Durant to the Warriors

[CardsSunsDbacks]

So it's ok for a great player to be with other great players in HS or college but in the NBA he can't. Was Shaq going to the Lakers a bitch move? Was kareem forcing the Bucks to trade him to the Lakers a bitch move? Was Lebron going to Miami a bitch move. I'm trying to see what parameters you use to decide.

clearly you're fine with a kid leaving his local HS team to go play at a prepschool with other stars. And you're fine with him joining other stars in the college game to improve his chances of winning.

Durant knew OKC was going to be broken up, he knew it was when not if, so he decided to go now rather than wait a year.

It's not about great player playing with other great players. It's about the situations they are entering. Shaq didn't join the best team in the league when he joined the Lakers. As for HS kids it is all about exposure to scouts when they go to prepschools like that and thus it is the right decision. For most of these kids in HS or college it is all about making it to the NBA and making a good living for themselves playing ball. This is about winning NBA championships and a top 3 player going to a team that is already the favorite to win and is one of his rivals to boot is a weak move from a competitive stand point.

A more equivalent hypothetical situation would have been Jordan leaving the Bulls in 1990 so that he could join the Pistons.

 

[Russ Smith]

And don't get me wrong... As a Warriors fan, I'd be stoked. But that doesn't mean you can't be objective about how this colors Durant.

I don't even know if I wanted Durant on the Warriors I am not sure it'll work chemistry wise. I never expected it to happen. But I don't see why Durant is suddenly making a bitch move because he decided to go play somewhere else rather than take the money and wait for OKC to break up during or after this season.

Westbrook has apparently made it clear he's NOT staying, won't take the extension they offered, fully plans to leave. the logical assumption is OKC will try and trade him to get something in return. So Durant coming back wasn't even guaranteed a chance to contend THIS season, if they trade Westbrook to the KNicks or Lakers etc during the season the team was going to be worse not better since neither of those teams have a player as good as Westbrook to trade.

Sure it would be great for him to carry the load so to speak but even LeBron couldn't do that in Cleveland without first leaving allowing them to get a bunch of high picks they could use so when he came back they had Irving and Love(acquired by trading said high draft picks).

 

[AzStevenCal]

What happened to the idea that you should do anything to win? So the only thing you can't do is go to a really good team? Keep in mind, they aren't the champions. And he's not going to gave an easy time there. IMO that team has more issues than people realize. If they stumble, most of the criticism will go Kevin's way so saying he's soft or weak for doing this makes no sense.

 

[Russ Smith]

The 53 win Lakers? As opposed to the 60 win LOADED Magic team? Are you really comparing a 73 win team, back to back finalist with multiple coach of the years and two time MVP to a Del Harris, Nick Van Exel led 53 win team who had lost in the first round of the playoffs? That is a laughable question.

No, Shaq went somewhere WORSE then where he was to be the man and take the franchise to a title.

Sure but he left because he'd just been swept 2 straight years,. 4-0 in the finals to Hakeem, and then 4-0 in the conference finals against the Bulls. he decided he'd rather go join the Lakers because he was more confident the Lakers would add the pieces needed to win a title than he was Orlando would. I'd say he made a smart decision but he left because he didn't think he was going to win a title in Orlando.

He spent 2 years with harris, didn't get to the finals and then they brought in Phil Jackson and won 3 straight with him and Kobe. Note. I'm not saying him leaving Orlando was bad, I'm just trying to understand why it's ok for Shaq or Kareem to force their way to a franchise with a long history of being good but it is bad for Durant to do it to a franchise that had gone 40 years between titles before winning in 2015.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

What happened to the idea that you should do anything to win? So the only thing you can't do is go to a really good team? Keep in mind, they aren't the champions. And he's not going to gave an easy time there. IMO that team has more issues than people realize. If they stumble, most of the criticism will go Kevin's way so saying he's soft or weak for doing this makes no sense.

Okay so what happened to NBA rivalries? Truth is there isn't a big history of top players in their prime leaving their teams to begin with and it is almost non existent to find top players that not only left their team, but did so to go to what is already the best team in the league.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Sure but he left because he'd just been swept 2 straight years,. 4-0 in the finals to Hakeem, and then 4-0 in the conference finals against the Bulls. he decided he'd rather go join the Lakers because he was more confident the Lakers would add the pieces needed to win a title than he was Orlando would. I'd say he made a smart decision but he left because he didn't think he was going to win a title in Orlando.

