Durant to the Warriors

[Russ Smith]

So, your contention is that professional athletes always give candid, unfiltered reasons for career decisions they made a quarter century ago?

My contention is if you're trying to determine why someone did something the most accurate way to determine it is to ask the person themselves not rely on opinions of people on a message board.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Durant will be the best player on G.S. Did watch the finals with Cleveland?

 

[elindholm]

My contention is if you're trying to determine why someone did something the most accurate way to determine it is to ask the person themselves not rely on opinions of people on a message board.

Well, I'd say that's probably true in general, but certainly not in every specific case. You can't count on entertainers to say how they really feel about anything, and I think it's theoretically possible for a fan base that follows an entertainer's behavior closely to read his actions more accurately than his words.

 

[Dude]

Well, I'd say that's probably true in general, but certainly not in every specific case. You can't count on entertainers to say how they really feel about anything, and I think it's theoretically possible for a fan base that follows an entertainer's behavior closely to read his actions more accurately than his words.

Good point.

 

[Mainstreet]

Well, I'd say that's probably true in general, but certainly not in every specific case. You can't count on entertainers to say how they really feel about anything, and I think it's theoretically possible for a fan base that follows an entertainer's behavior closely to read his actions more accurately than his words.

Following behavior is the best way to understand a person.

 

[Russ Smith]

Shaw is SPINNING AFTER THE FACT. You really expect him to say "i left because I wanted to go to the bigger market, get bigger endorsements, have my own team and be able to make movies?" He left because a) the Lakers were immediately showering him with more money then the Magic offered b) he hated sharing the limelight with Penny and c) he wanted to be the king of big market. That was beyond apparent at the time and him spinning things afterward to make him look like less of a clown, doesn't change the reality of the situation.

Your theory that he went to a better situation being equal to what Durant did is a complete and utter joke along with your theory that no one would bitch if Durant went to a 73 win Laker team and that "everyone" expected him to go there... when pretty much NO ONE expected him to go there except delusional Laker fans and apparently you, after the fact.

a) is untrue, Shaq got 121 million from the lakers. Orlando's last offer was 130 million based on numerous reports at the time. I'l give you the first link there are dozens of them that say the same thing.

http://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/19/sports/pro-basketball-lakers-get-o-neal-in-7-year-contract.html

The Lakers original offer was 95 million, Orlando topped it offering 115. The lakers traded George Lynch and Peeler to up their offer to 121 and Orlando offered 130 and said Shaq never responded to the final offer, told them by voicemail he wanted to play for a team with a better tradition of winning and that was the Lakers. The cap rules were different then the Lakers had to dump salaries to be able to offer more, orlando could pay Shaq whatever they wanted and upped the offer each time the Lakers did. there were fan polls saying they shouldn't pay Shaq that much but they offered him more than he got from the Lakers.

I agree about the market and endorsements part.

And yes I think Shaq told the truth last year, he was already doing movies he'd starred in 2 before he even joined the Lakers. He was already a top endorser he already had pepsi and reebok deals. He'd already done rap albums and tv shows. Yes being in LA allowed him to do more of that but it was already available to him. He went to LA for the reason he said the day he signed, LA had a longer tradition of winning and having dominant centers and he wanted to be part of that.

 

[Russ Smith]

Well, I'd say that's probably true in general, but certainly not in every specific case. You can't count on entertainers to say how they really feel about anything, and I think it's theoretically possible for a fan base that follows an entertainer's behavior closely to read his actions more accurately than his words.

he literally said almost the same thing in July 1996. He openly admitted it was the history of the Lakers winning that drew him there. he wanted to be like Magic, kareem and Nixon.

 

[GatorAZ]

a) is untrue, Shaq got 121 million from the lakers. Orlando's last offer was 130 million based on numerous reports at the time. I'l give you the first link there are dozens of them that say the same thing.

http://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/19/sports/pro-basketball-lakers-get-o-neal-in-7-year-contract.html

The Lakers original offer was 95 million, Orlando topped it offering 115. The lakers traded George Lynch and Peeler to up their offer to 121 and Orlando offered 130 and said Shaq never responded to the final offer, told them by voicemail he wanted to play for a team with a better tradition of winning and that was the Lakers.

