Celtics as a FA destination (broken from trade rumors)
- Thread starter Jed Zeppelin
- Start date
Can't wait for all the click bait sites to cause people to lose their minds soon when the "LeBron Opts Out Of Cleveland!!!!" headlines hit the Internet.
Broussard on ESPN Radio this morning:
KD is leaving OKC, and wherever he signs he will stay long-term and thinks the most likely destination is Golden State.
I like KD and I like Golden State, but ugh. While they'd be ridiculously good and fun to watch, I really wouldn't like that outcome.
KD is leaving OKC, and wherever he signs he will stay long-term and thinks the most likely destination is Golden State.
I like KD and I like Golden State, but ugh. While they'd be ridiculously good and fun to watch, I really wouldn't like that outcome.
Can we confidently say that if Durant does this we can officially say that he isn't like the Birds, Magics, and Jordans like he pretends to be? That's much worse than LeBron going to Miami. Durant going to a team that literally just set the regular season record for wins. So much for "I don't want to join them, I want to beat them"
Does he pretend to be anything? Or do weirdo fans project their own narratives onto players to create storylines they find interesting?
How does Durant pretend to be like the Birds, Magics, and Jordans? Then again I'm one of the people who didn't see anything wrong with LeBron choosing Miami. When your contract expires and you are a free agent you are no longer obligated to that team. It's isn't like these guys Elway'd them when the team owned or was about to own their rights.
Durant has been a low-key superstar from the beginning. Never really seen him in that Bird-Jordan mold. Still, KD to Golden State would be suuuuuuper lame. The thought just gives me a bad taste in my mouth.
That said, I believe the last story Broussard actually broke was the Sonny Weems signing. He doesn't know shit.
That said, I believe the last story Broussard actually broke was the Sonny Weems signing. He doesn't know shit.
While he didn't break the story, he should get credit for confirming the LeBron back to Cleveland story.
From a Ws fan perspective ... it's so weird how fate turns on a coin flip. 4-3-2 minutes left in Game 7, all tied up, whoever hit a shot first was gonna win that game. Klay has a good look: in and out. Curry has a wide open look that he hits 80% of the time: brick. Iguodala has a layup: incredible block by James that was a nanometer from being a goaltend. Kyrie off the dribble: bang. Game over, series over, Cleveland curse over.
And then, because the coin landed heads rather than tails, the narratives begin — as if somehow one side of the coin or the other was inevitable. LeBron is not "2-5 in the Finals LeBron" but the straight up second coming of Jordan (as if he wasn't already). The mighty Warriors are not an unstoppable juggernaut but a flawed team lacking something critical. Etc. Etc.
The funny thing is, no one is immune to these narratives once they’re built — maybe least of all me. Had the coin landed Warriors, I would have felt very sentimentally inclined towards keeping everyone together, and a little gross about the idea of adding Durant to a two-time championship-winning young core. Let OKC keep KD, I told myself. Keep some competitive balance in the league. Now? Screw competitive balance. The league totally screwed over the Thunder by not suspending Draymond, then totally screwed over the Warriors by suspending him, in one of the most egregiously corrupt and fixed decisions I’ve ever witnessed (Technical foul? Sure. Flagrant? No way in hell. Show me one remotely similar play that was ever called a flagrant. That play could happen a million times in any other context and not once would it ever be called a flagrant). So yeah… screw the NBA. Screw Adam Sliver. Screw LeBron. I wanna get KD and win five straight titles, sweeping all four rounds every year. I want no drama. I want Adam Silver and every other fanbase in the league totally bored to tears for the next five years.
And the newly built narratives don’t just affect just fans … players care about ’em, too. Had the coin landed Warriors, KD signing with the Ws would have looked tawdry and wimpy — like pure gravy-train riding. Terrible for his legacy. Now? KD and Steph join forces to topple the King, all while playing the most beautiful and deadly brand of basketball the league has ever seen.
100% open arms. Make it happen, Lacob/Myers/Kerr/Adams/Curry/Iguodala.
I don't mind Durant to Golden State, like I've said the other times this comes up, KT won't be happy being reduced to 6-8 possessions a game as a 3 & D guy, so it's likely that he gets moved so that they can add lower priced depth, and Boston with that 2017 Nets #1 would be in prime position to land him.
