Durant to the Warriors

[GatorAZ]

This shouldn't be compared to what Lebron did. Durant left a top-5 player in Westbrook to join a 73-win team. Lebron left Mo Williams to join a 1 & done pretender. Granted Bosh joined them but it's not on the same level.

 

[devilalum]

Super teams are nothing new. They just used to be called dynasties. The Celtics won about 10 championships in a row.

During the 80s the Lakers and Celtics played in the finals almost every year.

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[Lefty]

Durant will probably be a Warrior for one year and opt out.

 

[AzStevenCal]

You have a point about his timing and the CBA but he still could have garnered more money. It's only costing Golden State approximately as much to sign Durant as it would have to match the Mavericks’ offer to Harrison Barnes. Look at some of the lesser players getting inflated contracts. If this was a money move there was more out there.

I think he just wanted a decent offer from a contender. No way he takes that deal with a struggling NBA team.

He could have made more money in the immediate future but doing it this way gives him the opportunity to make far more than he would otherwise. But for me, I don't really think this is a money grab or a ring grab, it's just the 2 year deal was more about money than anything else. AFAIC, he did what anyone would do. He was going to get paid wherever he went and it only makes sense to consider fit and team potential when making this kind of decision.

 

[Covert Rain]

He could have made more money in the immediate future but doing it this way gives him the opportunity to make far more than he would otherwise. But for me, I don't really think this is a money grab or a ring grab, it's just the 2 year deal was more about money than anything else. AFAIC, he did what anyone would do. He was going to get paid wherever he went and it only makes sense to consider fit and team potential when making this kind of decision.

Don't get the first part. There was more money out there. Some teams would have traded guys off their roster for a bigger contract if they knew he would come.

We will have to disagree. No way he doesn't go to a contender. That's pretty much what the consensus seems to be at least from the press.

 

[chickenhead]

I think the opportunity to bank a championship must have an allure to a former MVP who's been coming up short for quite a few years, who can then decide where to finish his career. Famous last words, though...

 

[AzStevenCal]

Don't get the first part. There was more money out there. Some teams would have traded guys off their roster for a bigger contract if they knew he would come.

We will have to disagree. No way he doesn't go to a contender. That's pretty much what the consensus seems to be at least from the press.

I don't understand how we're missing here. These huge deals are because the salary cap jumped to 94 million. The Cap is going to take another huge jump to around 107 million next season. So he can sign a 4 year deal then that dwarfs the max 4 year deal he could have signed this year.

And of course he'll go to a contender. Or perhaps he and Westbrook will go to LA with the idea of making them a contender.

 

[slinslin]

We need to position ourselves for Anthony Davis when the time comes and he is FA in a few years.

If we are a good young team then with all our Kentucky guys..

 

[Carolinacacti]

How many points can Golden State score now? Not sure if there our enough basketballs.

 

[leclerc]

Barkley (and Drexler) to Houston to mention just one (two). Off course he wants a ring. GS seems like a nice place to be. Good luck to them. As long as Phoenix is not competitive I don't care. Just as long as it's not the Lakers or Lé Brôn.

 

[Iceman]

And next up, Dwayne Wade to the Cavs

 

[Joe Mama]

I don't understand how we're missing here. These huge deals are because the salary cap jumped to 94 million. The Cap is going to take another huge jump to around 107 million next season. So he can sign a 4 year deal then that dwarfs the max 4 year deal he could have signed this year.

And of course he'll go to a contender. Or perhaps he and Westbrook will go to LA with the idea of making them a contender.

Sure, the salary cap will take another big jump next year, but it's the fact that next summer KD will be a 10 year veteran that makes his potential $$$ in 2017 astronomical.

 

[Covert Rain]

I don't understand how we're missing here. These huge deals are because the salary cap jumped to 94 million. The Cap is going to take another huge jump to around 107 million next season. So he can sign a 4 year deal then that dwarfs the max 4 year deal he could have signed this year.

And of course he'll go to a contender. Or perhaps he and Westbrook will go to LA with the idea of making them a contender.

I meant in terms of how much money he could make with another team. He clearly could have made more even with the same number of years. It would be highly coincidental he just happened to sign with GSW if it was just about money.

 

[Russ Smith]

Plus that GSW owner is incredibly hard to like, absolute arrogant prick. It will be hard to swallow this guys talk about how they are so far ahead of everyone when they simply have dumb luck like this right now.

I guess there's luck involved but I wouldn't call it dumb luck. A bunch of teams could have drafted Curry, Thompson or Green and passed on them. Not the Warriors fault they found great players at slots where you aren't supposed to get great players.

The UCLA board I'm on all the Lakers fans are whining about super teams and Durant is weak and can't win on his own. They were all of course fine when the Lakers got Kareem or Shaq or Wilt Chamberlain but hey the Warriors aren't allowed to play the same game.

 

[Russ Smith]

Have to wonder if Westbrook told KD he would not re-sign next year and if that weighed into the decision to go to GSW. How lucky was it that Curry had those bad ankles his first few years?

That's been the rumor for weeks he knows Westbrook is leaving next year. The idea was he'd stay 1 year then opt out and leave the same time as Westy so the fans can't just bash him since both would be bolting.

But he chose to do it a year early. I'm very surprised, but I can't fault a player for taking less money because he wants to win.

I'm not even sure it works as well as people think it will it's awfully tough to have 3 guys that good at scoring and keep them all happy.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I meant in terms of how much money he could make with another team. He clearly could have made more even with the same number of years. It would be highly coincidental he just happened to sign with GSW if it was just about money.

Okay but when did I say it was just about money? Of course he went there to win a ring. I just disagreed with your statement that signing a 2 year contract proved he was making a "ring grab". The 2 year with an opt-out was a money based decision for the reason I mentioned and the one that Joe Mama pointed out above.

