The Durant Sweepstakes

[Mainstreet]

Here is the First Things First take on the Durant sweepstakes.

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[Mainstreet]

The question was partly being facetious. Nobody said it NEVER happens but it's rare. Out of the last 10 Superstar trades? It's an exception not the rule. Superstars in this league go where they want the vast majority of the time.

I was answering your question.

 

[Covert Rain]

I was answering your question.

You know what I was inferring as well. You know as well as I do, Superstars get to go where they want in this league which was the point.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yes just a couple of needed players for Suns.
Suns front office wants Durant greatly but not bad enough to completely gut the present & future of the Club.
I didn't know that Kemba Walker was in that bad of shape until it was posted by someone here. As Kemba used to break opposing guard's ankles trying to keep up with him.

I haven't been following Kemba Walker much, aside from the recent buyout rumor. If he can still play, the Suns need a third option at point guard. He only played in 37 games last season for the Knicks. His career appears in decline.

 

[Covert Rain]

Here is the First Things First take on the Durant sweepstakes.

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I was inferring the same scenario. This was a tactic to get traded knowing that Nash/Marks wasn't going anywhere.

 

[Mainstreet]

I was inferring the same scenario. This was a tactic to get traded knowing that Nash/Marks wasn't going anywhere.

From all reports, Durant wanted to be traded earlier this summer. Since it didn't work, escalating the trade demands seems like the natural progression in talks.

 

[Covert Rain]

From all reports, Durant wanted to be traded earlier this summer. Since it didn't work, escalating the trade demands seems like the next step.

It's his only option now. He could have put pressure from "go" on the Nets but it appears he wanted to let the Nets see what they can get. Now that the market has gone ice cold?

Makes sense.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I am not sure I want Durant around Booker and Ayton.

CP3 might be hated for his play on the court, but as far as I know, he has never screwed over a team.

 

[Mainstreet]

It's his only option now. He could have put pressure from "go" on the Nets but it appears he wanted to let the Nets see what they can get. Now that the market has gone ice cold?

Makes sense.

It also sends a message to the Nets and other teams, that he has a key say in where he wants to play.

 

[Mainstreet]

I am not sure I want Durant around Booker and Ayton.

CP3 might be hated for his play on the court, but as far as I know, he has never screwed over a team.

I understand Booker and Durant hung out together this summer. Whether we like it or not, this is a player's league.

It's taken a long time for the Suns to become a preferred destination. I remember how badly the Suns wanted LaMarcus Aldridge only to see him sign with the Spurs.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I am not sure I want Durant around Booker and Ayton.

CP3 might be hated for his play on the court, but as far as I know, he has never screwed over a team.

Book is his own man - I'm not worried about him.

 

[Proximo]

That might be he dumbest speculation If not conclusion I have read here in a long time. LOL.

KD could have clearly just demanded a trade to the Suns from the start publicly. He then had another opportunity to do it when he met with the Nets.

Somehow your genius interpreted that as me thinking the Suns are inferior somehow.

Literrally everyone reported the Suns were his first choice and Miami his second when it was announced he wanted to be traded. It was all over every sports show.

It has never been refuted, the only thing that has been said is that since Ayton was resigned the Suns no longer had the necessary ammo to make the trade, nobody ever said KD did not want to go to the Suns - they have only said the opposite.

You are saying you do not believe it.

That is completely illogical.

 

[Proximo]

The funny thing is if this was a 24 year old Durant? Teams would be moving mountains (which is what the Nets want). This is a 34 year old Durant. The Nets are crazy.

The nets are taking their time to get the highest price they can.

There is no reason to rush, if KD is truly unwilling to play for them with Nash and Banner, than even waiting to the trade deadline is probably fine, because they won't be competing this season anyway, and the draft isn't happening till the offseason.

I swear some people on here truly do not seem to understand negotiation, just because they say 100 times they want a ridiculous haul does not mean they won't ultimately take less once they know what his market truly is.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

The nets are taking their time to get the highest price they can.

There is no reason to rush, if KD is truly unwilling to play for them with Nash and Banner, than even waiting to the trade deadline is probably fine, because they won't be competing this season anyway, and the draft isn't happening till the offseason.

I swear some people on here truly do not seem to understand negotiation, just because they say 100 times they want a ridiculous haul does not mean they won't ultimately take less once they know what his market truly is.

If you think Durant isn't trying to escalate the process here, you're not paying attention.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The nets are taking their time to get the highest price they can.

There is no reason to rush, if KD is truly unwilling to play for them with Nash and Banner, than even waiting to the trade deadline is probably fine, because they won't be competing this season anyway, and the draft isn't happening till the offseason.

I swear some people on here truly do not seem to understand negotiation, just because they say 100 times they want a ridiculous haul does not mean they won't ultimately take less once they know what his market truly is.

There is no waiting to the trade deadline with this. There is no way Durant takes the court for the Nets this year. So unless you are expecting Durant to sit out half the season, this is not a possibility. Durant is pushing to be with a new team soon. He wants to win a championship and he knows that is not possible with the Nets. Sitting out half a season at his age will do great damage to championship prospects as well.

However, you are also right that the Nets are in a weaker negotiating position now, and they are the ones who will be desperate to get a deal done.

