OT Durant to Warriors

[Adios]

They have a thread on OKC's message board encouraging fans not to burn jerseys. Suggestions so far are: throw them in the trash, use them for the bottom of the bird cage, use for washing car, wiping rear end, wiping after sexual activity.

 

[KemBuckets21]

I guess i'm not surprised. Seems to be the culture of the nba these days. How much better can the warriors really get, 82-0?

KD is def better than a 9 win player.

 

[Adios]

By the 5th of July, nobody will give a crap.

Knowing sports fans, I wish you were right.

 

[Adios]

People might piss and moan a bit, but Durant is such a low key guy that I don't think people will care in the long run.

If GSW wins, he'll be hated more. lol

 

[intlzncster]

They have a thread on OKC's message board encouraging fans not to burn jerseys. Suggestions so far are: throw them in the trash, use them for the bottom of the bird cage, use for washing car, wiping rear end, wiping after sexual activity.

That is laugh out loud funny.

 

[KemBuckets21]

If GSW wins, he'll be hated more. lol

who hates him? dude wants a ring...this is the best way to get it. I don't like what it will do to the competitiveness of the NBA, but he gets 27mm next year to join a 70 win team...

if he doesn't win - he will catch unbelievable flack.

 

[Adios]

On the flip side, this actually can still be an enormous marketing opportunity for Durant. Durant is the 5th most popular player in China.

 

[Adios]

who hates him? dude wants a ring...this is the best way to get it. I don't like what it will do to the competitiveness of the NBA, but he gets 27mm next year to join a 70 win team...

if he doesn't win - he will catch unbelievable flack.

People who like to hate others who are successful. Which is a LOT of people. Similar to LeBron but not as big as LeBron, at least so far. I couldn't care, personally.

 

[EBonz30]

They don't make them like Kobe anymore.

He kicked Shaq off his team to show the world and himself that he could win a ring with being the man on his team.

My God has the times have changed.

Durant new nickname Mr. Softie

 

[johnhuskies95]

Durant is not going to do "The Decision". And he's not leaving his hometown (downtrodden) team.

LeBron left a team that was legitimately awful besides him. Durant is leaving a team that had one of the 5 best players in the world on it in addition to a very good supporting cast.

 

[Adios]

They don't make them like Kobe anymore.

He kicked Shaq off his team to show the world and himself that he could win a ring with being the man on his team.

My God has the times have changed.

Durant new nickname Mr. Softie

I think there's more to it than that. Durant staying in OKC would have been good for OKC but there's more money to be made through the SF Bay Area, not just for Durant. Kobe was already on the Lakers. Sadly, this is exposing that certain franchises will continue to make corporations and players more money than others.

 

[EBonz30]

I think there's more to it than that. Durant staying in OKC would have been good for OKC but there's more money to be made through the SF Bay Area, not just for Durant. Kobe was already on the Lakers. Sadly, this is exposing that certain franchises make corporations and players more money than others.

This was not a financial decision, that's pretty obvious, he took less money, and Los Angeles would've been the place to go if it was about money.

Their is a reason why DeAndre Jordan, Blake Griffin, and Chris Paul are on just about every NBA commercial.

 

[UconnFanNVa]

People villified LeBron for joining Miami. It'll be interesting to see how this Durant move is perceived. Going to a championship team that's made two straight Finals, broke the record for wins in a season, and knocked his team out of the playoffs.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

I was critical of LeBron for two reasons. Forming a super team is weak, and taking a pay cut to make it happen is weak. Same here except Durant isn't taking a pay cut, but it's still weak. If he wins a chip in my mind it will lessen the value

 

[Walker11]

Wow. Talk about a super-team. So who is going to be the #2 option? Klay is okay being #3? Draymond is okay being the 4th best player on the team?

What does Steph (and the rest of the team) think about the Warriors basically saying "Hey Steph (guys), you're really not doing enough on your own here. We still need Kevin Durant to win a championship"

It has been reported that Steph, Dray, and Klay have been recruiting KD the entire season. I imagine they are elated.

 

[EBonz30]

It has been reported that Steph, Dray, and Klay have been recruiting KD the entire season. I imagine they are elated.

Lol, wins 73 games and still aren't confident enough in yourselves to win without another top 5 player.

Oh that's right you choked just about a week ago.

Good luck next year.

#evilempire

 

[Scoe]

I wonder how the Cavs will counter this Lebron opted out he would be willing to sacrifice some money if it means bringing in someone else.

 

[Scoe]

I love it because sports are so boring right now, you can only watch so much baseball.

 

[David 76]

Three free agents conspiring to join a team, one with a TV special and leaving his home town vs one player getting a contract.
I'm happy for Kevin.
At what point are the GSW supposed to not try to improve their team?

 

[Matrim55]

This -- which came about 18 hours before the announcement -- amuses me, given how often we stalk potential recruits on twitter/snapchat/etc.

Social media matters. Canary in the coalmine in this case.

 

[eos91]

This is a problem with the salary cap / collective bargaining...

Harrison Barnes was terrible in the playoffs... He gets $24mm per year from Dallas and GSW get KD for $27mm. They should be allowed to pay superstars more but with a bad cap hit to go to a new team.

 

[Scoe]

Lebron gets more hate in general even before "the decision", Durant isn't measured against the all time greats the way Lebron is with Durant its can he win a championships with Lebron its how many can he win since he is the Chosen One, and King James etc.

 

[jayteeman]

Love, James and Irving won't be enough

 

[Ldandy]

I honestly don't like this move at all. KD is all offense all the time. Does GS really need that? They won 73 freaking games last year. How many basketballs do they think there are to go around with Curry avg. 30 and Green and Thompson both capable of getting you 20+ apiece? They got beat because they lacked physical toughness on the inside. Lebron overpowered them single handed in the final 3 games of the series. Unless they plan on moving Thompson for some physical toughness I don't see how this deal makes much sense.

 

[Ldandy]

Durant is not going to do "The Decision". And he's not leaving his hometown (downtrodden) team.

In fairness to Lebron, "The Decision" was likely 99% ESPN's doing with Nike's urging. As for leaving his hometown team, one could argue that he gave them everything he had, but knew it would never be enough. He literally willed one of the worst collections of talent to The NBA Finals versus The Spurs. He didn't owe Cleveland the prime years of his career where he could be chasing rings, if there was no indication that the talent level around him was going to be raised. Durant made an NBA Finals with talent around him in Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka, that Lebron could only dream about. Durant's decision reaks of if you can't beat them you might as well join them.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Hell, who is the first option. An on fire Steph or an on fire KD?

If you are OKC don't you have to trade Westbrook now (or at least before the trade deadline next season)? You are not going to find him a running mate like KD and he almost certainly has to leave once his contract is up. Call the knicks in November and offer Russ for The Unicorn and Rose (or 30 prime tickets to see Hamilton)..or something.

The Clippers for CPIII and Jordan for Russ and 3 futire first rounf picks...or something.

Are you insane? And under contract for a few years Jordan along with an all star PG for a couple months of Westbrook? Posting as working on year two of a rookie contract for a couple months of Westbrook? Isaiah Thomas isn't making the decisions for the Knicks any longer and Donald Sterling no longer runs the Clippers.