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ty-talks-comics · 5 years

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Best of DC: Week of August 14th, 2019

Best of this Week: Justice League Odyssey #12 - Dan Abnett, Will Conrad, Rain Beredo and Andworld Design

Darkseid is.

The former ruler of Apokalips’ plans have finally come to fruition after the small team of heroes brings together the final few relics to complete Sepulkore, the planet that will release a wave of cosmic energy all over the Ghost Sector and make it immune to the destruction of the Multiverse. Narrated by Darkseid, this issue expands on how far back he’s had these ideas and plans in place, even anticipating the betrayal from Cyborg, Starfire and Azrael from the beginning. He hasn’t been lying to them at all, but rather, omitting a few things so that his plans would proceed as they naturally would.

In the last issue we see Darkseid take control of Cyborg, turning him into a dangerous, Motherbox like being with all of the knowledge of the universe and more at his disposal. Darkseid orders Cyborg to keep Azrael and Jessica Cruz distracted while he fights an enraged Starfire. He sees the spark in her eyes and flings her into the core of Sepulkore, where she was destined to be the flame that lit the fire pits of this new hell. As Sepulkore awakens, Darkseid becomes even more powerful. Azrael is left with no other choice than to call his warriors into the fight as well.Unfortunately for him, as soon as the Azraelites enter Darkseid’s presence, they are turned into a new fodder-force: Para-Angels. Azrael succumbs to Darkseid’s control soon after as well.

With all of the pieces falling into place, Darkseid smiles. His new Apokalips is lit and it connects with all of the other remaining relics in the Ghost Sector, becoming a reality unto itself. Darkseid monologues to himself that he has always known that the Source Wall would fall and the Multiverse would be destroyed eventually. Since his early years, Darkseid has been lying in wait, creating myths of heroes that would be Gods and those Gods would serve him. The Eternal One - Darkseid.

His new acolytes look upon him, chanting “Darkseid is,” as he returns to his full power. Jessica Cruz stands tall against him, however. I want to take a moment to say how much I love her journey as a character. She started out as this young girl that could barely leave her apartment and she could barely control her fears which allowed Power Ring from Earth 3 take control of her. Since then she has fought to get past her fears, anxieties and PTSD to become one of the most courageous Lanterns in all of the Green Lantern Corps.

With only about two percent power left in her ring, she tells Darkseid that she will not let him win. His plans will fail if she has anything to do about it and Darkseid is mildly impressed. Darkseid could crush her, without question. She’s barely a fly on his rader, but he’s super into her tenacity. He offers her a place at the table, he cold become as powerful as Cyborg, Starfire or Azrael, a New God of Indomitable Will as Darkseid puts it.

Jessica says “Screw You,” and plants Darkseid with a mean right cross, firmly planting her in the same club as Guy Gardner and Hal Jordan, the “Are You Absolutely Insane? You Really Thought It Was A Good Idea to Punch HIM?” Club

Summarily, he swats her away, crushes her ring hand and Omega Beams her to hell.

*HEAVY SPOILERS ARE HEAVY*

Summarily, he slaps her, crushes her ring hand and Omega Beams her to hell.

*HEAVY SPOILER HOURS ARE OVER*

Will Conrad does the art for this issue and every single page is a wonder to look at. Darkseid is made to look unreasonably imposing as his power increases over time. Cyborg with his advanced mech body looks like a thing of terror as he has a faceguard only over his mouth and his human eye is a milky white. I also appreciate how his metal parts are shaded to give them a sheen. Sepulkore itself is drawn with an immense sense of scale and the architecture of it complex and effective, looking like a huge dodecahedron. Darkseid himself even has a new design that mimics some of his Superman: TAS look with tights added.

Justice League Odyssey might be one of the best ongoing Justice League stories right now because of how different it is to the rest of them. With a team almost as strange as the mid-2000s R.E.B.E.L.S. team and it being centered around an even stranger area of space, everything is so cool. Though there have been a few artists, each have taken different approaches to make all of the different locations and character designs cool.

What should really be applauded is the work when it comes to Beredo’s colors. For the most part, this book is awash in an oppressive red hue as Darkseid become stronger as the book goes on. This color blends well with Starfire’s fiery starbolts and Azrael’s flaming sword. It also worked best with Jessics Cruz being the only contrasting color in the bunch as her green made her the hopeful hero. Beredo makes everything feel dire as hell and it really sells the mood of the book.

