NBA Chatter Thread

Don't think bad of Durant because he made the move but I don't think it necessarily means a great team either.

I can see some real chemistry issues, they will have no depth and no center since they have to get rid of both.

Also unlike Lebron who was the clear Alpha and the primary playmaker and could also plug any spot that was leaking, there is not that guy on G.S.

Who is the real leader on that team and who gets the shots in crunch time, I don't see Curry wanting to take a backseat.

Don't know if Durant can adapt to playing without the ball. it will be interesting to see how this all works out.

Jiggyfly said:

Don't think bad of Durant because he made the move but I don't think it necessarily means a great team either.

I can see some real chemistry issues, they will have no depth and no center since they have to get rid of both.

Also unlike Lebron who was the clear Alpha and the primary playmaker and could also plug any spot that was leaking, there is not that guy on G.S.

Who is the real leader on that team and who gets the shots in crunch time, I don't see Curry wanting to take a backseat.

Don't know if Durant can adapt to playing without the ball. it will be interesting to see how this all works out.

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I still see Curry & Draymond leading the way. Durant is more of a follower than an Alpha Dog. He'll fall in line and won't create waves.

1bigfan13 said:

I still see Curry & Draymond leading the way. Durant is more of a follower than an Alpha Dog. He'll fall in line and won't create waves.

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A follower who is used to taking over in crunch time.

If he is not getting his shots he will have issues he will not be ok being a glorified Barnes.

This was [MENTION=6]1bigfan13[/MENTION] about an hour ago...

Based on a lot of information that was coming out last night I kind of saw it coming.

We're one of the middle of the pack teams now. I think they're still a team that can be a 6-8 seed in the playoffs.

Now they need to see if Westbrook is interested in signing a long term deal. If he balks and indicates that he'd like to test free agency they need to start shopping him immediately. Try to get something for him while you can.

I honestly can't see Westbrook wanting to hang around. He strikes me as more of a guy who prefers the big city atmosphere and unfortunately OKC doesn't have much to offer. It's not a desirable location for young, wealthy athletes. It's why most of the talent that we've acquired over the years came via the draft or trades.

So I wouldn't be surprised to see them look to move Westbrook before next season's trade deadline.

Jiggyfly said:

A follower who is used to taking over in crunch time.

If he is not getting his shots he will have issues he will not be ok being a glorified Barnes.

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He doesn't have a choice...Curry is the first option, then you break it up between Thompson, Durant, and Green.

If he is going to have issues not getting enough shots, then he is an idiot. The roster pretty much dictates sharing the ball.

This is worse than LeBron going to Miami. At least that was just 3 guys colluding to play together and form what could be a great team, this is a guy who came within a hair of beating a 73 win team in a 7 game WCF series and instead of signing what amounts to a 1 year deal to go after it again he jumps ship for the team that just beat him.

Pathetic, especially when Durant has been critical of doing stuff like this in the past.

And for what? So he can be touted as the one who pushed the Warriors over the top when they're coming off a 73 win season and were 1 win away from repeating?

It's a joke.

Ironically, these are the fruits that LeBron's colluding and kingmaking has bared. He started this trend and now it's coming back to haunt him, too bad it's turned the league into a joke where the 82 game season+2 months of playoffs is nothing but a formality for a Finals matchup that is literally set in stone unless there is some catastrophic injury.

The Warriors might have some chemistry issues but there is no way an old ass Spurs team beats them, and of course there's literally nobody else in the West with even a glimmer of a shot of beating them just like there's nobody in the East with a glimmer of a shot of beating the Cavs.

Simpleton said:

This is worse than LeBron going to Miami. At least that was just 3 guys colluding to play together and form what could be a great team, this is a guy who came within a hair of beating a 73 win team in a 7 game WCF series and instead of signing what amounts to a 1 year deal to go after it again he jumps ship for the team that just beat him.

Pathetic, especially when Durant has been critical of doing stuff like this in the past.

And for what? So he can be touted as the one who pushed the Warriors over the top when they're coming off a 73 win season and were 1 win away from repeating?

It's a joke.

Ironically, these are the fruits that LeBron's colluding and kingmaking has bared. He started this trend and now it's coming back to haunt him, too bad it's turned the league into a joke where the 82 game season+2 months of playoffs is nothing but a formality for a Finals matchup that is literally set in stone unless there is some catastrophic injury.

The Warriors might have some chemistry issues but there is no way an old ass Spurs team beats them, and of course there's literally nobody else in the West with even a glimmer of a shot of beating them just like there's nobody in the East with a glimmer of a shot of beating the Cavs.

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I actually wouldn't even put this on Lebron. I know it's fashionable to bash & blame Lebron but let's not forget that the only reason Lebron formed a partnership with Bosh & Wade was so that he could counter the Celtics Big 3.

Remember the Celtics beat Lebron's Cavs twice. Lebron knew there was no way in hell he could beat a trio of hall of famers who were still in their prime and all he had in his arsenal was Booby Gibson, Mo Williams, Antwan Jamison, and an over-the-hill, overweight Shaq. So I've never really blamed him for heading to Miami. Because it's been proven throughout NBA history that you probably aren't winning a championship unless you have a couple of superstars on your roster. There have been exceptions along the way but for the most part NBA champs have at least two All-Star caliber players on the roster.

Unfortunately for Durant he ran into the same problem Lebron ran into. That is the fact that impact free agents don't want to play in OKC or CLE. Cleveland is in a better situation than OKC but neither are ideal landing spots for young, wealthy free agents.

