Kevin Durant

[Klomp]

We've already seen his defense and rebounding fall off. And he's only missed less than 20 games one time since his injury.

We can likely absorb his annual injuries if they happen mid season, but what if its at the end of the year and he's either unavailable or well below 100% for the Playoffs.

I just can't wrap my head around spending what it will take to add a 37 year-old player to this team.

When we traded for Conley, he had recent seasons of 51, 47 and 12 games in his previous 5 seasons.

We totally should've kept D'Angelo Russell. The cost for an aging Conley was just too high....

This is such a straw man.

What did we give up for Conley? Answer: We got out of a bad contract AND added NAW and two high 2nd round picks.

Did the trade for Conley affect our ability to add pieces in the future?

What do we pay Conley? Is he breaking the bank or having a huge effect on our cap?

People argued we traded for a older, lesser talented player, who I believe had more longterm money than Russell.

[Klomp]

What???

That was a trade for now and the future. Siakim just turned 31 years old and is signed for 4 more years for an AAV of 47M. They have him locked up through his prime.

Durant is possibly a 1 year rental of a 37 year-old. And unless he's going to take a massive paycut, I wouldn't want to sign him beyond next season.

Siakam signed that extension 5 months after the trade. He was in the last year of his deal.

He was 30!!!

Indy traded for him with the full intent of keeping him long-term. You don't think they discussed it with his agent before making the trade?

And I'm sure you gave Julius Randle the same benefit at the time of the trade in September? Because it's not too dissimilar a situation.

[BlacJacMac]

When you are a Top 1 or 2 player for a solid 5-10 years at your peak, "falling off" means quite a big difference compared to what it does for someone whose peak is a Top 15 player like Randle or Gobert. Durant "falling off" still means a Top 25 player at worst, likely through the end of his career. Gobert/Randle "falling off" likely means dropping outside of the Top 50, and continuing to fall.

I agree. Durant is still a Top 25 scorer.

Which is one of our biggest needs, especially in clutch time....

Is it a 55M one year bandaid?

[BlacJacMac]

Siakam signed that extension 5 months after the trade. He was in the last year of his deal.

He was 30!!!

Indy traded for him with the full intent of keeping him long-term. You don't think they discussed it with his agent before making the trade?

And I'm sure you gave Julius Randle the same benefit at the time of the trade in September? Because it's not too dissimilar a situation.

Siakam > Randle

[BlacJacMac]

Kevin Durant has more trade demands and coaches fired than Playoff series wins since his injury...

[Klomp]

I heard a rumor today that PHX wants to trade Durant by the draft.

Since this draft comes before free agency opens, NAW would be off the table, and Naz and Randle would only be trade eligible if they picked up their options.

Technically, I'd assume they could figure out parameters before the draft, even if it's not officially consummated until the new league year. Since Randle is technically under contract, I think we could probably talk/negotiate with him on what such a deal could look like.

If Randle or Naz want to be included in a Durant trade and wants to be here, he could wait until after the draft to opt in.

The draft is June 25th.

Julius Randle has an opt out date on June 29th and Naz Reid has his opt out date on July 1st.

Usually teams and agents are in discussions though. It's rarely a complete blindside.

[Klomp]

Kevin Durant has more trade demands and coaches fired than Playoff series wins since his injury...

So for those of you around here who desperately want Finch fired, you should be begging for a trade by that thinking....

[BlacJacMac]

Kevin Durant has more trade demands and coaches fired than Playoff series wins since his injury...

So for those of you around here who desperately want Finch fired, you should be begging for a trade by that thinking....

I don't want Finch fired.

Just like I don't want to put unneeded limitations on Ant's window. We have a handful of legit tradable assets left. I would hate to blow most of them on Kevin Durant.

[winforlose]

IF the Suns could somehow get under the 2nd apron, this would be a fun trade. But, alas, they are in cap hell with a ruptured Achilles Beal.

Heat: Randle, Grayson Allen, Ryan Dunn, Oso Ighodaro (would be under 1st apron)
Suns: Gobert and Wiggins
MN: Durant, Ware, and Kevin Love (would be 1st apron)

Beal is not presently injured. Moreover, I don’t recall him ever rupturing his Achilles. I believe you are thinking of John Wall. Unless you are saying that Beal is the financial equivalent of a ruptured Achilles, in which case yes and no. Yes this year, no next year. As an expiring if Beal is willing to go, they could get salary back. The problem for the Suns is they lack their own draft capital, so a full tank doesn’t help them.

[shrink]

Personally, I think a GM wants players who want to be here, and ones that are likely to take less to stay. In my mind, that means Randle and Naz. And if we keep them both on lower deals, it means we need to keep Gobert, since they both need him.

Without those three salaries, I just don’t see how a Durant trade can work.

[Klomp]

Personally, I think a GM wants players who want to be here, and ones that are likely to take less to stay. In my mind, that means Randle and Naz. And if we keep them both on lower deals, it means we need to keep Gobert, since they both need him.

Without those three salaries, I just don’t see how a Durant trade can work.

There is truth in this.

I am honestly conflicted. I did like seeing the group we had out there. I think it might even have a chance to win a 7-game series over 28 other teams.....but are we satisfied with that or do we try to shake it up to get to the top?

[Worm Guts]

I think it would be fun to acquire Durant, but he really hasn’t made a difference with Phoenix and the fact that we have to match salaries with rotation players while adding picks/prospects on top probably makes this not a great idea.