I agree about the market and endorsements part.

And yes I think Shaq told the truth last year, he was already doing movies he'd starred in 2 before he even joined the Lakers. He was already a top endorser he already had pepsi and reebok deals. He'd already done rap albums and tv shows. Yes being in LA allowed him to do more of that but it was already available to him. He went to LA for the reason he said the day he signed, LA had a longer tradition of winning and having dominant centers and he wanted to be part of that.

According to the 30 for 30 show the Magic lowballed him initially. Even the Hornets had a bigger offer to Alonzo Mourning (total money not sure about per year). Shaq got lured by the LA limelight and Jerry West.

Btw Jerry West is still bringing in stars to this day. Guy has been making an impact on the league in some way for nearly 60 years.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It's not that I don't understand Ouchie, i simply don't agree, that's not the same thing.

I've done that several times. I've also started a post and then thought better of it only to have my text show up in a response I make a week later. Freaks you out at first but it's cool once you realize it keeps what you type so you have to erase it when you visit that thread again.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

It's not that I don't understand Ouchie, i simply don't agree, that's not the same thing.

Eh, from reading your arguments I don't really think you do. But that's okay. You're excited about your new toy. I would be too. The Warriors will certainly be formidable. Enjoy the years of dominance. I would.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

My contention is if you're trying to determine why someone did something the most accurate way to determine it is to ask the person themselves not rely on opinions of people on a message board.

Except if you're a public figure trying to make your legacy look better than it was. Cmon Russ, you can't be arguing that you're swallowing that load of crap.

I've always respected your opinion on this board. You keep the Zona fans honest (at least to me). But to say you believe that load of horsepoop, well . . . let's just say it may lessen the weight I afford your posts (not that my approval is worth anything).

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I've done that several times. I've also started a post and then thought better of it only to have my text show up in a response I make a week later. Freaks you out at first but it's cool once you realize it keeps what you type so you have to erase it when you visit that thread again.

Haha, WHAT?

 

[Russ Smith]

According to the 30 for 30 show the Magic lowballed him initially. Even the Hornets had a bigger offer to Alonzo Mourning (total money not sure about per year). Shaq got lured by the LA limelight and Jerry West.

Btw Jerry West is still bringing in stars to this day. Guy has been making an impact on the league in some way for nearly 60 years.

yes I watched that too but it's misleading. the initial offer was 4 years 54.76 million which was over 13 per season. The last offer Mourning got from Charlotte was 11.2 million per but for more years. Then the Lakers got involved and the Magic upped their offer to 7 years 95 million. Then the Lakers topped that, the Magic upped it to 115 million, the Lakers traded 2 players and offered 7/120, and the magic countered at 130 million and never got a response from Shaq because he'd already made up his mind.

That was the same offseason Jordan signed a 1 year 30 million deal with Chicago, 33 the next year. Shaq wanted to be the highest paid and it lasted less than week. I spent about 15 minutes at lunch today reading over the history of this which is how I happened upon the quotes from Shaq about why he went to LA. Shaq even said after jordan signed his deal he knew his Lakers deal was going to be topped soon by Jordan he repeatedly said it wasn't about the money he wanted to play for a more established winner and that was the Lakers.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Haha, WHAT?

If you choose reply and type a response and then opt not to post it, it stays there even after you close out of the thread, the forum and even the net. If you go back into that thread and respond to another post, your old comment and the post you quoted at that time will be multi-quoted in your new post. Or at least that's how it's working for me.

It's cool in a way. It buffers your text so in case you've spent several minutes on a response and life pulls you away, it's still there when you return.

 

[Russ Smith]

Except if you're a public figure trying to make your legacy look better than it was. Cmon Russ, you can't be arguing that you're swallowing that load of crap.