I can’t wait for the next issue of the series because Darkseid has effectively won. He has a new Apokalips that he can rule from away from the dangers of the Multiverse and Perpetua. With his new New Gods, the Dark Sector will be another oppressive entity that Darkseid can hatch his schemes from with he regained power. The best question of all, however… who will stop him?

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Barry Allen is back and better than before.

Runner Up: The Flash #76 - Joshua Williamson, Rafael Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Tomeu Morey and Steve Wands

After re-living one of his first adventures as The Flash, Barry sees just how out of touch with things that he has been lately. He realizes that he hasn’t taken the time to slow down since Wally returned and he’s just been throwing himself into adventure after adventure without any regard for his friends and family and it has caused their lives to suffer because of it.

Iris has practically left him. Wallace West distanced himself from Barry as much as possible, even going so far as to briefly join a team with Deathstroke. Avery, the Flash of China, isn’t even that close to Barry, but he also left her and Wallace in the middle of an argument just before he went off on his Force Quest. In an effort to put a stop to the Rogues that have now branched out of Central City, he’s been going through the escapees left and right.

We begin with Kid Flash and Avery fighting with Girder and Tarpit in the middle of Central City. The two young Speedsters are quick, but not all is right as they have a hard time putting any serious damage on either. Just as Tarpit is about to burn them alive, Barry zips in and saves the teens.

Rafa Sandoval is absolutely one of my favorites of DC’s current crop of artists and my favorite Flash artist. His slick lines and shading combined with Morey’s coloring and Tarragona’s inks makes everything look smooth. Costumes look good, bright and vibrant. Flash’s deep red stands out and compliments Wally’s yellow and surprisingly Avery’s dark pink and purples. Shadows are appropriately dark and every blast of lightning and every blur is stunning to see.

Barry gives his young proteges some advice in dealing with Tarpit and Girder, allowing the young speedsters to defeat the villains. After the win, Wallace is less than enthused to see Barry again and begins to walk away before Barry asks them both to run with him, to see how he's trying to make up for his mistakes.

Begrudgingly they agree and we get another amazing shot of Barry running while flanked by Avery and Wallace. I really loved this because it reminded me of the old Flash Family days and because Barry is really trying his best.

He shows them the rebuilt Flash Museum and they're amazed that he managed to rebuild it all by himself. Barry reveals that there's something more and they use their vibration abilities to enter their new headquarters, which I don't have a pun for yet. They're greeted by Commander Cold(?) And Steadfast, the new avatar of the Still Force, and Barry explains what's been going on with their powers.

Wallace had been noticing small things, but he thought it was all in his head. Apparently with the release of all of these new forces, the Speed Force is collapsing under the weight of these new forces that aren't supposed to exist alongside it. This is further backed up as The Black Flash returns for a cliffhanger ending.

As all of this is going on, in another city altogether, Heatwave is causing havoc, seemingly with his own heat powers having returned. The cops show up to confront him, but are suddenly incapacitated by blasts of ice. Captain Cold, Leonard Snart, has begun to gather his Rogues. With updated Cold Gear, to mirror his own New 52 ice powers, he hands Heatwave a Heat Gun and he two OG Rogues reunite to gather the rest of the troops and finally take down The Flash.

With this first part being so affectionately referred to as "The Death of the Speed Force part 1" I can't imagine that any of this will end well. The Speed Force has been in existence for the better part of almost 30+ years now and there's a good chance that we've seen all that we possibly can from it. It's been used to trap people, reset universes and even bring back past Speedsters for big events.

With the Speed Force dying, now's a great opportunity for new stories to be told with the Flashes exploring new ways for their powers to work if the Speed Force does indeed get destroyed in the future. But what will this mean for other speedsters still trapped like Jai and Iris West II, and Jay Garrick? Will they be immediately freed or will Doomsday Clock somehow tie into things? Only time will tell! High recommend!

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policeslime35-blog · 5 years

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NFL Mock Draft Roundup: Defensive line is the obvious popular pick for the Eagles

The 2019 NFL Draft will be here before you know it. Mock draft season has already begun and there’s no shortage of opinion as to whom the Philadelphia Eagles might select with the No. 25 overall pick. Let’s take a look at which players the experts have the Eagles taking this week.

