Kevin Durant Free Agency Thread

[Cuban_Linx]

You're throwing the hate word around again and I will once again state if you couldn't read it the first few times that I don't hate KD. My criticism is merely that he is thin skinned, I don't find that debatable. Secondly you need to learn how to read a calendar if you think his blowup at 2015 all star weekend and his blowup about Kobe this year were just a "couple months" apart. Thirdly I've heard him interviewed about the mr unreliable headline and he has said more on that than just your provided quote. Fourthly I'm not sitting here keeping a running tab about every time KD has said something with regards to the media, I'm merely providing a few examples I remember. I'm positive there is more. I think you're taking after thin skinned KD and being a bit thin skinned yourself about a criticism that is more than fair and pretty indisputable. Which is that he has a lot to say for a guy who has had it pretty easy

And for the 11th time I don't hate him

Fine, replace "hate" with "dislike" if that word really pains you that much. My point was more on you saying he's made career off blasting the media. I don't give a **** if you dislike KD for whatever reason since he has plenty of faults (like you said complaining about the media which he has absolutely no right to for example) but pretending like he's been doing that his whole career when he's done that for at most a year is just straight exaggeration.

That blow up was stupid, but the overall feeling back then was also how surprising it was since he never had any run ins with the media (rightfully so since they never harm him anyway). It wasn't a continuation of a pattern of any kind. Like I said before and let me just phrase it very carefully this time. You have the right to dislike anyone for whatever reason you have but just know that right now you're either exaggareting stuff or misremembering stuff (look up the vid, that's really all there was to that whole mr unreliable reaction) and it's just not a good look. I'm sure you can find plenty of valid reasons to dislike KD and call him a wannabe but the reasons you're giving right now are just very flimsy.

Also, really no reason to call me thin skinned. I just thought you posted some incorrect things and decided to call you on it. Nothing more, nothing less. If your whole reason for calling him thin skinned was that blow up last year, I wouldn't have said anything bc you'd be 100% right. It's just that whole "made a career off it" that reeks of revising his whole career up to that point to me.

Truthfully I don't even dislike KD... He seems like a good dude. Gave a million after the hurricane situation. Never heard a teammate or coach say a bad word about him. His MVP acceptance speech was touching...

I'd concede "made a career off of it" (blasting the press) was strong. The same way throwing the word "hate" around was strong. That's a deal.

I just personally have found him to be a little chirpy and thin skinned on a few occasions relative to the lack of heat he has taken for someone of his level of excellence. Heck, I don't even blame him for being ringless to this point. A lot of what the media does to guys who hit a certain age and remain bare fingered is just wholly unfair. It's still a team sport, OKC has had injuries play roles etc... Logic doesn't seem to stop them though with regards to others. I just think Durant has had it relatively easy by comparison, and these outbursts are puzzling judged against that backdrop. That's all about to change if he goes to the Warriors now though.

For your sake as a thunder fan, and for the sake of everyone who isn't a warrior fan, I hope he stays

And I fully agree with the bolded. Him taking on this anti-media personality after the media has been treating him with the kiddie gloves his whole career was incredibly stupid to me. Being a superstar who actually gets level headed judgement from the media is an incredibly rare thing and he was stupid to take that for granted and wave it away for the sake of building this new IDGAF image.

Anyway, as long he doesn't sign with GS he still has my respect as a player. I'm pretty sure he could 3 peat there and still end up being less respected than any other ringless superstar for taking such an easy way out.

[CelticsFTW]

Is it possible for Boston to Sign wade to a 4 year 80 million contract if they miss on durant? I think wade is really nderrated, hes 34 years of age and had numerous knee issues but was healthy last season and played really well during the playoffs. I think geting him would be a steal and boston could still compete with thomas-wade-crowder-horford. Boston would need to make a trade for a center and get a defensive big like Noel and I tink they could be set without durant who's likely to stya in OKC

I can tell you one thing: The only way celtics fans would be ok with signing D-Wade to a 4 year 80 million contract would be if they could watch a cage match in the Garden between Marcus Smart und D-Wade each week.

[JJ_PR]

I find it funny how people complain about Durant joining a super team when LeBron did exactly the same thing. In LeBrons case, it was even worse! The way he handled the situation, announcing his intention on national t.v. before he even informed his own team that he was leaving.

I think Durant is handling this process very well. He's obviously intrigued by the Warriors. It makes so much sense for him to join the best team in the NBA. This opportunity doesn't come very often for star players, given that most of the time the best teams don't have any cap space to add another star.

A very unique situation indeed. Kudos for Durant for the way he's handling this whole process. Will root for him no matter what the decision is.

Agreed.

When LBJ went to MIA, the thought was that he himself being the best player left to join a top 5 player and (arguably) the best PF in the league at the time. The "not 5....not 6...not 7" talk was offensive to so many people because it was seen as supreme arrogance, not because it was false.

There was immediate talk of the 72 win Bulls' record possibly going down and how they'd be a sure dynasty.

Some people were saying that Wade would always be seen as the better player because he won one on his own already and had a higher playoff peak than LBJ could ever have on the Heat.