[shrink]

I think the biggest benefit to get Durant isn’t how long he stays at the top of his game, or even if he can help us win a ring. To me, the biggest contribution that KD could make is to teach Ant.

I know there are a lot of people that don’t like Durant. He doesn’t have a big personality, he doesn’t open up in interviews, and he hasn’t had the playoff success people predicted. But there is one thing that define Durant, and Ant says it’s why he’s his favorite player: Durant is a hooper. Kevin Durant doesn’t get into all the media, the politics, all the BS. For his long career, Durant has devoted himself to basketball. He works harder than anyone to develop his game, and you can see Ant may have that in him too. I love Ant’s brash personality, but if anything is going to knock him off course, it’s his emotionalism, and the part of the NBA that is a business. He’s a kid, who wants to hoop. KD can help him focus, and be a professional, without all the noise.

For that reason, I am certainly willing to wait a year to get KD. Yes, he’ll likely decline. Durant can teach him those same lessons a year from now, when he won’t cost many (possibly “any”) assets to acquire.

[Klomp]

I think the biggest benefit to get Durant isn’t how long he stays at the top of his game, or even if he can help us win a ring. To me, the biggest contribution that KD could make is to teach Ant.

I know there are a lot of people that don’t like Durant. He doesn’t have a big personality, he doesn’t open up in interviews, and he hasn’t had the playoff success people predicted. But there is one thing that define Durant, and Ant says it’s why he’s his favorite player: Durant is a hooper. Kevin Durant doesn’t get into all the media, the politics, all the BS. For his long career, Durant has devoted himself to basketball. He works harder than anyone to develop his game, and you can see Ant has that in him too. I love Ant’s brash personality, but if anything is going to knock him off course, it’s his emotionalism, and the part of the NBA that is a business. He’s a kid, who wants to hoop. KD can help him focus, and be a professional, without all the noise.

For that reason, I am certainly willing to wait a year to get KD. Yes, he’ll likely decline. Durant can teach him those same lessons a year from now, when he won’t cost many (possibly “any”) assets to acquire.

Depending on where he goes though, they could easily tack on years to the contract. I don't think it's a sure thing that he becomes available again.

[MN7725]

I think it would be fun to acquire Durant, but he really hasn’t made a difference with Phoenix and the fact that we have to match salaries with rotation players while adding picks/prospects on top probably makes this not a great idea.

I think if Gobert is heading out as matching salary, then the Wolves are probably in the same boat as Phoenix was with just having too flawed a roster

26/6/4 at 64% TS is still absurd to be adding to any team

If there is a trade that doesn't include Gobert and Jaden, I think any other salary matching and picks/young players is worth it

even if you expect a slight decrease in KD's efficiency if you're hoping for 2-3 years with him, he will still be a top 10 "shooter" (not including people who mostly dunk to have high efficiency), who can get his shot off against pretty much anyone

[Domejandro]

I heard a rumor today that PHX wants to trade Durant by the draft.

Since this draft comes before free agency opens, NAW would be off the table, and Naz and Randle would only be trade eligible if they picked up their options.

I am totally right, the owner wants Jase Richardson.

[Domejandro]

I think it would be fun to acquire Durant, but he really hasn’t made a difference with Phoenix and the fact that we have to match salaries with rotation players while adding picks/prospects on top probably makes this not a great idea.

Strongly disagree with the narrative that he hasn’t made a substantial difference in Phoenix. Last year, they were 3-17 when he didn’t play, which is good for the worst winning percentage in the NBA. They were 33-29 when he played, despite the roster being hot garbage.

Kevin Durant might fall off or break down completely at some point, but impact-wise, he is still a monster.

[Worm Guts]

I think it would be fun to acquire Durant, but he really hasn’t made a difference with Phoenix and the fact that we have to match salaries with rotation players while adding picks/prospects on top probably makes this not a great idea.

Strongly disagree with the narrative that he hasn’t made a substantial difference in Phoenix. Last year, they were 3-17 when he didn’t play, which is good for the worst winning percentage in the NBA. They were 33-29 when he played, despite the roster being hot garbage.

Kevin Durant might fall off or break down completely at some point, but impact-wise, he is still a monster.

That’s one way to look at it, but they’ve also gone from a finals team the year before they acquired him, to a 2nd round playoff team, to getting swept in the first round, to missing the play-in.

[Klomp]

I heard a rumor today that PHX wants to trade Durant by the draft.

Since this draft comes before free agency opens, NAW would be off the table, and Naz and Randle would only be trade eligible if they picked up their options.

I am totally right, the owner wants Jase Richardson.

Good thing for them that he's not a Minnesota alum

[Klomp]

I think it would be fun to acquire Durant, but he really hasn’t made a difference with Phoenix and the fact that we have to match salaries with rotation players while adding picks/prospects on top probably makes this not a great idea.

Strongly disagree with the narrative that he hasn’t made a substantial difference in Phoenix. Last year, they were 3-17 when he didn’t play, which is good for the worst winning percentage in the NBA. They were 33-29 when he played, despite the roster being hot garbage.

Kevin Durant might fall off or break down completely at some point, but impact-wise, he is still a monster.

That’s one way to look at it, but they’ve also gone from a finals team the year before they acquired him, to a 2nd round playoff team, to getting swept in the first round, to missing the play-in.

No consistency year to year with coaches and schemes