I've always respected your opinion on this board. You keep the Zona fans honest (at least to me). But to say you believe that load of horsepoop, well . . . let's just say it may lessen the weight I afford your posts (not that my approval is worth anything).

He said the same in July of 1996 Ouchie.

 

[Russ Smith]

If you choose reply and type a response and then opt not to post it, it stays there even after you close out of the thread, the forum and even the net. If you go back into that thread and respond to another post, your old comment and the post you quoted at that time will be multi-quoted in your new post. Or at least that's how it's working for me.

It's cool in a way. It buffers your text so in case you've spent several minutes on a response and life pulls you away, it's still there when you return.

yes once you know it does that it's a cool feature. The first time you accidentally post something though it's a surprise but once you are aware of it not such a bad thing

 

[chickenhead]

Maybe Durant thinks it'll be fun. Maybe he likes Kerr and wants to play in that offense. Maybe he has friends on the Warriors. Maybe he appreciates their fan base. Maybe he likes the Bay Area. Maybe he wants to invest in tech companies. Maybe he met with the Warriors, Heat, Spurs, Clippers, and Celtics - and Warriors out-recruited everyone else.

The only choices that would have quieted everyone (except for Sonics fans) would have been to re-sign with OKC or go to Washington (though people would have scratched their heads at the latter).

It's boring until it isn't. The Heat being in the hunt reminds me of Pat Riley's "Disease of More." The Warriors have seemed insulated against it in the past, but even if the cap has room to pay everyone, not everyone wants to be paid equally. Maybe Klay wants to be the man, but he's got Curry and Durant taking up the spotlight. Maybe Draymond thinks he is the man, and starts rubbing some of the other stars the wrong way. Maybe Joe Lacob keeps taking credit for everything and rubs all the stars the wrong way. It could get interesting.

 

[Russ Smith]

Maybe Durant thinks it'll be fun. Maybe he likes Kerr and wants to play in that offense. Maybe he has friends on the Warriors. Maybe he appreciates their fan base. Maybe he likes the Bay Area. Maybe he wants to invest in tech companies. Maybe he met with the Warriors, Heat, Spurs, Clippers, and Celtics - and Warriors out-recruited everyone else.

The only choices that would have quieted everyone (except for Sonics fans) would have been to re-sign with OKC or go to Washington (though people would have scratched their heads at the latter).

It's boring until it isn't. The Heat being in the hunt reminds me of Pat Riley's "Disease of More." The Warriors have seemed insulated against it in the past, but even if the cap has room to pay everyone, not everyone wants to be paid equally. Maybe Klay wants to be the man, but he's got Curry and Durant taking up the spotlight. Maybe Draymond thinks he is the man, and starts rubbing some of the other stars the wrong way. Maybe Joe Lacob keeps taking credit for everything and rubs all the stars the wrong way. It could get interesting.

It's been my point since the rumors first came out he might want to play for the Warriors, on paper it looks amazing but teams are not collections of stars they're players that play well together. It's not clear yet whether he can do that or not. Steph and Klay and Draymond together have been amazing, Iggy did it but he's a great passer, always has been. The durant that played the Warriors in the playoffs unreal, but will he be THAT Durant for a full season we don't know. His defense and willingness to give the ball up in that series was better than I've seen from him before.

on the Kerr thing there's a story on ESPN right now where the writer, an OKC writer, said that Durant wanted brooks gone because he hated the ISO offense. When asked to give an example of the coach they should hire he literally said "Steve Kerr."

 

[Mainstreet]

If you choose reply and type a response and then opt not to post it, it stays there even after you close out of the thread, the forum and even the net. If you go back into that thread and respond to another post, your old comment and the post you quoted at that time will be multi-quoted in your new post. Or at least that's how it's working for me.

It's cool in a way. It buffers your text so in case you've spent several minutes on a response and life pulls you away, it's still there when you return.

I'm thinking you can inadvertently quote yourself then respond to your previous quote and like it at the same time.