He spent 2 years with harris, didn't get to the finals and then they brought in Phil Jackson and won 3 straight with him and Kobe. Note. I'm not saying him leaving Orlando was bad, I'm just trying to understand why it's ok for Shaq or Kareem to force their way to a franchise with a long history of being good but it is bad for Durant to do it to a franchise that had gone 40 years between titles before winning in 2015.

LOL. The answer is right in your post. Had Shaq joined either the Rockets or Bulls in that situation than it would have been similar to this. There is nothing wrong with going to a place because they are more likely to do a better job of building around you. Bottom line is that Shaq didn't go somewhere that had an already established great team and thus it isn't comparable.

KD left what was already a great situation for a better situation because he couldn't finish the job against them just weeks ago.

 

[Russ Smith]

It's not about great player playing with other great players. It's about the situations they are entering. Shaq didn't join the best team in the league when he joined the Lakers. As for HS kids it is all about exposure to scouts when they go to prepschools like that and thus it is the right decision. For most of these kids in HS or college it is all about making it to the NBA and making a good living for themselves playing ball. This is about winning NBA championships and a top 3 player going to a team that is already the favorite to win and is one of his rivals to boot is a weak move from a competitive stand point.

A more equivalent hypothetical situation would have been Jordan leaving the Bulls in 1990 so that he could join the Pistons.

Scouts find kids no matter where they play. The real reason kids go to prepschools is to get easy grades and win more. Anybody that follows college ball knows that. The nonsense that they get seen more by scouts is silly most of these kids don't even leave until after they've been discovered.

I'm just trying to find out where this starts, it's ok in HS, it's ok in college, apparently it's not ok in the NBA if you're on a winning team, even if you know said winning team is about to break up and you're going to probably leave the next year anyways.

 

[PDXChris]

OK, this is getting fun.

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Side note, am I the only one who sees a sphincter on Wades twitter account?

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Scouts find kids no matter where they play. The real reason kids go to prepschools is to get easy grades and win more. Anybody that follows college ball knows that. The nonsense that they get seen more by scouts is silly most of these kids don't even leave until after they've been discovered.

I'm just trying to find out where this starts, it's ok in HS, it's ok in college, apparently it's not ok in the NBA if you're on a winning team, even if you know said winning team is about to break up and you're going to probably leave the next year anyways.

Are these schools not designed to get them more prepared for college? That in and of itself is why there is nothing seen to be wrong with it.

This is all about the NBA because the NBA is in the spotlight. None of this goes on in college because most great college players are one and done to the NBA. Also the reason why great prospects go to places like Kentucky is because they have a high turnover rate to the NBA and they produce a lot of high draft picks.

We have been telling you why Durant in particular is getting the hate, but you have apparently decided to ignore it. The line is when said great player leaves what is already a great team to join the team he couldn't beat the year prior, while also joining what many consider to be the best player in the league. You won't find many if any situations in the history of the league where a player did what Durant just did.

 

[Russ Smith]

Are these schools not designed to get them more prepared for college? That in and of itself is why there is nothing seen to be wrong with it.

This is all about the NBA because the NBA is in the spotlight. None of this goes on in college because most great college players are one and done to the NBA. Also the reason why great prospects go to places like Kentucky is because they have a high turnover rate to the NBA and they produce a lot of high draft picks.

We have been telling you why Durant in particular is getting the hate, but you have apparently decided to ignore it. The line is when said great player leaves what is already a great team to join the team he couldn't beat the year prior, while also joining what many consider to be the best player in the league. You won't find many if any situations in the history of the league where a player did what Durant just did.

No I get it you think it's wrong for him to leave for a better team. i get that. I'm just trying to find out where the line is drawn in win at all costs.

It's perfectly clear that people don't care about kids pretending to be students in fake schools so they can qualify for college. They don't care about them pretending to be students in college for one year. and they're quite happy to have kids like that play for their favorite school as long as they win games with them. IUf you actually think these schools help them prepare for college I have a bridge to sell you. Even Durant went to 3 different prepschools until he found one that gave him the grades he needed to qualify, note, not the EDUCATION, the grades. People don't complain because these are usually the best kids and they want their favorite school to win so they're willing to play that game to win.