Defensive end is an obvious need with Brandon Graham and Chris Long potentially not returning to the Eagles in 2019. Polite was also the best player available on the board in this situation. Add in Howie Roseman’s #GatorBias and that checks all the boxes. The 20-year-old Polite finished his junior season with 45 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, six (!) forced fumbles, and four pass deflections. The Eagles’ defensive end rotation could look something like this in 2019: Derek Barnett, Michael Bennett, Josh Sweat, and Polite.

The Eagles could go in many directions here, but any time you can add a speedy edge rusher; you gotta do it. Brandon Graham is likely on the outs as a free agent, Derek Barnett is returning from injury and the team will need someone to rotate in with Michael Bennett at defensive end. Polite has sky high potential and instant impact ability. The Eagles might entertain getting a cornerback here, but with Polite on the board they should sprint to the podium.

Maybe this is too reactionary, but the Sunday’s playoff loss to the Saints showed that the Eagles need a true lead running back. Don’t forget that Jay Ajayi, who tore his ACL this season, is a free agent. If there’s a first-round back in the 2019 draft, it is Jacobs.

The storybook run of Philadelphia back through the playoffs was truly something to behold — but like all good things, it finally came to an end. And when it did, we noticed that, while DT Timmy Jernigan came back from a back injury to start meaningful reps, his quality of play decreased. His contract now non-guaranteed due to the non-football injury, and the depth behind him laughable, Jim Schwartz will look to add pass-rush juice with Wilkins, a 3-tech next to Fletcher Cox and a 1-tech stopgap when Cox isn’t on the field. In 2019, Philadelphia can now rush Cox, Wilkins, Michael Bennett, Derek Barnett, Josh Sweat, and Brandon Graham if he’s retained. That’s a whole lotta oomph.

With free agents Brandon Graham and Chris Long potentially moving on, Philadelphia could add some pass-rush help here. At 6-foot-6, 241 pounds, Sweat is a rangy prospect who is athletically gifted. And he produced, racking up 22 sacks the past two seasons. Receiver is also a position to watch, as Golden Tate and Mike Wallace are both on the free-agent market.

This would be the steal of the draft for the Eagles. Wilkins is a top-10 talent.

Polite had a breakout season for the Gators in 2018 with 45 tackles (19.5 for loss), 11 sacks, and best of all, 6 forced fumbles. He is one of the funnest prospects in this draft to watch, because of his combination of speed, pass rush feel, and relentlessness. Polite is a game-changing playmaker, and in any other draft, I would say there’s no way he could possibly make it to pick No. 25. However, in a draft that Howie Roseman called “historic” for it’s overabundance of defensive line prospects... maybe? I do also think that a trade up for a high-level, immediately-contributing defensive lineman prospect is possible, as the Eagles potentially have some outgoing pass rushers this offseason: Brandon Graham will be a free agent, and he is going to test the market. Michael Bennett was a good player in 2018, and he’ll be under contract in 2019 at a reasonable cost of $7 million, but he’s 33. Chris Long is also under contract, but he’ll be 34 in March, and he almost retired last year. Beyond that trio, the only defensive end on the roster with any legitimate NFL production is Derek Barnett. A defensive end in the first round is, in my opinion, by far the most likely position to be addressed. If there’s any concern with Polite, it’s that he’s undersized, at 6-foot-2, 242 pounds. If bigger offensive tackles get a hold of him, they can drive him back in the run game. That said, he plays with a violent, nasty demeanor, and is far from passive as a run defender. He’ll make his share of plays for loss, which is what Jim Schwartz prioritizes.

The Eagles’ safety group could use a youthful member. Thompson wasn’t a consistent play-maker for the Crimson Tide in 2018 ... but he’s very rangy and equally as impactful stopping the run as he is in coverage.

Adderley made a name for himself over the final months of the season and the FCS standout could find himself among the first 32 players taken. He’ll have a chance to prove himself at the Senior Bowl and the biggest question might be his size -- is he big enough to play safety over the course of an NFL season -- because every other aspect of his game checks all the boxes of what teams look for in a defensive back.

Harmon has the physicality to win at the catch point and over the middle, adding another outside weapon to the Eagles offense. He graded at 83.3 overall last season while winning 17 of his 30 contested catch opportunities.

