Addition by Subtraction

[ball_takes23]

lets looks at the evidence:


The Suns still had a very good team after KD joined and before the Beal trade
The Suns were 3-17 when KD sat out last year
Houston has the 3rd highest net rating in the league after trading for KD
The Clippers have tanked to the bottom of the west after signing Beal

it's pretty obvious who the culprit was here

[Baz]

KD is a cancer to any team he plays for. I feel bad for hopeful Rocket fans.

Rockets have gone to another level getting rid of Jalen and Dillon and bringing KD.

I don't think it's gonna work out but good luck

[MrGoat]

I saw the Suns last play night against the Mavs. They are now chock full of dirty and obnoxious players with the addition of Dillon Brooks to Grayson Allen and Royce O' Neal. Mark Williams hit Brandon Williams in the face and knocked one of his contacts out, they had to stop the game for a couple of minutes so Brandon could get a contact back in his eye which is one of the weirdest stoppages I have ever seen. Grayson Allen and Royce O' Neal have also been on serious heaters to start the season, Allen leads the league in 3 pointers, O' Neal is 3rd. Allen's so hot he's pulling up from Curry range. I'm not sure that's sustainable but they will probably be an annoying team to face all season. One potential area of improvement is they need to do a better job of getting Mark Williams the ball when he's in.

[Fo-Real]

They started last year 9-2.

I do think this team is better built, even if they have less talent. That's not really addition by subtraction. It's more that the team has actual centers and functional wings.

Coaching, better scheme, ball movement and defensive energy.

[Calvin Klein]

They started last year 9-2.

I do think this team is better built, even if they have less talent. That's not really addition by subtraction. It's more that the team has actual centers and functional wings.

Coaching, better scheme, ball movement and defensive energy.

Fewer egos.

[tamaraw08]

They started last year 9-2.

I do think this team is better built, even if they have less talent. That's not really addition by subtraction. It's more that the team has actual centers and functional wings.

OMG, you just reminded me about the thread I started last year suggesting that coach Bud is Good.

[Fo-Real]

They started last year 9-2.

I do think this team is better built, even if they have less talent. That's not really addition by subtraction. It's more that the team has actual centers and functional wings.

Coaching, better scheme, ball movement and defensive energy.

Fewer egos.

Even watching games we won the past couple years was frustrating as hell. Iso ball, non athletic, would not compete if punched in the face and just not using talent correctly. The ball movement is a thing of beauty when its working.

[tamaraw08]

I think there's a formula here:

OKC let Durant go - Won a ring last season!
Golden State let Durant go - Won a ring without him!
Phoenix lets Durant go - It's winning time baabbyy!!!

OKC struggled a few years when KD left.
GSW won 2 rings with him then struggled the following year without him.
I think Phoenix had a better record with him playing than him sitting out games.
What you are missing here is the freaking Bradley Beal factor.
Suns subtracted Beal and added more minutes to Allen ( +10 more mins) AND Royce with 6 more minutes per game combining for 33pts/8/8 at a very high 60+EFG%.

[morosis]

KD is a cancer to any team he plays for. I feel bad for hopeful Rocket fans.

Rockets have gone to another level getting rid of Jalen and Dillon and bringing KD.

I don't think it's gonna work out but good luck

It depends what a fan expects by "work out". The likely top of the West heading into the playoffs is some combination of OKC, DEN, SAS, HOU, LAL, MIN, GSW, etc. If by "work out" you mean getting to or winning a finals, that involves beating 2 or 3 of those teams. possible, but easy to be skeptical, regardless of how good HOU is with KD.

By contrast, if by "work out" you mean they'll play good basketball and be a very good team with a decent shot of making noise in the playoffs and with a bit of luck going deep in a really hard conference, then I see that as almost a lock that things will "work out".

as always injury to HOU itself, or opponents notwithstanding.

[ball_takes23]

Rockets have gone to another level getting rid of Jalen and Dillon and bringing KD.

I don't think it's gonna work out but good luck

It depends what a fan expects by "work out". The likely top of the West heading into the playoffs is some combination of OKC, DEN, SAS, HOU, LAL, MIN, GSW, etc. If by "work out" you mean getting to or winning a finals, that involves beating 2 or 3 of those teams. possible, but easy to be skeptical, regardless of how good HOU is with KD.

By contrast, if by "work out" you mean they'll play good basketball and be a very good team with a decent shot of making noise in the playoffs and with a bit of luck going deep in a really hard conference, then I see that as almost a lock that things will "work out".

as always injury to HOU itself, or opponents notwithstanding.