Rock On

 

[Covert Rain]

Golden state is the best team in the league, and they proved it all season. It's not nonsense Sunsfan it's fact, the best team didn't win the finals doesn't discount they are still the best team. The Cavs get to breeze thru the pathetic east and still could not get close to GS win total. Just because the finals were officiated like a street ball game and the Cavs took advantage doesn't make them the best team. Cleveland got their tainted ring and will stay on top of the pathetic east but that's about it!

Nonsense. Best regular season team doesn't equal best team. Every coach in the NBA will tell you the playoffs are an entirely different animal.

Tainted ring? LOL.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

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.

This will be the last time I try to address your ridiculous apples to oranges comparisons. Even if you assume UA or Kentucky is being underhanded or unethical or whatever in how they recruit kids I don't think anyone would suggest they're taking the easy way out. They would say things about their morals or being low character human beings not that they're weak-willed which is all we're saying about KD.

KD like I said earlier is the guy who ditches his buddies to play with a bunch of strangers during open court because they're better. He's the kid who's Mommy and Daddy forcibly transfer him to a better Little League team so he doesn't have to be so sad and occasionally have to deal with losing. I just really don't have respect for him as a competitor after this. Doubt he cares but it's the truth and countless of his peers likely feel same way I do.

And also isn't there scheduled to be a lockout this next offseason? The new CBA is going to nuke this super team so fast that I doubt they get more than a 2-3 year run and that's only if there is a 2017-2018 season to be played.

 

[TJ]

What I keep going back to when thinking about Durant to GSW is this: What problem does Durant solve for the team? GSW won 73-games without Durant, primarily by shooting the lights out of the gym. The only weakness GSW had last season was that it didn't have an abundance of tough guys, and when the few tough guys went down (Green with the suspension and Bogut with the knee), it was kicked to the ground by a tougher, more physical Cleveland team.

Durant is the antithesis of physical. He's another finesse player who is a great scorer, just like Klay and Curry. Who's going to guard the interior?

I get the move as you can't go wrong with having as many All-Star players on the roster as possible, but this move benefits Durant far more than it does GSW.

 

[AzStevenCal]

And also isn't there scheduled to be a lockout this next offseason? The new CBA is going to nuke this super team so fast that I doubt they get more than a 2-3 year run and that's only if there is a 2017-2018 season to be played.

You really think there will be a lockout? I know there's been talk of it but it stands to reason that ESPN and TNT have an escape built into their deal if the games aren't played. At this point I'm quite certain that ESPN would thank their lucky stars if they could find a way out of this TV deal. Given all the big dollar contracts coming out this season and next season, it's hard to believe that the players or the owners could be so shortsighted as to take that risk. Guess we'll see.

 

[elindholm]

What I keep going back to when thinking about Durant to GSW is this: What problem does Durant solve for the team? GSW won 73-games without Durant, primarily by shooting the lights out of the gym. The only weakness GSW had last season was that it didn't have an abundance of tough guys, and when the few tough guys went down (Green with the suspension and Bogut with the knee), it was kicked to the ground by a tougher, more physical Cleveland team.

Game 7 was very close down the stretch, so it's not possible to draw any grand conclusions about what kind of team the Warriors could or could not beat. And with a final score of 93-89, Golden State's defense should have been more than adequate. But it looked to me like the Cavaliers had worked out a defensive scheme that was able to contain Curry and Thompson, and when Green was the only one who could step up as a reliable third weapon -- reliable when he was on the court, that is -- the Warriors' vaunted offense was neutralized.

How many elite scorers can a defensive scheme stop? Two, apparently, but can they really stop three?

Also, Harrison Barnes shot 5-32 over the last three games, and that's not even an exaggeration.

 

[GatorAZ]

The SSOL Suns were one of the greatest offensive juggernauts in history and you can argue the Warriors being better at 4 positions. When you factor in Durant's underrated defense I really can't see how they'd ever lose a 7-game series. Barnes also had "okay" handles while Durant can go coast-to-coast and finish or lay it off to teammates. This will be a historic run barring a meltdown in chemistry.