The Philadelphia Eagles secondary is much better than most would assume given the lack of huge names on the depth chart, but there is still a need for cornerback upgrades and depth, as seen in the divisional round loss to the New Orleans Saints. Washington’s Byron Murphy is only around 5’11”, but he’s a feisty cover man with excellent instincts and closing speed. He showed off his ball skills all season for the Huskies and was a thorn in the side of Pac-12 quarterbacks. Some scouts might see Murphy as a slot cornerback, and that’s a possible destination for him in Philadelphia. But no matter where he’s lining up, he has the skills to make a major impact immediately.

Well, “The Magic Run” is over, Philly fans. Many Eagles’ faithful have moved to the stage of grief where they can accept this loss, and appreciate the good memories. Not me. My throat is still sore from screaming at the TV during the final drive, hoping Doug Pederson would hear me telling him there’s no need to rush or panic...that with a mere 27 yards to go, with two full minutes remaining, and time outs in your pocket, you could take your time, milk the clock, and get the winning TD with 20 seconds left. CERTAINLY there was no need to spaz out and inexplicably try to squeeze ONE MORE PLAY in before the two-minute warning when there was an eternity of time left and NO NEED to increase the chance of a mistake by rushing a play off when... OK wait: Serenity Now. As I was saying, the 2019 Eagles’ season has officially begun. There will be a lot of personnel decisions that will be made in the coming months. With OT Jason Peters likely retiring, the Achilles injury to OG Brandon Brooks, and even C Jason Kelce mentioning retirement...what will this O-Line look like next year? The D-Line, with the uncertain futures of Brandon Graham and Michael Bennett, has its own question marks. Multiple running backs may be needed. And, with all due respect to Nelson Agholor and Golden Tate, a field-stretching WR is also needed. The Eagles were a middling 16th in splash pass plays (20+ YDS) in 2018, and that needs to improve. Wolfpack WR Kelvin Harmon may not be a true burner, however he is very effective at all levels of the route tree. Coaches will love his attitude, work ethic, and the mean streak he brings to the table when blocking for the run. Harmon may not be the true complementary speedster the Eagles need right now, but he could be a legit #1 WR when Alshon Jeffery’s days are over in Philly. Plus, he’s just REALLY good at football.

Imagine how poorly a 30th-ranked pass defense would have fared without a capable line to mask its shortcomings. Dropping in the Jim Thorpe Award winner would be a step in the right direction.

Montgomery (5-11, 216 pounds) has emerged as a strong prospect because he finishes run strong and has shown some good hands and wiggle as a receiver. The Eagles have been a committee team under Doug Pederson, but injuries and ineffectiveness should make them consider one back who can do it all and complement Carson Wentz on every down.

There’s no question that the secondary needs some help, but there are a few promising pieces already in place that could turn into better players with a bit more patience and another season of development. The offensive tackle situation needs somewhat of a makeover. Jason Peters has been a staple of the front for nearly a decade, but injuries seem to slowly be taking a toll on his body. It’s unclear if the team will part ways with him this offseason, but an heir apparent needs to be in place due to his injury history. Cajuste is a very solid option to fill that void.

Protecting Carson Wentz has to be Philly’s primary objective, and finding a long-term replacement for Jason Peters should be a huge part of that. Cajuste is still smoothing out the rough edges in his game, but he’s got all the talent to be a stud blocker in the NFL.

It was a nightmare season for the Eagles secondary, with injuries and lackluster play equating to one of the leagues worst pass defenses. Needless to say that is not a good place to be in this pass-heavy age, so those issues on the backend must be resolved. Any plan to do that will likely include the addition of at least one high-quality cornerback or safety to the mix. Abram is a big, physical, aggressive safety with superb instincts who is at his best playing downhill, whether it’s against the run or even as a blitzer. Despite being an explosive athlete with decent ball skills who runs relatively well, Abram has some struggles in coverage but to his credit has made strides in this area. Abram also earns positive reviews for his intangibles such as toughness and leadership, showing the ability to anchor a secondary.

DE Jachai Polite - 3 DT Christian Wilkins - 2 OT Yodny Cajuste - 2 WR Kelvin Harmon - 2 S Deionte Thompson - 1 S Johnathan Abram - 1 S Nasir Adderley - 1 RB David Montgomery - 1 RB Josh Jacobs - 1 CB DeAndre Baker - 1 CB Byron Murphy - 1 DE Montez Sweat - 1

DE - 4 S - 3 DT - 2 OT - 2 RB - 2 CB - 2 WR - 2

Offense - 6 Defense - 11

We’re going to see a ton of mock drafts that have the Eagles taking defensive linemen this offseason. It’s a big need and the 2019 NFL Draft class is loaded with DL talent.

