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Big CatBig Cat

I like the Kawhi Leonard trade for the Raptors because their old core wasn't working

I actually like this move for the Raptors because you couldn't, after you lose to LeBron 4-0 in your best season in franchise history... And everyone says these guys are a mental mess. DeMar DeRozan didn't even play in game three in crunch time. You need to do something different.

The Raptors went on to win the NBA championship in 2019 with Kawhi Leonard, making this take extremely prescient.

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Win
Jul 20, 2018
#10787
Big CatBig Cat

Kawhi Leonard is a top five NBA player when healthy

Kawhi is, if he's healthy, which I assume he is, is a top five NBA player. And now you have one of the best defenses in the NBA.

Kawhi Leonard won Finals MVP the following season, proving he was still at a top-five level when healthy.
Void
Jul 20, 2018
#24605
Big CatBig Cat

The Spurs got the worst part of the Kawhi Leonard trade

The Spurs probably got the worst part of this trade because DeMar DeRozan, okay, he's a nice player, but he's obviously not Kawhi, and you didn't get top draft picks, and you had to give up Danny Green, too.

Subjective value of a trade, though the Raptors won a title immediately and the Spurs entered a slow decline, so this is widely considered correct in hindsight.
Win
Jul 20, 2018
#24606
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The Lakers are smart to not overextend for Kawhi Leonard in 2018

It's a smart move by the Lakers to be like, we're not going to overextend for 2019. We're not going to trade our young guys when everyone's going to be a free agent next year.

The Lakers eventually traded those young guys (Lonzo, Ingram) for Anthony Davis in 2019 and won a title in 2020, justifying the patience for a bigger star.

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Big CatBig Cat

Duke is the best team in the country and it would be an all-time failure if they don't win the title

This is the best team in the country. It would be an all time epic failure if Duke doesn't win the national title. They are the first time I believe that a team has reached plus 40 in Ken Palm since 1999. Duke... This team has it all.

The 2026 NCAA tournament has not occurred yet as of the episode date.
Open
Big CatBig Cat

Duke not winning the national title would be the most consequential sports story of all time

I think it would be the biggest sports story of all time. If Duke did not win the national title this year. All time. I think all time story... Duke not winning at all this year would be the biggest, the most consequential sports story of all time. Not our lifetimes of all time.

The outcome is pending, but the scale of the claim is subjective and satirical.
Open
Big CatBig Cat

Arizona's Tommy Lloyd is a candidate to choke in March because he is a Mark Few disciple

Tommy Lloyd being a Mark Few disciple, even though Arizona is really, really, really good. Yeah. I'm just like, that guy's getting choke in March.

Dependent on Arizona's 2026 tournament performance.

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