Exactly, but people are incapable of thinking in any other way besides title or bust so the reaction is pretty much always going to be that KDs time in Houston was a complete failure that ruined the franchise even if they end up losing a hard fought series to the next potential dynasty in OKC.

[Baz]

Rockets have gone to another level getting rid of Jalen and Dillon and bringing KD.

I don't think it's gonna work out but good luck

It depends what a fan expects by "work out". The likely top of the West heading into the playoffs is some combination of OKC, DEN, SAS, HOU, LAL, MIN, GSW, etc. If by "work out" you mean getting to or winning a finals, that involves beating 2 or 3 of those teams. possible, but easy to be skeptical, regardless of how good HOU is with KD.

By contrast, if by "work out" you mean they'll play good basketball and be a very good team with a decent shot of making noise in the playoffs and with a bit of luck going deep in a really hard conference, then I see that as almost a lock that things will "work out".

as always injury to HOU itself, or opponents notwithstanding.

The KD experience doesn't usually end well, is what I mean. It will probably end with him arguing with Rockets fans on Twitter.

[morosis]

The KD experience doesn't usually end well, is what I mean. It will probably end with him arguing with Rockets fans on Twitter.

I dont know him off-court, but I think of him as a guy that just loves basketball and wants to play meaningful basketball.

KD has done quite a few interviews lately where he opens up about the common misunderstandings pro athletes face, and nothing about the way he characterizes things seems like he's a malcontent or troublemaker. he seems to disagree with people about a lot of stuff but also is quick to say things like "that doesnt make me right, its just my perspective" or similar. all in all he seems like a pretty chill, high EQ dude tbh.

personally i quite like that he feels like a real person and not a micromanaged celebrity personality whose every interaction seems like a calculated marketing ploy. to each their own though. edit: I realize that might sound a bit snarky but for real we all look up to people for different reasons. some might like stars that are more polished, others might like more "realness" and all are totally fine and don't require anyone else's approval.

anyway, i can't see him not wanting to engage with people when he has said repeatedly that being open and real with people, and connecting with fans on the internet (both positive and negative interactions) is something he sees as a way to grow interest in the game and build the future. so yeah, he'll probably be arguing with fans regardless of whether things go well or poorly. heh.

[og15]

lets looks at the evidence:


The Suns still had a very good team after KD joined and before the Beal trade
The Suns were 3-17 when KD sat out last year
Houston has the 3rd highest net rating in the league after trading for KD
The Clippers have tanked to the bottom of the west after signing Beal

it's pretty obvious who the culprit was here

Clippers struggles aren't because Beal played 20 mpg for 6/11 games though

[ArksNetsSince99]

It's so nice to be able to watch the Suns again and not have to root for KD. **** that guy. I don't even care for Beal. It was idiotic to trade for him.


I don't expect them to be a playoff team but at least I can enjoy watching them again for a while.

I had the same feeling when he left the Nets for you guys

We still sucks , but Durant is hard to root for , I’d rather be bad

[IamBBAnalysis]

Might agree if they hadn’t also subtracted their draft picks.

Also, it’s early. The Suns likely still finish 12th or worse in the West.

Doubtful. But more importantly they are actually playing like a team. And playing defense. These games have been better than any time last season.

[morosis]

+1 have had a surprisingly good time watching the Suns so far this season. I don't know if its the championship expectations being lifted, the death of the super team idea or what, but there is so much more joy in that team. For as much criticism as was levied at Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks while they were in Houston, they are fun guys to root for. Hope once Jalen's hamstring heals up, he gives yall the same high energy, highlight reel vibe that he gave us during the regular season last year.

I know why as fans we all focus on the playoffs and championships, but there is something to be said for being able to watch good, fun basketball being played by guys who care about the team and each other. So far that's how I feel watching these Suns and i'm all about it.

[Crazy-Canuck]

Thought this was a

Tyler herro thread?
Zach Lavine thread?
Derozan thread?

Did not expect a kd one.

[hauntedcomputer]

When I read the title I thought the thread was going to be about Atlanta without Trae.

This will soon deserve a conversation. Seems like the Hawks have already been having it.

[mojomarc]

I think we can call that Anfernee Simons-Jrue Holiday + picks trade....

[PushDaRock]

Suns have played the weakest SOS in the entire league so far, it's pretty unlikely this will last.