There’s a good chance Polite and/or Wilkins don’t even fall to the Eagles. Philly might luck out on the DL class being so deep, however, that someone unexpected falls in their laps at No. 25. Both of those players would be great additions to this defense.

Getting Cajuste would make me feel better about the Eagles’ offensive tackle situation. I really don’t love the idea of Halapoulivaati Vaitai entering the 2019 season as the undisputed starting left tackle if Jason Peters isn’t back. (Click here to read more about Cajuste).

I don’t really expect the Eagles to go with a wide receiver but maybe that changes depending on what happens with Nelson Agholor ($9.4 million cap hit in 2019, zero guaranteed), Mike Wallace (free agent), and Jordan Matthews (free agent).

I can’t see the Eagles taking a first-round running back. They haven’t done it in 34 years. I’ll believe it when I see it. With that said, the team does need to make some kind of significant addition(s) in the backfield.

I don’t see first-round cornerback happening, either. The Eagles have a lot of youth there already: Avonte Maddox (22), Sidney Jones (22), Rasul Douglas (23), Jalen Mills (24), and Cre’Von LeBlanc (24). We’ll also see what happens with Ronald Darby (25), who is set to be a free agent.

Safety is an underrated need with Rodney McLeod (9.9 million cap hit) coming off ACL/MCL injuries and Corey Graham (free agent) potentially retiring.

Who is your favorite for No. 25?

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2019/1/19/18189479/nfl-mock-draft-roundup-2019-defensive-line-eagles-jachai-polite-end-tackle-pass-rush-philadelphia

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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shervonfakhimi · 6 years

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The Kawhi Trade Reaction

Yes, it actually happened. The year long Kawhi Leonard-San Antonio Spurs saga has come to a screeching conclusion, as the Spurs have traded him, along with Danny Green, to the Toronto Raptors for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a 2019 1st Round Protected that will convey if it is placed outside the Top 20. What does this mean for each party involved? Let’s dig in.

San Antonio Spurs

Let’s start with the Spurs. The market was fairly dry for Kawhi, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne previously reported. Without getting an offer that included Markelle Fultz, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum or Brandon Ingram from the three most noted suitors for Kawhi, the Spurs elected to retool and stay competitive rather than bottom out and plan for a rebuild. To quote Jerry Seinfeld, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it isn’t the route I would’ve taken, yet San Antonio has had plenty of success developing non-lottery draft selections and allowing them to gain much needed playoff experience. Heck, Kawhi Leonard was the 15th overall pick and no one expected him to have a championship, Finals MVP and multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards to his name to be left off. Their development and experience matched with Leonard’s outstanding work ethic and stoic demeanor allowed him and the Spurs as a collective to reach the milestones they did. A team led by DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge won’t match the peaks Kawhi helped the Spurs reach, but should help San Antonio stay competitive, make the playoffs and give fans a product to enjoy on the court. Jakob Poeltl gives the Spurs some much needed youth and athleticism in the front court, with some rim protection, energy and savvy on the offensive end. DeRozan is the closest approximate to a primary option the Spurs can realistically find. He isn’t the most efficient scorer (career 44.8% from the field, 28.8% from 3), but has upped his playmaking and should find more opportunities in the finely tuned offense Spurs offense. He can provide and create the offense in tense situations and have every offensive possession not to be a LaMarcus Aldridge fadeaway jumpshot over his right shoulder on the low post, which should ease some of the load off of him as well. If the Spurs nearly won 50 games without Kawhi, getting a guy who just made an All-NBA team should lift them into that stratosphere, even if he isn’t all that great a defender and they lost one of the better role players in the league in Danny Green. DeRozan is realistically the best player the Spurs could’ve traded for if they decided to keep the ship going. Players like Lonnie Walker IV, Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Jakob Poeltl, can and will still develop under the stewardship of Popovich and his staff. While the status as championship contender can not be bestowed upon the Spurs any longer without the requisite elite talent to win it and many of the faces (Leonard, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, possibly Manu Ginobili?) who helped sustain this multiple decade-long dynasty are no longer present, perennial playoff appearances with young talent to develop in the arsenal isn’t the worst spot to be in either.

