[seaborneq]

Is Kawhi all the way back? Can either guy be the best player on a championship team??

[thereikid]

I believe he is for sure. I think both can but the most important part is health and mental state. If both are healthy and in the right mindset it will workout. Ky can be a bit diva ish but I think it was just the result of youth.

[asiagambler]

Don't think it matters much. Both will still be highly coveted.

Maybe a little bit more Kawhi since the Raptors catered to his every wish and rested him for 20 games this year.

[JaimeMiro]

Kawhi ain't losing in the semi finals to Embiid and sorry ass, can't shoot Simmons. Raps in 5
Kyrie shouldn't be the no.1 option on a Championship team. His ankles get the best of him

[thomorino]

Kyrie takes the bigger hit by far, Lowry always get the blame when Toronto loses and Kawhi won a championship as the first option, the perception will be Kyrie is nothing without Lebron.

[kingdom]

Kyrie takes the bigger hit by far, Lowry always get the blame when Toronto loses and Kawhi won a championship as the first option, the perception will be Kyrie is nothing without Lebron.

more so that the team was better without kyrie. kawhi has obviously upgraded his team's performance and expectations. kyrie seems to be the addition that hurt team chemistry when he plays.

[thomorino]

more so that the team was better without kyrie. kawhi has obviously upgraded his team's performance and expectations. kyrie seems to be the addition that hurt team chemistry when he plays.

That doesn't make sense, Toronto almost always go to the second round with Derozean and Lowry, that's the round they are in now,no one cares about the regular season.

[kingdom]

That doesn't make sense, Toronto almost always go to the second round with Derozean and Lowry, that's the round they are in now,no one cares about the regular season.

key word: expectations. they are favored and expected to make the conference finals. and have a significant shot at winning the east. pre kawhi toronto was always just pretenders. Lebron wouldn't even want to face these raptors with kawhi.

[thomorino]

key word: expectations. they are favored and expected to make the conference finals. and have a significant shot at winning the east. pre kawhi toronto was always just pretenders. Lebron wouldn't even want to face these raptors with kawhi.

Expectations were very high with Toronto last year, they were the 1 seed, that's why the loss to Cleveland without Kyrie was so disappointing to many.

[2daBank]

Kyrie takes the bigger hit by far, Lowry always get the blame when Toronto loses and Kawhi won a championship as the first option, the perception will be Kyrie is nothing without Lebron.

I’d argue bron didnt look very special in his last finals without kyrie being the closer.,

Who says either gonna lose this coming round tho?

[2daBank]

Expectations were very high with Toronto last year, they were the 1 seed, that's why the loss to Cleveland without Kyrie was so disappointing to many.

Toronto before getting a star I looked at same way I look at nuggets. Cute regular season story.

[Grits n' Gravy]

Neither. Barring major injury, Both guys will get max deals of their choosing regardless of how this postseason plays out.

[2daBank]

Neither. Barring major injury, Both guys will get max deals of their choosing regardless of how this postseason plays out.

No doubt.

[jjgold]

Neither. Barring major injury, Both guys will get max deals of their choosing regardless of how this postseason plays out.

end of thread

[seaborneq]

Neither. Barring major injury, Both guys will get max deals of their choosing regardless of how this postseason plays out.

There is still a pecking order for the free agents. Flop and play poorly and you could end up being the third choice of a new team or consolation prize for a poor team. No one pays attention to performance and play until the playoffs. This is where you make your money. Ask Larry Brown or Joe Flacco.

[2daBank]

There is still a pecking order for the free agents. Flop and play poorly and you could end up being the third choice of a new team or consolation prize for a poor team. No one pays attention to performance and play until the playoffs. This is where you make your money. Ask Larry Brown or Joe Flacco.

Far different circumstance. 1st off Kawhi allegedly wants to go West while kyrie seems like a east coast guy. Don’t think they competing to go same places and since money all the same they are going where they want to be.

[seaborneq]

Far different circumstance. 1st off Kawhi allegedly wants to go West while kyrie seems like a east coast guy. Don’t think they competing to go same places and since money all the same they are going where they want to be.

Supposedly, Kawhi will be a Clipper, California product, and Kyrie will be a Knick, local product, neither of those teams are as good as their current teams, so the money will be the same wherever they go, will either make their new teams better if they can't get already good teams out of the second round of this year's playoffs???