But when we get to the NBA the line moves. Durant can leave OKC but he can't go to a better team he has to go to an equal or lesser team.

I just don't agree with that. I guess my main disagreement is the words bitch move but that's ok.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Russ must not understand the difference between children and adults which is why he thinks comparisons between high schooler minors, unpaid college kids, and 26 year old mega-millionaires are vaild.

 

[Cheesebeef]

LOL. The answer is right in your post. Had Shaq joined either the Rockets or Bulls in that situation than it would have been similar to this. There is nothing wrong with going to a place because they are more likely to do a better job of building around you. Bottom line is that Shaq didn't go somewhere that had an already established great team and thus it isn't comparable.

KD left what was already a great situation for a better situation because he couldn't finish the job against them just weeks ago.

You have to be the biggest homer alive not to see this or try to make the Shaq comparison.

The reality is this... maybe it's not a bitch move, but Durant did just harden something I've been thinking for a while. He's not an Alpha Dog. He's probably the best second banana of all time and this move cements the fact that he'ss fine with that.

 

[Russ Smith]

Russ must not understand the difference between children and adults which is why he thinks comparisons between high schooler minors, unpaid college kids, and 26 year old mega-millionaires are vaild.

Come on even I can't be that subtle that you missed it.

You defend every kid that gets recruited to Arizona and qualifies by going to Findlay or Prime Prep or cheating repeatedly(PJC) etc because in the end if they get in it benefits ARizona. Win at all costs. All of these cases involve the same thing a kid and Arizona taking the easy way out to get a kid qualified because they want to win so badly they are willing to do almost anything to get kids in. ANd you're fine with that, we have YEARS of evidence of you and I disagreeing on these cases as they happen and you ALWAYS side with the kid because the kid is going to Arizona. I can't recall you ever once saying man that's a bad thing stooping that low to try and get a player in.

You are perfectly happy with taking the easy way out when it benefits a team you follow.

 

[Russ Smith]

You have to be the biggest homer alive not to see this or try to make the Shaq comparison.

The reality is this... maybe it's not a bitch move, but Durant did just harden something I've been thinking for a while. He's not an Alpha Dog. He's probably the best second banana of all time and this move cements the fact that he'ss fine with that.

OK so where should Durant have gone then? Where would it have been acceptable for him to go?

I mean it's hard for me to not think part of this is Lakers fans thought Durant would sign a 1 year and then go to the Lakers next year with Westbrook and since that now seems unlikely, Lakers fans are mad at Durant.

 

[AzStevenCal]

You have to be the biggest homer alive not to see this or try to make the Shaq comparison.

The reality is this... maybe it's not a bitch move, but Durant did just harden something I've been thinking for a while. He's not an Alpha Dog. He's probably the best second banana of all time and this move cements the fact that he'ss fine with that.

I think he's been a second banana for awhile now. He's a great scorer but he doesn't do much else. He dominates the ball and still doesn't seem to have the greatest feel for the moment, when to force it and when to be a part of a team. I think the gap between him and prime Lebron is even greater than the Drexler to Jordan gap. Top 50 player, maybe. Top 20 player, no way IMO.

I think he makes this GS team the clear favorite but I don't think it's a slam dunk. One more huge move will happen over the summer and some other high profile team will inch closer to the Warriors. I think it will be Boston or Cleveland but I'd be surprised if it doesn't happen somewhere. JMG.

 

[AzStevenCal]

You are perfectly happy with taking the easy way out when it benefits a team you follow.

I didn't care for the rest of your post, no surprise I'm sure. But I think your last sentence is behind much of the uproar. And yes, I know that every single critic will disagree but come on, it's human nature. Why wouldn't it rear it's ugly head here? We're all just a little envious.

I'm defending his decision and I'm a little envious. Not enough to become a Warriors fan and I'll hold my head up high if we win a championship without appearing to have stacked the deck, but I'll hold my head up high even if we con the 3 biggest names in the game into coming to the desert.

 

[Cheesebeef]

OK so where should Durant have gone then? Where would it have been acceptable for him to go?