Based on comments Lacob, Jerry West and others have made, I strongly doubt they'd even consider moving Thompson as part of a play for Durant. At this point I think Klay's every bit as much a beloved part of the core of the team as Steph -- in the eyes of the front office, coaching staff and players. He's 26, still improving on both ends, and absurdly durable (something KD, Steph and Andre cannot really say). As far as making it work on court, I see your point, but I think you're overstating the degree to which Klay's game would be reduced. You could pretty easily rotate Steph, Klay and KD to keep two of them on the floor at all times, and surround them with teammates (starting with Green and Iguodala) who focus mostly on rebounding, passing and defense. On offense, Durant's ball skills and passing actually make him a pretty nice complement to Klay. On D, both Klay and KD can guard 3-4 positions, so there are zero compatibility issues. The Ws could also follow Popovich's lead of keeping Curry's and Durant's minutes lowish during the season (say, 32-34 mpg rather than 36-38) to keep them fresh for the playoffs. Both will be a ripe old 28 next season, no longer spring chickens.
In any case I think the "one ball" issue would work itself out pretty easily, just as the mythical "too much pitching" issue does in baseball. Nice problem to have, as they say.
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The problem isn't their love of him, the problem is that with two ultra high usage players on the roster there won't be much for Klay to do except watch a career that as of now shows Hall of Fame potential get derailed. In other words, no matter how much the team and the fans love him, he isn't going to be happy.
You could be right — hard to say cos we can't read his mind. I have heard the Ws players are pretty hot to play with KD (Iguodala recently said wryly "Must be great to play with a guy like that") but I'm not sure that includes Klay. My general sense is that Klay is low-key dude who likes to avoid the spotlight and play with his bulldog Rocco, and would have no issues being the team's third offensive banana. I also feel like all three of Durant-Curry-Thompson would be pretty cool shaving a few points off their career averages in the name of chasing titles (just as Allen, Pierce and Garnett did). But I could be wrong...
Here is the thing - Golden State has just about everything a top tier free-agent could want. Good management incuding a high profile, respected head coach, a culture of winning, a good locker-room, a rabid fan-base, great geography and probably one of the most forgiving press corps in any of the major sports markets. Imagine Boston but without the focus on what goes on off the playing surface (there are very few blind items involving Bay Area sports figures because sports, while huge here, isn't the "only game in town").
Klay Thompson has a great contract, is beloved and gets largely left alone as the second "splash brother". He has a ring and a clear role on the team. He is also, not really an alpha in the truest sense as he and Curry ("the guy") appear to have a great working relationship. It seems like he is comfortable in Oakland where he can set the world afire with his sometimes otherworldly shooting but bears little criticism when the Warriors shots aren't falling as a group (see this past series for example). As such, SRN's view that Thompson would be entirely fine getting, on average, fewer touches makes perfect sense.
It also makes sense that KD would want to come to Golden State...if his goal is also to sacrifice for winning. Otherwise - and returning to the topic of the thread - his other two options are really only OKC and Boston. I will not be bummed in the least if Durant winds up a Warrior, however, its my hope that he will, at least, meet with Ainge & Stevens and get a taste of how he might be the next great to lead the resurrection of one of the league's iconic franchises.
The problem with this scenario is that the Warriors coming up short makes them more aggressive and more attractive (close but they need more). The question for Durant is once again this - does he want to be "the guy" or one of "the guys". I guess its also a function of how much time he thinks he has left in the game.
Klay Thompson has a great contract, is beloved and gets largely left alone as the second "splash brother". He has a ring and a clear role on the team. He is also, not really an alpha in the truest sense as he and Curry ("the guy") appear to have a great working relationship. It seems like he is comfortable in Oakland where he can set the world afire with his sometimes otherworldly shooting but bears little criticism when the Warriors shots aren't falling as a group (see this past series for example). As such, SRN's view that Thompson would be entirely fine getting, on average, fewer touches makes perfect sense.
It also makes sense that KD would want to come to Golden State...if his goal is also to sacrifice for winning. Otherwise - and returning to the topic of the thread - his other two options are really only OKC and Boston. I will not be bummed in the least if Durant winds up a Warrior, however, its my hope that he will, at least, meet with Ainge & Stevens and get a taste of how he might be the next great to lead the resurrection of one of the league's iconic franchises.