Toronto Raptors

Since Sam Presti quoted A Tribe Called Quest during Paul George’s Sportscenter specials regarding his FA destination, I think this “'nough dollars make sense, while you ride the bench

Catch me swingin' for the fence” Jay-Z quote is fitting for the occasion. Even without LeBron in the Eastern Conference, as he eloped to the Los Angeles Lakers, controlling the Raptors of Toronto the same way Chris Pratt’s character in “Jurassic World” did, the Raptors did not project to be contenders to win the East with Boston returning Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward from injury and the 76ers’ marquee talent gaining that much-needed playoff experience. Now, they’re right there with Boston, bouncing ahead of the 76ers but not quite the Celtics just yet. A healthy Kawhi Leonard can replicate DeRozan’s offensive output and then some, paired with not just elite perimeter defense, but perhaps the best perimeter defense the NBA has seen. He is that good. Danny Green’s average ranking in ESPN’s ‘Real Plus-Minus’ statistic over the past 5 years has been 7.4, busting his chops on the defensive end while bringing a sniper-esque 39.5% career 3 point shooting percentage to the 6. Toronto can now play an even faster pace offense with more shooting and a more switchy defense, one that can realisticially be able to switch, at the very least, 1-4 in select lineups with Kyle Lowry, Green, Leonard and OG Anunoby on the floor. They instantly have reasserted (or asserted if you never bought into their perennial playoff charade, unlike me who was duped this past postseason) themselves as Eastern Conference contenders.

But what if Kawhi leaves? The Raptors are prepared for that outcome as well. If they weren’t contenders before this trade, made a run in a LeBron-less East and came up short, would it have been time to blow it up then? Probably. This deal gives them a head start in that direction, shedding the last three years of DeRozan’s deal which pays him above $30 million. According to Spotrac, Lowry, Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas are all under contract for over $17 million, assuming Valanciunas opts into the final year of his player option, which I would imagine he would. However, all, also including CJ Miles, though at lesser $8 million figure, would be the final year of their contracts, making it ideal for the Raptors to trade them and recoup assets to begin a rebuild that includes promising young players such as Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, Delon Wright, and Norman Powell. The privilege and power of a superstar player was what it cost for the loyalty of Toronto’s primary star player in the entirety of its franchise, but it is worth the shot. Jakob Poeltl and a pick in the late 20s can be recouped, but not every day can you swap a DeMar DeRozan for a Kawhi Leonard. Masai Ujiri swung for the fences. It is a bold strategy, lets see if it pays off for them like it did for Sam Presti and Oklahoma City.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers sat out the Kawhi sweepstakes, banking on signing him in the Summer of 2019 rather than give up real and spectacular assets to land Kawhi now. That is a risk, considering they did the same thing with Paul George as he proceeded to spurn them and re-sign with Oklahoma City this summer, along with the fact that LeBron is on their roster and the Lakers do not have a roster presently constructed to maximize his window. Its a risk, but a calculated one I believe the Lakers are right to take by sitting out and waiting. If Kawhi truly does want to be a Laker (or a Clipper or Sixer), he will make it happen regardless of what happens in Toronto, a place he, as of now, has no desire to play in, per Chris Haynes. But the Lakers surely shouldn’t have given up major pieces to bring in a player they believe will arrive a year from now, let alone give up a player who’s per 36 minute numbers are fairly similar to those of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, per Basketball-Reference. Another factor is that Kawhi isn’t the only projected free agent-to-be in 2019, with Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, Kemba Walker, Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins joining Kawhi. Magic Johnson has preached patience and it should theoretically pay off after already landing the greatest player in the world. Someone will take their money and join him, whether it is Kawhi or not or the next star comes via trade or Free Agency. The Lakers were right to sit this one out, develop their young players, who, with LeBron running the show, should help keep the Lakers just as competitive any non Warrior team in the West and play for Act 2 of the Kawhi sweepstakes, if there even is one.

Nothing is ever static in the NBA. After all, look at all the player movement just in the last two seasons. Kevin Durant and completely altered the landscape of the NBA, and the rest of the league and its players have been running on treadmills, hopefully figuring that changing the speed means they will catch up. Toronto is gambling that this move gets them to at least the top of the East. It is a gamble well worth the shot.

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hsews · 6 years

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Kawhi Leonard want to leave the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles is at the center of his trade preferences, according to a report by ESPN’s Chris Haynes and Adrian Wojnarowski.