And yes, you are right. It was widely reported that the Suns were Durant's preferred destination when all this started. That has never been refuted.

 

[GatorAZ]

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[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The question was partly being facetious. Nobody said it NEVER happens but it's rare. Out of the last 10 Superstar trades? It's an exception not the rule. Superstars in this league go where they want the vast majority of the time.

Paul george

 

[JCSunsfan]

Gambo says that every time the Suns interact with the Nets the Nets simply say, "you don't have enough."

 

[Covert Rain]

Literrally everyone reported the Suns were his first choice and Miami his second when it was announced he wanted to be traded. It was all over every sports show.

It has never been refuted, the only thing that has been said is that since Ayton was resigned the Suns no longer had the necessary ammo to make the trade, nobody ever said KD did not want to go to the Suns - they have only said the opposite.

You are saying you do not believe it.

That is completely illogical.

I was talking about your stupid "Suns inferiority complex" statement. It was just plain stupid. Nobody is refuting that he wanted to be traded. I am sure he had a list. I am specifically talking about the early reports and insiders that claimed he only "wanted to be traded to the Suns". Other teams didn't start getting mentioned until later. Also, the Nets never wanted Ayton per Gambo so the only thing they could have done is parlayed him into additional assets.

I believe KD wanted to be traded and I never said anything different. I do not believe that it was to the Suns only and they he likely always had a list. KD could have made that clear from jump and had another opportunity with his meeting with the Nets if he only wanted to play with the Suns. Nothing illogical about it and it certainly is not because of some "Suns inferiority complex". LOL.

I even said we could put together similar packages to most teams EXCEPT Boston (Jaylen Brown). How is that me believing the Suns are inferior exactly?

 

[Phrazbit]

The nets are taking their time to get the highest price they can.

There is no reason to rush, if KD is truly unwilling to play for them with Nash and Banner, than even waiting to the trade deadline is probably fine, because they won't be competing this season anyway, and the draft isn't happening till the offseason.

I swear some people on here truly do not seem to understand negotiation, just because they say 100 times they want a ridiculous haul does not mean they won't ultimately take less once they know what his market truly is.

The NBA doesn't work like that. Durant's demand over the weekend has kneecapped the Nets, they now HAVE to trade him, they can't sit on him and the longer they do the worse the offers are going to get.

The best offer they will have received for Durant has probably long gone out the window.

When camp rolls around and he doesn't show up it's only going to get worse.

Teams that sit on disgruntled star players virtually always get screwed in the end.

 

[Covert Rain]

The NBA doesn't work like that. Durant's demand over the weekend has kneecapped the Nets, they now HAVE to trade him, they can't sit on him and the longer they do the worse the offers are going to get.

The best offer they will have received for Durant has probably long gone out the window.

When camp rolls around and he doesn't show up it's only going to get worse.

Teams that sit on disgruntled star players virtually always get screwed in the end.

Exactly. KD knew what he was doing. He is forcing their hand. He likely knew that the Nets wouldn't fire Nash/Marks. KD defended Nash at the end of the season which proves how calculated this move was.

 

[Yuma]

So the only thing I think derails a KD to Suns move, and I am not holding my breath on this, is if Ayton shows up and suddenly becomes Amare. Ayton starts dunking on guys and killing it, I would think the Suns would reconsider making a move. Is Ayton capable of this? I think yes. Does Ayton have the demeanor for this? Probably not, based on past performance. Ayton raising his game to another level has always been the Suns true way to become the dominant team.

 

[Cheesebeef]

So the only thing I think derails a KD to Suns move, and I am not holding my breath on this, is if Ayton shows up and suddenly becomes Amare. Ayton starts dunking on guys and killing it, I would think the Suns would reconsider making a move. Is Ayton capable of this? I think yes. Does Ayton have the demeanor for this? Probably not, based on past performance. Ayton raising his game to another level has always been the Suns true way to become the dominant team.

Ayton’s PR team incoming 3… 2… 1…

 

[Mainstreet]

So the only thing I think derails a KD to Suns move, and I am not holding my breath on this, is if Ayton shows up and suddenly becomes Amare. Ayton starts dunking on guys and killing it, I would think the Suns would reconsider making a move. Is Ayton capable of this? I think yes. Does Ayton have the demeanor for this? Probably not, based on past performance. Ayton raising his game to another level has always been the Suns true way to become the dominant team.

So are you thinking the Durant trade situation stretches into training camp and perhaps the season?

 

[Phrazbit]

So the only thing I think derails a KD to Suns move, and I am not holding my breath on this, is if Ayton shows up and suddenly becomes Amare. Ayton starts dunking on guys and killing it, I would think the Suns would reconsider making a move. Is Ayton capable of this? I think yes. Does Ayton have the demeanor for this? Probably not, based on past performance. Ayton raising his game to another level has always been the Suns true way to become the dominant team.

If Ayton can be aggressive as Amare he will instantly be one of the greatest big man of all time. As is, I think Ayton is actually more valuable than post microfracture Amare.

I just don’t see Ayton being that aggressive, you either are that guy or you are not. Just like how Amare was never going to become a good defender and rebounder.