Durant II - Durant to GSW

[DreDay]

I don't know what you intended by this comment, so I I'm sorry if I misappropriate your quote. But, it frustrates me when people say "he just wants to win" like it's not a selfish desire. I don't see how joining a team that gives you a shortcut, or in this case perhaps even an absolute monopoly on winning, is any worse or better than joining a team for money. Are you helping making the world a better place by winning more games for some random team? Especially, since you would be winning games for, you know, YOUR team (not some other team).

I "just want to win" is hardly an ethical position.

I don't understand at all what you're saying. Why is ethics brought into this? Is anyone saying wanting to win is ethical?

Wanting to win and wanting money are two very legitimate interests. You can say both are selfish, but if we're going philosophical nearly everything that happens in sports is selfish. No point going down this path.

Honestly, at this point, if the rumors are true that Durant is even seriously considering joining Golden State I've lost a great deal of my respect for him. It would be the most cowardly thing imaginable in professional sports. Maybe more importantly, it would decimate the career of one of the future all time greats, as he would be relegated to being a role player.

Please. If you think Durant will be a role player you are fooling yourself. He is easily their number 1 or 2 (more like 1A/1B with Curry) scoring wise and will be their 3rd best defender.

Oklahoma City vs Golden State has the potential to be an awesome rivalry for 5 years at least. Instead of helping to fortify his team, Durant says "screw it, I'll just join the competitor and create a monopoly where I don't have to try that hard to win."

If Durant's team was lacking in talent, or if Golden State needed one more star to be great, I wouldn't care. But you don't leave a title contender at the peak of its powers to play for an equal rival to remove competition from the sport. Its absurd. Especially if that rival just won 73 games.

So much talk about it being "Durant's team". It's very possible Durant doesn't view the Thunder as "his" team, but rather a team he is contracted to play for whose contract runs out. He owes nothing to fortify "his" team because right now he's on the market and can play wherever he chooses. There are tweets that Durant likes the Warriors style of play and culture. It seems odd to fault him for wanting to play in a place where he likes how they play and their environment, but hey maybe that's just me. If Durant doesn't like those aspects of the Thunder, why should he stay and neglect his own self-interest and desires just because of some people losing respect for him? Not everything is about competition, Durant has every right to want to enjoy his career in the way that he wants it to. It's misleading to say a move would be to remove competition from the sport, when in reality there is so much more that goes into it.

So yes, like you said, it is the most cowardly thing in professional sports only if you view sports through one lens of intense fierce competition where it is imperative to win with your team and where pride and being alpha is desirable. But that's ignoring the reality that NBA is entertainment and a business. The players are workers. Just like you and me, there's nothing wrong with wanting to work in the best situation.

Not to mention this isn't some ridiculous move against the competitive nature of the NBA. If Durant is taking the minimum or some ridiculous paycut that really threatens the league, I could understand. But he isn't. The Warriors have to use legitimate cap space that they have to create by dumping players to even have the ability to sign Durant. Bogut/Barnes will definitely go, that's two starters on this 73 win team that will have to be moved.

[gustofwind]

I see this way as well.

Durant doesn't strike me as a legacy guy at all. He just wants to win and play for a championship.

I don't know what you intended by this comment, so I I'm sorry if I misappropriate your quote. But, it frustrates me when people say "he just wants to win" like it's not a selfish desire. I don't see how joining a team that gives you a shortcut, or in this case perhaps even an absolute monopoly on winning, is any worse or better than joining a team for money. Are you helping making the world a better place by winning more games for some random team? Especially, since you would be winning games for, you know, YOUR team (not some other team).

I "just want to win" is hardly an ethical position.


Honestly, at this point, if the rumors are true that Durant is even seriously considering joining Golden State I've lost a great deal of my respect for him. It would be the most cowardly thing imaginable in professional sports. Maybe more importantly, it would decimate the career of one of the future all time greats, as he would be relegated to being a role player.