What trades work for the All-Star forward? Our NBA Insiders give their best seven deals.

Lakers get: Kawhi Leonard

Spurs get: Lonzo Ball, Luol Deng, Kyle Kuzma

Magic get: Joffrey Lauvergne, 2020 Lakers second-round pick, $1.7 million cash (from Lakers)

Kevin Pelton: While the Lakers can’t offer San Antonio the kind of future picks that other teams can in a Leonard trade, they could offer promising young talent. This deal would work with either Ball or Brandon Ingram, the most recent two No. 2 overall picks, depending on how the Spurs value the two prospects.

Get ready for Deandre Ayton, Luka Doncic, Trae Young and more top prospects.

• Full NBA mock draft • Scouting the likely lottery picks • Top 100 rankings • Watch: Scouting videos • Rookie fantasy expectations • Draft assets for every team

Despite the focus on his poor shooting (42 percent on 2s, 30.5 percent on 3s), Ball rated well by advanced metrics as a rookie because of his versatile contributions. His elite court vision translated into a high assist rate and Ball was an outstanding rebounder for a point guard. He was also an active team defender who rated third among point guards in the defensive component of ESPN’s real plus-minus.

Spurs guard Dejounte Murray was one of the two point guards to rate better defensively than Ball, and a Murray-Ball backcourt would have the potential to be one of the NBA’s best on defense. An All-Rookie first team pick, Kuzma averaged 18.6 points per 36 minutes as a rookie, proving a dangerous 3-point shooter with the ability to create off the dribble.

As the price for getting both Ball and Kuzma, San Antonio would have to take on the final two seasons of Deng’s contract, which would cut into the team’s 2019 cap space. It’s possible, however, that the Spurs could rehabilitate Deng into a rotation player and salvage some value from his deal.

To make the trade work with Ball, the two teams would have to find a third partner to take on Lauvergne’s salary (under the assumption he picks up his 2018-19 player option). The Magic are an ideal candidate because they currently have enough cap space to take on Lauvergne’s contract but are unlikely to use cap space once the league year turns over after the July moratorium. So the only cost of adding Lauvergne would be his actual salary, which the Lakers would cover with cash.

76ers get: Kawhi Leonard and Derrick White

Spurs get: Robert Covington, Markelle Fultz, and the No. 10 pick

Bobby Marks: There are two questions that the 76ers’ front office has to ask about this type of deal:

Can they sign Leonard (or a similar player) as a free agent in 2019 using cap space without sacrificing assets?

Are they confident Leonard will commit long term?

Before the first question is answered, Philadelphia will need to rely on coach Brett Brown and his relationship with Leonard from his days as an assistant in San Antonio. Because Philadelphia is restricted in what it can offer Leonard in an extension before free agency (four years, $107 million; six months after he is acquired), both sides would be relying on a handshake agreement before the trade is completed. Essentially, the Sixers would be risking three assets because they trust Leonard.

If the risk is warranted, Philadelphia would still have $26 million in room in 2018 and a lineup featuring Leonard, Ben Simmons, Dario Saric and Joel Embiid, plus its own first-round pick (No. 26). Philadelphia could also move veteran Jerryd Bayless and its own first to a team with room and see its cap space increase to $34.3 million, good enough to target LeBron James or Paul George.

The 76ers can take the same approach and roll over room to 2019 with $28 million in space.

Remember, as the Lakers have learned, cap space is no guarantee of signing an All-NBA-level player. For San Antonio, trading Leonard would be the last resort if the relationship between the organization and player cannot be repaired.

This trade would accomplish three things for San Antonio: It would send Leonard to the Eastern Conference; the Spurs would remain competitive with three players who can help now; and the Spurs could have $27 million in 2019 to add players to surround LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills, Murray, Fultz, Covington and two first-round picks in 2018 (the Lakers’ first and their own).

Celtics get: Kawhi Leonard

Spurs get: Kyrie Irving and Boston’s 2018 first-round pick (plus whatever other picks get the deal done)

Amin Elhassan: This is an aggressive play for Leonard, to be sure, but in a league increasingly favoring offenses that are predicated on preventing ball-stopping, while highly valuing the ability to switch everything defensively, it’s not hard to see how this is a no-brainer for Boston.

Leonard is the poster child for offensive efficiency, and with a lineup of 6-foot-8-plus athletes across the board, Boston would boast a deep enough, well-coached, flexible roster that could legitimately contend with the Golden State Warriors.