I'm not one of those guys who thinks all players want to play in NY, LA, and Miami. But I do think that cities that can offer a competitive team along with an exciting, upscale lifestyle have an advantage over the OKCs, Milwaukees, and Utahs of the league.

1bigfan13 said:

I actually wouldn't even put this on Lebron. I know it's fashionable to bash & blame Lebron but let's not forget that the only reason Lebron formed a partnership with Bosh & Wade was so that he could counter the Celtics Big 3.

Remember the Celtics beat Lebron's Cavs twice. Lebron knew there was no way in hell he could beat a trio of hall of famers who were still in their prime and all he had in his arsenal was Booby Gibson, Mo Williams, Antwan Jamison, and an over-the-hill, overweight Shaq. So I've never really blamed him for heading to Miami. Because it's been proven throughout NBA history that you probably aren't winning a championship unless you have a couple of superstars on your roster. There have been exceptions along the way but for the most part NBA champs have at least two All-Star caliber players on the roster.

Unfortunately for Durant he ran into the same problem Lebron ran into. That is the fact that impact free agents don't want to play in OKC or CLE. Cleveland is in a better situation than OKC but neither are ideal landing spots for young, wealthy free agents.

I'm not one of those guys who thinks all players want to play in NY, LA, and Miami. But I do think that cities that can offer a competitive team along with an exciting, upscale lifestyle have an advantage over the OKCs, Milwaukees, and Utahs of the league.

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I'm not blaming LeBron, I'm just saying this is the result of a trend that he started and it's ironic because now his biggest competitor just got that much stronger. If Durant were a FA 10 years ago I don't think there is any possible way he goes to Golden State.

But yes, LeBron going to Miami was much less of a bitch move than going to the team that just eliminated you in 7 games who you very conceivably could have beat and may very well have been able to beat had he just went back to OKC on what was basically just a 1 year deal. Durant had a much better team around him than LeBron did and LeBron did not run off to join his biggest competitor with an already built team and who had already won a title because he's afraid of beating them himself.

There is no way that GSW don't win the title next year, or the next year after that. Unless there are injuries, no one is beating that team with all that talent.

If they're healthy, they are a lock to win titles for the foreseeable future.

IMO, despite the Cavs winning the title, I still believe that the Warriors are the best team in the league, and now they've got Durant? I don't see any conceivable way they could be beat.

The funny thing is, the one formula that could give them trouble was putting big bodies on them while having dynamic players on the perimeter. The only team that could present such a scenario?

OKC.....until now.

Not sure why Durant is getting bashed. Him signing with the team that beat OKC means jackshit. If they were eliminated by a different team would that more acceptable?

The bottomline is that Durant took a better job. He has a better chance of winning a title with the Warriors...and Kerr is a coach players seem to want to play for.

Carp said:

Not sure why Durant is getting bashed. Him signing with the team that beat OKC means jackshit. If they were eliminated by a different team would that more acceptable?

The bottomline is that Durant took a better job. He has a better chance of winning a title with the Warriors...and Kerr is a coach players seem to want to play for.

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Yes, just a few years ago this guy was tweeting stuff to the effect of "everybody's teaming up, where's the competition?" and he goes and joins his team's arch rival, a team that he very easily could've beaten in OKC, a team that is already a title winner and built to win it all. Where's the competition in that? The pride? Dignity? You're afraid that you won't be able to beat them so you run off to join them?

Some people think it's fine, that he's doing what's best for him (see: easiest possible path to a title), others think it's a bitch move, is what it is. I completely get it with how instant-gratification our society has become today, why do it the old fashioned way when everything you want can just be handed to you?

What if Dirk Nowitzki had ran off to join the Lakers in 2008? Or Steve Nash ran off to the Spurs in 2005? Chris Webber or Kevin Garnett to the Lakers in 2002? Shaq, John Stockton, Reggie Miller or Gary Payton to the Bulls in 1996? David Robinson to the Jazz in 1995? Michael Jordan to the Pistons in 1988?

Most of those guys never won titles and probably would have, some ended up winning but it took more time than if they had jumped ship to an arch rival that was already a title contender. In hindsight alot of people would argue that some of those guys should have made jumps like that. That's not the type of NBA I'd enjoy, but more power to you if that's what you enjoy.

No big surprise, but Dirk is close to signing a new deal with the Mavs. 2 years at 20 mill per.

Iamtdg said:

No big surprise, but Dirk is close to signing a new deal with the Mavs. 2 years at 20 mill per.

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Too loyal for his own good.

Here's to two more years of fighting for the 7th and 8th seed and being quickly bounced from the playoffs.

Great job, Cuban.

Texas Ace said:

Too loyal for his own good.

Here's to two more years of fighting for the 7th and 8th seed and being quickly bounced from the playoffs.

Great job, Cuban.

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At leats you got Barnes to be your franchise guy.

Iamtdg said:

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The thought of me rooting for this dbag to win a title in Cleveland just cause GS signed Durant makes me want to vomit.

Jiggyfly said:

At leats you got Barnes to be your franchise guy.

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It's better than giving that money to Deandre Jordan last year, but it's still a mistake along the same lines.

We're giving max money to a guy who isn't a star nor a franchise player because we're desperate to bring someone in.

It's a mistake and we should be rebuilding, not desperately reaching out to any halfway decent player who will entertain us.

Iamtdg said:

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Wow.....does anyone think that ISN'T going to happen?

Two super teams in the Finals. That ought to be one heck of a show.