The problem with this scenario is that the Warriors coming up short makes them more aggressive and more attractive (close but they need more). The question for Durant is once again this - does he want to be "the guy" or one of "the guys". I guess its also a function of how much time he thinks he has left in the game.
I think Dirk is a good example of the type of longevity that Durant can have in his career. I ultimately think Durant would be attracted to the Warriors for their style of play, which matches his like a glove. I mean, imagine a lineup of Bogut, Green, Durant, Thompson, and Curry. How the hell do you stop that? And they're all young so he'd have a team that would be built to win multiple titles over the next 5 years.
Now, the difference is that Durant's brand would get marginalized in a situation like that but that may not be something he cares about. If all he cares about is winning, the Warriors are by far the best option with the Spurs being a close second.
If he cares about being "the guy" on a team with potential, then OKC and Boston would be the best options. It will be fascinating to see play out and I wouldn't fault him for any decision he makes as long as it's not the Knicks or Lakers because fuck those teams.
Now, the difference is that Durant's brand would get marginalized in a situation like that but that may not be something he cares about. If all he cares about is winning, the Warriors are by far the best option with the Spurs being a close second.
If he cares about being "the guy" on a team with potential, then OKC and Boston would be the best options. It will be fascinating to see play out and I wouldn't fault him for any decision he makes as long as it's not the Knicks or Lakers because fuck those teams.
A better cap mechanic than I can correct me, but I'm pretty sure they would have to stretch provision Bogut and Thompson in order to have room for Durant. (Or keep Bogut and renounce Ezeli, which seems like a bad choice). In addition, trade Iggy and renounce Barnes (as well as all other cap holds).
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/how-the-warriors-can-afford-to-sign-kevin-durant-043710075.html
The cap has been expected to be even higher than expected since that article was written, but I'm not sure that what they need to do is worth it.
Durant to Gws would be as much a credit to GS having the flexibility to make him an attractive offer, as it is for him to poach a championship.I am not so sure how adding him to the splash brothers would mesh.
I did not like How Lebron announced his Miami decision, and I cheered against the Heat while he was there, but that was one of the best teams ever. They were beautiful to watch. Not sure how people can really hold it against a guy for choosing his finite time in the game to play with guys he wants to play with.
I did not like How Lebron announced his Miami decision, and I cheered against the Heat while he was there, but that was one of the best teams ever. They were beautiful to watch. Not sure how people can really hold it against a guy for choosing his finite time in the game to play with guys he wants to play with.
I agree with this from Durant's perspective especially if he knows Westbrook's intentions next summer which he surely does and Durant's decision will essentially confirm what many of us feeling on Westbrook's plans. Why is it a bad thing to want to play in the best situation? We do it at other levels of play.....we always looked to stack our teams in the playground as kids/young adults to give us the best chance to keep playing so why is this frowned upon in the NBA? It doesn't make any sense. I also never minded LeBron's Decision as it raised $4m for the Boys & Girls Club at the time. People forget this.
From listening to Nate Duncan's podcast today, in order for the W's to sign Durant or any other max player, they'd need to let 2 of these 3 guys go: Bogut, Iggy, Barnes. Along with 1 of the 2 of Livingston and Ezeli.
I think of those 5 it's pretty easy to select the 3 to leave out. Bogut, Ezeli, Barnes. It would be slightly reminiscent of the first season when the Heat formed their super group. Some real grade A stars, but not much depth behind them.
You keep saying this but its far from certain that Thompson, at least, will make the HOF and its questionable whether he cares more about that or winning anyhow.
Furthermore, given the background of both Curry and Durant they both seem comfortable letting others carry the load scoring-wise. If Durant were to go to the Warriors he will be doing it with eyes wide open about touches.
Finally, Barnes is almost certainly gone as is Ezeli. Like BSF, I suspect the Warriors would make the Bogut for Durant switch (knowing they would have to dig up a cheap, serviceable five from somewhere) in a heartbeat. Its not like they need a guy to play there more than 10-15 minutes a game anyway.
Does anyone know when the decision to pick up Amir and JJs team options are? I assume any day with free agency only a week away
It's not an option. it's an unguaranteed year that guarantees if he's still on the roster July 3rd.