Pending the physical, the Celtics would be best served by aggressively pursuing Leonard, going so far as to entertain adding additional picks (up to and including the Kings pick owed from the Jayson Tatum deal last June). Re-signing Marcus Smart would become a priority, and the return of Gordon Hayward would provide some of the playmaking lost by Irving’s departure.

Heat get: Kawhi Leonard and Patty Mills

Spurs get: Goran Dragic, Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow and Bam Adebayo

André Snellings: The Heat can put together an intriguing mix of an All-Star point guard and three young players with upside in exchange for Leonard and Mills, whose outsized salary is guaranteed for three more years.

Dragic, a Spurs draftee in 2008 who was traded to Phoenix, is a proven producer at the Spurs’ biggest position of weakness. His aggressive scoring style with a strong jumper and pick-and-roll game would mesh well with LaMarcus Aldridge. Adebayo came out of the 2017 lottery with an impressive rookie season and would give the team a young, talented big man to develop behind the aging Pau Gasol.

Winslow and Richardson are both Spurs-style wings — long, athletic and defensive-minded. Both would be significant upgrades from what the Spurs currently have on the wing, and Winslow in particular has the tools to potentially replicate Leonard’s defensive contributions from his early years.

Raptors get: Kawhi Leonard and Rudy Gay

Spurs get: DeMar DeRozan, OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam

Note: Get the full list of Raptors trades here

André Snellings: The Raptors aren’t good enough as currently constituted, and LeBron is their personal kryptonite (if he stays in the East). DeRozan’s game is built on driving and the midrange, and LeBron is just bigger and stronger, with the ability to prevent him from doing what he wants to do.

Leonard, on the other hand, is much bigger and athletic enough to go at LeBron one-on-one. Plus, Leonard is a legit top-five MVP candidate when healthy. Even if he won’t commit to Toronto long term, it’s worth the swing for a Finals run. (Gay would need to opt into his $8.8 million contract for this trade to work).

In return, the Spurs get an excellent scoring wing in DeRozan as a lieutenant to LaMarcus Aldridge, and both Anunoby and Siakam are young talents who fit the Spurs’ mold. Coach Gregg Popovich could likely turn them into borderline stars.

Blazers get: Kawhi Leonard, Derrick White

Spurs get: CJ McCollum, 2019 first-round pick

Jeremias Engelmann: Portland is on the wrong side of two consecutive first-round playoff sweeps and would certainly welcome a new face in its starting lineup, especially an All-Star wing and Defensive Player of the Year in Kawhi. The potential risk — if Leonard isn’t happy with the Spurs of all teams, can he be happy somewhere else? — is significantly outweighed by the potential upside.

In a vacuum, the Spurs don’t do this trade, as McCollum doesn’t have the impact of Leonard on either side of the court. But with Leonard and the Spurs on such uncertain terms, San Antonio’s hand is a bit forced. While McCollum had a bit of a down year, he’s still one of only 14 players who scored 20 PPG while being younger than 27. From a pure impact standpoint, McCollum generally ranks in the top-40 in multiyear regularized adjusted plus-minus (RAPM).

McCollum’s biggest weakness, defensive impact, is something that coaching has been shown to have a large influence on. So what better team for him to play on than one that finished top three in defensive rating for six consecutive years? And with how many gems the Spurs have found late in the draft, Portland’s future first-round pick — expected to be in the low 20s — should be a welcome addition to the deal.

Destination: Boston Celtics

Celtics get: Kawhi Leonard and Patty Mills

Spurs get: Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier

André Snellings: Hayward is a selfless, do-everything wing who fits the Spurs’ style and can be the co-leader on offense with LaMarcus Aldridge. Meanwhile, Rozier showed that he is ready right now to be a starting lead guard on a playoff team. The Spurs have a weakness at point guard, a lack of players who can create shots for themselves and teammates and a complete dearth of perimeter scoring. This deal gives them two players who fill those needs and fit with the rest of the roster.

The Celtics would undoubtedly hate to lose Hayward, but Leonard is a clear upgrade in talent and makes them championship contenders right now. Leonard (when healthy) gives Boston a bona fide MVP candidate who can match up with any superstar wing in the league, slotting in perfectly next to Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. In this positionless NBA, that would be their answer to the Warriors’ Hamptons 5 lineup.

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