[2daBank]

Supposedly, Kawhi will be a Clipper, California product, and Kyrie will be a Knick, local product, neither of those teams are as good as their current teams, so the money will be the same wherever they go, will either make their new teams better if they can't get already good teams out of the second round of this year's playoffs???

Well if you believe what they say kyrie won’t be only player going to NY. Him alone I don’t think would mean much more than early playoff exit which still be big improvement for Knicks. I’m
More curious if kyrie bolts if celts go to finals? I think Boston still the best/most dangerous team in the east, I could be wrong tho.

[seaborneq]

Well if you believe what they say kyrie won’t be only player going to NY. Him alone I don’t think would mean much more than early playoff exit which still be big improvement for Knicks. I’m
More curious if kyrie bolts if celts go to finals? I think Boston still the best/most dangerous team in the east, I could be wrong tho.

Kyrie can't get these Knicks to the playoffs even if he is averging 30+ points a game.

[Cuse0323]

Kyrie takes the bigger hit by far, Lowry always get the blame when Toronto loses and Kawhi won a championship as the first option, the perception will be Kyrie is nothing without Lebron.

Yep. Kawhi is well respected. I think he’s a bit overrated myself but the consensus on him won’t change.

[thomorino]

Kyrie can't get these Knicks to the playoffs even if he is averging 30+ points a game.

Kyrie would only consider the Knicks if Durant was there first or if Boston doesn't offer the max, he's the kind of player who gets exposed without the right team around him, some people still remember what trash Cleveland was before Lebron got there.

[seaborneq]

Both guys seem to be sought out as co stars or complementary pieces wherever they go except Kawhi to the Clippers.

[2daBank]

Kyrie can't get these Knicks to the playoffs even if he is averging 30+ points a game.

I’m assuming there no chance in hell he goes alone. But in the east where pistons and Orlando made it I’d take kyrie and bunch of nothing to get a 7-8 seed.

[seaborneq]

Kyrie would only consider the Knicks if Durant was there first or if Boston doesn't offer the max, he's the kind of player who gets exposed without the right team around him, some people still remember what trash Cleveland was before Lebron got there.

Kyrie thinks he is an alpha dog/leading Man type. He will go to Knicks without KD. He doesn't care about winning being a sidekick. He has been there done that

[Goat Milk]

Both guys are top 10 players. If you're a top 20 player in the NBA, you get a max deal.

[kingdom]

Expectations were very high with Toronto last year, they were the 1 seed, that's why the loss to Cleveland without Kyrie was so disappointing to many.

maybe disappointing, but not surprising. lebron was the boogey man to those guys for years.

[seaborneq]

Both guys are top 10 players. If you're a top 20 player in the NBA, you get a max deal.

There are still levels of max players. Just like there are different wings in the hall of fame. Being a max players doesn't make sure that's the best player.

[seaborneq]

Both guys are top 10 players. If you're a top 20 player in the NBA, you get a max deal.

Ray Allen was a max players at one time for the Bucks, yet I did not hear one person say he was the best player in the league. Max is more about timing than actually being the best player.

[Goat Milk]

There are still levels of max players. Just like there are different wings in the hall of fame. Being a max players doesn't make sure that's the best player.

Sure. But what's the difference if you're making 30 mill a year or 37 mill a year. Who cares at that point. Don't think those guys do. Kyrie* is more likely to take less money and play on a worse team imo. Kyrie suffered enough years on losing teams to never want to go back to that. Imo Kyrie is chasing rings and Leonard is chasing stats. Leonard is just now starting to average 27 a game. But look at his career numbers. Nothing special. He knows he has some making up to do.

[seaborneq]

Boston and Toronto are both down 2-1.

[Goat Milk]

Ray Allen was a max players at one time for the Bucks, yet I did not hear one person say he was the best player in the league. Max is more about timing than actually being the best player.

Ray Allen was easily a top 15 player in the world when he was on the bucks. He was the number 1 option on that team.

[2daBank]

Ray Allen was a max players at one time for the Bucks, yet I did not hear one person say he was the best player in the league. Max is more about timing than actually being the best player.

Much like qb’s in the nfl these days it way more about timing and need than talent level when it comes to gettin paid.

[seaborneq]

Ray Allen was easily a top 15 player in the world when he was on the bucks. He was the number 1 option on that team.

I didn't think Ray Allen was a better player than Big Dog. I never considered him a top player in the NBA, but a great shooter.

[jjgold]

We know Kyrie is a nobody without James

[The General]

Neither are better than Larry.