This article seems to fall into that category.