Call your shot (NBA)

[Disneylover99]

hmmm, I remember you being hotter

It’s been a long season. Lol..

 

[lisaviolet]

Thanks for the picture of my buddy Lisa! Lol.

Glad you stayed safe and managed to stay positive with those crowds.
Downtown Toronto would not be a place I’d want to be today.
I was worried about my daughter, who went on a school trip to Harbourfront.
I had visions of her bus sitting in traffic for hours, but it was fine.

Good to hear!

Queens Quay did so well considering Lakeshore is accessible from so many streets. I literally probably passed her at some point on my bike - used Harbourfront both ways.

Hope she had fun.

I started at the Princes' Gates (where the pictures were taken - and my phone sucks they are from another) but I had my bike at every single through street so I must have seen the players five or six times. Including in front (side) of Scotiabank Arena. Felt like I was twelve weaving with the bike until it became evident I needed to park the sucker!

 

[maddiel]

Wow, lisaviolet - you must be exhausted after being there all day in those crowds, What an experience!

I thought you could really feel a difference in the energy on the stage after the incident happened. I felt bad for the players who got up to talk afterward because you could feel that they were kind of off.

M.

 

[lisaviolet]

Lowry and Leonard are a given with appreciation/applause. But people went capital C crazy for Ujuri. And you know how I feel.

Honestly he just might have received the most adoration at times.

I would tell you who got booed, loud and long at the rally, but we have some rules on this board!

 

[maddiel]

I would tell you who got booed, loud and long at the rally, but we have some rules on this board!

It was very evident who got that reaction if you were watching it on TV.

M.

 

[low-key]

I would tell you who got booed, loud and long at the rally, but we have some rules on this board!

It was very evident who got that reaction if you were watching it on TV.

who was it ? I watched clips on tv but to be honest I was scanning for @Disneylover99

 

[lisaviolet]

I
thought you could really feel a difference in the energy on the stage after the incident happened. I felt bad for the players who got up to talk afterward because you could feel that they were kind of off.

Probably was that.

---------'-

I promise I m not making light of the above at all ----

But add in a few of the players just had to be a bit intoxicated. Because I hit their buses so many times one can only take in so much champagne in the bright sun (and hours on route being "on") I remember wondering if they were a bit subdued from knowing they were feeling good. Ie. You know when you've past your level and you try so hard to be serious, and not slip up.

Boy I sound like I have a drinking problem.

Regardless, it must have been pretty crappy to be on that stage and see *some* sudden movement in the crowd.

------------

Me. Honestly too happy to be tired.

Yet!!!!

Unfortunately I was up at 5:45 am as well (not for a spot)

 

[lisaviolet]

who was it ? I watched clips on tv but to be honest I was scanning for @Disneylover99

So we had this mayor, remember him? My niece recently told me her friends in Kenya even knew him (He passed away).

Well he has kin. And he just might have a role in this province. My sister fondly calls him Individual two.

Don't get me kicked off low-key! Insert smile.

 

[low-key]

So we had this mayor, remember him? My niece recently told me her friends in Kenya even knew him (He passed away).

Well he has kin. And he just might have a role in this province. My sister fondly calls him Individual two.

Don't get me kicked off low-key! Insert smile.

lol, got it, go get some sleep

 

[lisaviolet]

Oh no. No sleep yet. Have to catch up on The Handmaid's Tale (Sunday nights here).

Praise Be.

 

[ronandannette]

@lisaviolet - I am all like about you being there in the fray...so, so glad you're OK!

 

[low-key]

@lisaviolet - I am all like about you being there in the fray...so, so glad you're OK!

violence is overrated

 

[lisaviolet]

@lisaviolet - I am all like about you being there in the fray...so, so glad you're OK!

The fray for most was decision-making. Very few were near the actual shooting. It was the panic when you don't know what is happening. Or what is best for you and your loved ones.

But thank you Annette. I am F.I.N.E. fine.

 

[kimblebee]

My brother lives and works in Toronto. He wasn’t going to go to the square where the parade ended up but I talked him into it!! I assume since I haven’t heard from my mom that he either wasn’t there or wasn’t affected by the shootings.

It bugs me to no end that that type of stuff is becoming a bit more prevalent up here. Yes, we do have gun laws, and blah blah blah and that’s not the point today. Our city has just had its 23rd homicide of the year. It took us til the end of December to get there last year. Our all time high for murders was 47 and we are on pace to shatter that this year. We have a huge meth problem right now.

Anyway, yay Raptors.

Now let’s discuss the Trouba trade. Please, I need some hockey talk lol

 

[lisaviolet]

Please, I need some hockey talk lol

Is sponge toffee hockey talk? Cause that's all I got.

Crowds -

 

[lisaviolet]

Tick-tock. Mere hours from the start of the wacky game of chess.

The NBA must be loving it.

 

[bcla]

I’m bummed. Would have been nice to have KD back, but it was fun while it lasted.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I’m bummed. Would have been nice to have KD back, but it was fun while it lasted.

Rumor had him to the Lakers. Now supposedly he's signing with the nets for much less than he could sign with the Warriors. But he's out a year and not getting him is going to leave the Warriors plenty of room to sign someone else.

 

[low-key]

KD and Irving -Nets
K, Walker Celtics
Butler -Miami

 

[bcla]

Rumor had him to the Lakers. Now supposedly he's signing with the nets for much less than he could sign with the Warriors. But he's out a year and not getting him is going to leave the Warriors plenty of room to sign someone else.

Not really. It’s kind of complicated, but the salary cap rules basically won’t allow for the Warriors to sign a star free agent unless they can sign everyone under the hard salary cap. There are exceptions galore, such as signing minimum contracts, drafted players, the mid level exception, resigning players, and (most importantly) Bird rights that allow a team to go over the cap.

Bird rights are where a player will be on the third (early Bird) or later years playing consecutively for the same team. The time also transfers when a player is traded. Durant was eligible for early Bird last season but signed another 1+1 where the second year was a player option that he’s declined. This year he was eligible to be signed for a max 5 years for the Warriors, but 4 as a free agent for any other team. There was talk that they might agree to a max with the expressed understanding that he would be traded to a team of his choice after his rehab year. But now that he’s gone the Warriors don’t free up room to sign anyone.

Kawhi Leonard was traded, so his Bird rights went with him. But if he signs elsewhere the Raptors don’t have the ability to resign a similar player.

There are lots of nuances to the system, especially the sign and trade. But the simple fact is that Durant leaving doesn’t free up room to sign anyone because of salary cap rules.

Apparently they might be able to get a full mid level exception if Livingston leaves. Last year they were well over the salary cap, into the luxury tax, and got a reduced MLE ($5.3 million) used to sign Cousins). The full MLE is about $9 million.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickmurray/2019/02/24/how-can-the-warriors-replace-kevin-durant/
It’s really this weird system where teams like the Warriors can keep their high priced talent but have limited options to bring in new ones. The talk was about teams like the Nets, Lakers, and Clippers shedding salaries in order to get enough under the salary cap to sign two big free agents.