Anywhere but the team who just beat him and won back to back Western Conference Finals with 73 wins this season, Coach Of The Year and back to back MVP. I'm a believer in to be the best, you have to beat the best. KD decided just to join the best. That's lame, IMO.

I mean it's hard for me to not think part of this is Lakers fans thought Durant would sign a 1 year and then go to the Lakers next year with Westbrook and since that now seems unlikely, Lakers fans are mad at Durant.

now you just sound insane. Part of this... on a SUNS BOARD is LAKER FANS who are mad at Durant? I mean, I don't want to sound harsh, but it's literally insane to this part of the backlash here is from Lakerfans.

 

[Russ Smith]

I didn't care for the rest of your post, no surprise I'm sure. But I think your last sentence is behind much of the uproar. And yes, I know that every single critic will disagree but come on, it's human nature. Why wouldn't it rear it's ugly head here? We're all just a little envious.

I'm defending his decision and I'm a little envious. Not enough to become a Warriors fan and I'll hold my head up high if we win a championship without appearing to have stacked the deck, but I'll hold my head up high even if we con the 3 biggest names in the game into coming to the desert.

I thought the point was obvious. Mao will defend literally anything Arizona does to get a kid in knowing full well they're not actually students because he wants Arizona to win. I've got years of evidence that's true all the way back to Brandon Jennings. I can't recall one situation where he complained Arizona was doing the wrong thing by overlooking some obvious academic issue because the kid could play basketball. He's absolutely 100% fine with win at all costs with relation to Arizona basketball.

But he seems somehow offended that Durant and the Warriors are taking the easy way out here. To me that's a huge hypocrisy.

 

[Russ Smith]

Anywhere but the team who just beat him and won back to back Western Conference Finals with 73 wins this season, Coach Of The Year and back to back MVP. I'm a believer in to be the best, you have to beat the best. KD decided just to join the best. That's lame, IMO.



now you just sound insane. Part of this... on a SUNS BOARD is LAKER FANS who are mad at Durant? I mean, I don't want to sound harsh, but it's literally insane to this part of the backlash here is from Lakerfans.

I didn't mean on this board I meant on the national media approach to this.

There is this perception that certain franchises are supposed to get the star players and lots of people apparently expected Durant and Wetsbrook to end up as Lakers.

I happen to know I'm not the only one who thinks that because Greenie said it on Mike and Mike this morning. He said he gets some of the backlash here but he thinks in some way some of it is due to people simply not believing the Warriors are supposed to get a windfall like that it's supposed to be the lakers or celtics.

 

[chickenhead]

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

sent from a fone

Ha, I do agree with this. Players don't live in the real world though. I think they're often convinced they need to say this kind of thing.

 

[Russ Smith]

Interesting story on this. Similar to what I alluded to that Durant simply knew OKC wasn't going to be able to keep a good team together.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...rs-his-decision-was-five-years-in-the-making/

 

[chickenhead]

Crediting Shaq for going from a strong Orlando team to a weaker Laker team doesn't hold water for me. The team that had the best medium-term potential for titles was whatever team Shaq went to, and he was going to probably the most attractive FA destination. Coupled with the fact that he also wanted to be in the celebrity capital of the world, and it’s not like he was making a sacrifice or doing anything out of competitiveness.

 

[SirStefan32]

I don't understand the hate for KD or the Warriors. I am happy for both parties involved. I think it's a perfect fit.

 

[sunsfan88]

Okay so what happened to NBA rivalries? Truth is there isn't a big history of top players in their prime leaving their teams to begin with and it is almost non existent to find top players that not only left their team, but did so to go to what is already the best team in the league.

People need to quit spouting this nonsense. It's beyond disrespectful to the Cavs and LeBron James.

The Cavs won the Finals. The CLEVELAND CAVALIERS are the best team in the league. And no, Durant did not sign there.

 

[BillsCarnage]

Crediting Shaq for going from a strong Orlando team to a weaker Laker team doesn't hold water for me. The team that had the best medium-term potential for titles was whatever team Shaq went to, and he was going to probably the most attractive FA destination. Coupled with the fact that he also wanted to be in the celebrity capital of the world, and it’s not like he was making a sacrifice or doing anything out of competitiveness.

Bingo! This is why he went to LA.