 

[AzStevenCal]

That's been the rumor for weeks he knows Westbrook is leaving next year. The idea was he'd stay 1 year then opt out and leave the same time as Westy so the fans can't just bash him since both would be bolting.

But he chose to do it a year early. I'm very surprised, but I can't fault a player for taking less money because he wants to win.

I'm not even sure it works as well as people think it will it's awfully tough to have 3 guys that good at scoring and keep them all happy.

One of the rumors I've heard for quite awhile had been that Westbrook wanted to play in LA and that Durant might join him there. Maybe that was just Laker fanboy talk but it does seem to fit the circumstances. Go to SF, win a championship and pair up with Russell in Hollywood the next season.

 

[slinslin]

I guess there's luck involved but I wouldn't call it dumb luck. A bunch of teams could have drafted Curry, Thompson or Green and passed on them. Not the Warriors fault they found great players at slots where you aren't supposed to get great players.

The UCLA board I'm on all the Lakers fans are whining about super teams and Durant is weak and can't win on his own. They were all of course fine when the Lakers got Kareem or Shaq or Wilt Chamberlain but hey the Warriors aren't allowed to play the same game.

You mean

a) copying the Suns system and then claiming to have invented the wheel
b) drafting Curry when they had already agreed to trade the pick to Phoenix
c) adding Durant as a free agent due to a suddenly rising cap
d) Curry suddenly being able to stay healthy

Yeah no luck in that.

 

[AzStevenCal]

You mean

a) copying the Suns system and then claiming to have invented the wheel
b) drafting Curry when they had already agreed to trade the pick to Phoenix
c) adding Durant as a free agent due to a suddenly rising cap
d) Curry suddenly being able to stay healthy

Yeah no luck in that.

There's nothing wrong with luck. And I wouldn't say they copied the Suns system at all, just a few aspects of it.

 

[Russ Smith]

You mean

a) copying the Suns system and then claiming to have invented the wheel
b) drafting Curry when they had already agreed to trade the pick to Phoenix
c) adding Durant as a free agent due to a suddenly rising cap
d) Curry suddenly being able to stay healthy

Yeah no luck in that.

Yep the suns were the first team in the history of basketball to push the ball and shoot 3's.

How is it lucky to agree to a trade and then decide it's not a good deal and back out of it? I can understand the Suns being mad that didn't happen but that wasn't luck, they actively chose to keep Curry not trade him to the Suns. As the saying goes sometimes the best trades are the ones not made.

Last I checked the cap rose for EVERY NBA team, he chose the Warriors because he wants to win. He thinks he will there. They didn't get handed the team they had, they again chose to not trade Curry or Klay when teams were trying to shake them loose. They chose to not trade for Love, they turned down multiple offers for Steph when he had his bad ankle times.

Curry is healthy now because he went on an extremely rigorous personal training program to strengthen his ankles. no idea if it lasts he was hurt again this past playoffs.

 

[Joe Mama]

Nothing lucky about GSW's situation. They've made some good moves that has panned out well. If the whole trade story was accurate as told by Steve Kerr the only thing Golden State did wrong was not tell the Phoenix Suns they were going to hold onto Curry until after the Suns had made their second pick. Maybe reneging is bad form but still… certainly not lucky. IIRC there were a lot of people here that thought they had made a bad move giving Curry his current contract because of his health and defensive liabilities at that time. I remember loving Curry coming out of college but I may have even been one of those people critical of the contract. Don't remember. It certainly wasn't lucky though. It was a great move and frankly that contract is the only reason they can afford KD now.

 

[SO91]

Okay but when did I say it was just about money? Of course he went there to win a ring. I just disagreed with your statement that signing a 2 year contract proved he was making a "ring grab". The 2 year with an opt-out was a money based decision for the reason I mentioned and the one that Joe Mama pointed out above.

This explains why this is a smart move from a financial standpoint. Sure he wants a ring, and Golden State gives him the best chance, but the money played a part as well.

The biggest reason for Durant to sign a "1+1" deal this summer is money. In addition to the significant rise in the salary cap, Durant will be in his10th year in the league after 2016-17. That makes him eligible for a max contract worth roughly 35 percent of the cap in 2017. Since he just finished his ninth season, he was only eligible for one worth 30 percent of the cap. Add it all up, and Durant stands to make a lot more money because he signed the "1+1."

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2016/6/...t-contract-salary-money-nba-free-agent-rumors

 

[Jay Cardinal]

You mean

a) copying the Suns system and then claiming to have invented the wheel
b) drafting Curry when they had already agreed to trade the pick to Phoenix
c) adding Durant as a free agent due to a suddenly rising cap
d) Curry suddenly being able to stay healthy

Yeah no luck in that.

I would love to agree everything you said, but the fact the Suns made no effort to retain Kerr makes it really tough to agree with.

Suns lost in the poker game with the trade for drafting Curry, should have mentioned they were interested in someone else. You have to be smart at the top, and the Suns have not been since Colangelo.

 

[Russ Smith]

I think it's fascinating how he fits in. Durant took 31% of the OKC 3's last year, that % will go way down in Oakland. He took 482, Curry took 886, 404 more(and made 402). Thompson took 650. That's almost 1650 3's or just about 7 each. He's joining a team that averaged over 31 threes per game.

I have to believe the whole team is going to benefit if you doubled Curry this year it would inevitably end up with either a 5 trying to finish or an open shot for Barnes. Next year Barnes becomes Durant, if you double Curry now you're going to have to completely ignore whoever the 5 is because you still have to guard Durant and Thompson and worry about Green.

Defense and rebounding will be interesting how it shakes out but the potential is outstanding.

 

[devilalum]

"My evolution as a man"
Geez, what a tool.

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