The Toronto Raptors are finalizing a deal to acquire San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard in a trade package that includes All-Star DeMar DeRozan, league sources told ESPN. An agreement in principle could be reached as soon as Wednesday, league sources said. Leonard and DeRozan are both aware that an agreement could be imminent, and neither is expressing enthusiasm for the deal, league sources said. Toronto and San Antonio have been talking about the trade for two weeks, and several incarnations of packages have been discussed, league sources said. Sources close to DeRozan told ESPN's Chris Haynes that DeRozan met with Toronto brass in Las Vegas during summer league and was told he would not be traded. Leonard has been clear that he plans to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency next summer, so Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri is taking a significant risk in pursuing the trade. Leonard was led to believe by management that he would not be traded, sources told Haynes. DeRozan has three years and $83 million left on his contract, including an Early Termination Option for the 2020-21 season.
Um you sure about that? Despite his size, DeRozan is a bad defender just like CJ so that side of the ball is a wash. DeRozan gets a little over 1 rebound per game more and gets to the free throw line more often. Pretty much every other category is even or in CJ's favor. CJ has a huge advantage shooting 3 pointers too where DeRozan shot under 29% last year.
Tough to say, we have never seen CJ on his own except for when Dame is out. East is weak. However I don't know about the TOP of the east. Depends on the team around him
Um yeah, I basically just told you that CJ is better or at least his equal. Lowry, Ibaka, Valanciunas, OG, Miles, Wright, etc, LeBronto has some decent talent.
My point being that CJ and DeRozan are fairly equal, minor quibbling aside. And reports are out that Leonard has no desire to play in Toronto. I can't imagine Portland somehow making his wishlist of cities, as Toronto has much more culture (think specifically Turkish culture). Therefore, you can make the assumption from my post that people want to shit on Olshey for not trading away a very valuable player and asset for a guy that wouldn't want to be here and is a free agent after the season.
I agree that Kawhi won't stay. The Spurs made out like bandits. They are now another superteam (if you include coaching).
Nah. DeRozan does nothing for them. He's not even remotely a replacement for Kawhi, and they didn't really add anything else this summer. They're done. DeRozan is almost 29. He averaged 23 ppg last season on 45.6% from the field and 31% from three. He's not a defensive player. He can't shoot the three. He's a free throw guy. He's James Harden ultra light. He's a fringe All-Star. They're trading out a top 5 player for a one trick pony that won't get them any closer to a championship. I think they'll move him somewhere else.
They are not a super team, Coach Popavich's god like coaching skills aside. This will help them stay relevant though. But, given that Leonard wanted out and killed any leverage the Spurs might have had, they got a pretty damned good player back. Wasn't expecting that.
Nah he’s as good a player as you are going to get for a disgruntled star with one year left who is willing to sign for LA only next year. Remember that almost everyone gets better after they move to San Antonio, I expect DeRozan to get better too as he has something to prove after this move. They got 47 wins last year without Kawhi. Add DeRozan to that team plus a great young talent Lonnie Walker and it’s a 50+ win team surely.
Glad we weren't the ones giving up a player like CJ/DeRozan for an injured, surly, soon to be free agent that doesn't want to play in his new city.
They shouldn't be trying to get comparable or somewhat comparable star for him. They should be trying to get young stars. That team is desperately in need of a rebuild. Aldridge is 33 and DeRozan will be 29. Neither of those players is a top 10 talent. To me, CJ is a bit of an unknown commodity. We have no idea what he could do if he was the focal point of an offense. He might average 25-30 ppg. We simply don't know. We pretty much know what LMA and DeRozan will do. If I had to choose between CJ and DeRozan, I'd take CJ. But if I was the GM of SAS, I'd be really trying to get Boston or Philly to make me a deal.
It couldn't have gone better. The Spurs got a star, which is a lot better than I expected. And it's at their position of need. They get a SG/SF to replace Kawhi and Tony Parker. But a looming problem...
The Spurs definitely made out better than I would have expected. I still wouldn't put them above next year's Blazers. A tie, if anything.
I really don't think so at all. DeRozan is a bandaid, and really not a very good one. It's good for us though. They're going to need a full rebuild in a couple years.
True. If I was a gm I would have wanted a bunch of future firsts and such. But, after the process finally worked for Philadelphia, no one is wanting to give up firsts. I think a bandaid is ok for San Antonio. They aren't ready to tear it down yet. And they finished with a decent record last year with NO Leonard. I think this next run with DeRozan and LMA will be their last run for a while.
If I was them, I'd blow it up and rely on their awesome scouting department to find them some gems. That would be my move. Get some picks and young players and rebuild. I'd move LMA as well. Just start over. It's the best time to do it because of Golden State and LA and Houston.