I think a lot of people are forgetting how much of the narrative has changed since then.

lebron didn't join an established team that won 73 games, a championship the season prior, one win away from repeating, a back to back MVP, and a DPOY caliber player (who I also think is the best PF in the game)

yeh the situations are comparable but durants its worse

It's not just the fact that LeBron formed a super team, it's the way he handled the situation as a whole for me.

So the difference in your eyes is that LeBron "formed" a super team while Durant is gonna "join" one? For me, it's not that big of a difference to be honest. Of course, the media probably won't see it the same way (given that most of them are retards). It's just the way it is.

[Bergmaniac]

It's like everyone totally forgets that Durant has been MVP too

Yeah, but Curry is still better. Durant never had a year like Curry's.

His 2014 was as good as Curry's 2016, maybe even a bit better. He scored 32 PPG on .638 TS% and carried his team to 59 wins when the West was much stronger than last season with Westbrook missing half the season and the rest of the Thunder roster being pretty terrible offensively.

[NyCeEvO]

I find it funny how people complain about Durant joining a super team when LeBron did exactly the same thing. In LeBrons case, it was even worse! The way he handled the situation, announcing his intention on national t.v. before he even informed his own team that he was leaving.

I think Durant is handling this process very well. He's obviously intrigued by the Warriors. It makes so much sense for him to join the best team in the NBA. This opportunity doesn't come very often for star players, given that most of the time the best teams don't have any cap space to add another star.

A very unique situation indeed. Kudos for Durant for the way he's handling this whole process. Will root for him no matter what the decision is.

Agreed.

When LBJ went to MIA, the thought was that he himself being the best player left to join a top 5 player and (arguably) the best PF in the league at the time. The "not 5....not 6...not 7" talk was offensive to so many people because it was seen as supreme arrogance, not because it was false.

There was immediate talk of the 72 win Bulls' record possibly going down and how they'd be a sure dynasty.

Some people were saying that Wade would always be seen as the better player because he won one on his own already and had a higher playoff peak than LBJ could ever have on the Heat.

I think a lot of people are forgetting how much of the narrative has changed since then.

Post-hoc. But we at least had reason to believe they might not fit together well (and they ended up not being optimal fits). What we have here, though, is a top 3 player joining a 73 win team. No reason they shouldnt be a dynasty

But the "post-hoc" is the whole point. At the time of the deal, it was seen as the death of the league and teams shouldn't even bother playing against the Heat. If we're being technical, it was the atrophy of Wade and Bosh (akin to injuries) along with LBJ's increased level of dominance that quickly changed any talk of LBJ being #2 to people seriously forgetting how good Wade was in 2011.

Anything can happen, especially injuries. If anyone knows how much injuries can change the fortune of a season, it's KD. People are acting like narratives can be written before the event happens and that's just not the case.

Pat Riley addressed the image issue with LeBron by telling him that people will come up with all sorts of reasons for discrediting him but it all changes when you're finally a champion. LeBron didn't care that people were viewing them as a GOAT team. He believed and he's all the better for it.

If the Warriors would win, KD would play a major role in their winning and people would give him his due for playing that big role on the championship winning team. We can sit here and talk about GSW being a 73-win team but the bottom line is that they didn't win. People will talk more about how they didn't finish than how good they were. Their inability to finish the job is much bigger than the accomplishment of having the best regular season in history.

Time heals all wounds. It did for LeBron. It will for KD if he chooses to go to GSW.

[GooniesNeverDie]

Agreed.

When LBJ went to MIA, the thought was that he himself being the best player left to join a top 5 player and (arguably) the best PF in the league at the time. The "not 5....not 6...not 7" talk was offensive to so many people because it was seen as supreme arrogance, not because it was false.

There was immediate talk of the 72 win Bulls' record possibly going down and how they'd be a sure dynasty.

Some people were saying that Wade would always be seen as the better player because he won one on his own already and had a higher playoff peak than LBJ could ever have on the Heat.

I think a lot of people are forgetting how much of the narrative has changed since then.

lebron didn't join an established team that won 73 games, a championship the season prior, one win away from repeating, a back to back MVP, and a DPOY caliber player (who I also think is the best PF in the game)

yeh the situations are comparable but durants its worse

It's not just the fact that LeBron formed a super team, it's the way he handled the situation as a whole for me.

So the difference in your eyes is that LeBron "formed" a super team while Durant is gonna "join" one? For me, it's not that big of a difference to be honest. Of course, the media probably won't see it the same way (given that most of them are retards). It's just the way it is.

the fact that they can win championships & 73 games without him just makes it feel like he's ring chasing.. lebron NEEDED to join wade & bosh for that to be possible

i don't have an issue with the way lebron left so i don't have any comment on that

[therealbig3]

It's like everyone totally forgets that Durant has been MVP too

Yeah, but Curry is still better. Durant never had a year like Curry's.

His 2014 was as good as Curry's 2016, maybe even a bit better. He scored 32 PPG on .638 TS% and carried his team to 59 wins when the West was much stronger than last season with Westbrook missing half the season and the rest of the Thunder roster being pretty terrible offensively.

Curry's numbers are better, I believe his +/- numbers are also better, and if we're looking at team success, you can't ignore that the Warriors set the record for most wins in a RS, led by Curry.

Anything Durant did that season, Curry did better.

[Howard Mass]

This is over 100 pages.

Please start a new thread.

I have this weird feeling that something will drop and KD is going to Boston.