Oklahoma City vs Golden State has the potential to be an awesome rivalry for 5 years at least. Instead of helping to fortify his team, Durant says "screw it, I'll just join the competitor and create a monopoly where I don't have to try that hard to win."

If Durant's team was lacking in talent, or if Golden State needed one more star to be great, I wouldn't care. But you don't leave a title contender at the peak of its powers to play for an equal rival to remove competition from the sport. Its absurd. Especially if that rival just won 73 games.

In the past players used to get blasted for "going for the money" instead of winning, and this could be an example of a players giving up tens of millions of dollars because he possibly personally prefers to play with a different group of players. What if he just is closer in personality and has more in common with players like Curry, Iggy, and Draymond? What if he likes the selfless style of ball the Dubs play better and has heard the rumors of how much these players like playing with each other? What if he just doesn't want to look back years from now and wonder how fun it would have been to play in this kind of system with guys he is pretty close with? Look at how religious Curry and Iggy are and how that is closer to how Durant is than someone like Westbrook. What if he just likes this group of guys better and wants to spend some years playing with them? Like Lebron has shown, a move like this doesn't need to be for the rest of his career, but does anyone think Lebron regrets going to Miami and taking advantage of that window, even with all the hate he got?

All these people judging him as being a coward, if you had an opportunity to work with people you really admire at a more successful company than you are currently at, maybe in a location better suited to you, are you turning it down because you prefer to be at an underdog company?

As a Warriors fan, I don't even think this makes us as unbeatable as all these people are trying to say, our depth would basically be alot of minimum pay veterans and rookies, so I don't see us winning anywhere close to the games we did last year. But yes, when we would be hitting at all cylinders, it would be amazing.

But its funny to see the hypocrisy judging a player deciding to take control of his career and make the move that will make him the happiest, in an industry where most players are often traded without any input. If any of you were in the same position, your team just coming off a record season where you came up short in the Finals, I would love to see how many of you would be calling him a coward for choosing your team. Not many, I'm sure.

I still think he stays in OKC, but I definitely would welcome him with open arms if he picks our team.
I still think he stays in OKC,

Well, you have every right to that opinion. Thank you for the thoughtful reply. I do completely disagree though.

Also, as I have said a number of times now (including on the last page of this thread), I see no comparison to LeBron in the Heat. If LeBron had joined the Lakers after they won the their championship that would be a closer comparison. Even so, that would not be as bad as this IMO.

I also disagree that there is some double standard. I think it would be wrong to leave a company that you had worked to build for 10 years and join the competitor, thereby decimating your won company and giving your rival a monopoly. Maybe some people think that behavior is acceptable, in which case they would be hypocrites. But, I assure you in this case, agree or disagree, I am not a hypocrite.

[nbafan38]

The NBA is really weird man... a team wins 73 games, falls 1 game short of a championship and they think about adding a superstar to the team. I mean, really, does the saying "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mean anything to these franchises? I wouldn't TOUCH Golden State's roster right now. In my opinion, adding Durant is way more likely to mess things up. Basketball is not about mathematically adding numbers together...

Not really. The swap would be Barnes for Durant which easily, even if the Warriors went 82-0, is a no-brainer decision.

Teams that can get better should always try to do so. Pretty much common sense.

Agree with this, the warriors have every reason to pursue Durant,of course a team wants to get better and wants a dynasty. My issue is with Durant signing with the warriors, I personally don't think a player of his caliber should cowardly join a team that knocked his out in 7 games, where is his competitive drive? But thats just my opinion.

[JulesWinnfield]

People in here saying Durant has a right to do this, Durant has a right to do that... No shiz... He has a right to do whatever he wants to do. Understand that with that will come people understandably questioning his competitive nature, calling him out for being a hypocrite for past statements, and effectively ending the relative free ride he has operated under with regards to criticism since he has entered the league.... Because everyone similarly has their own right to feel that way and apply those sentiments to this unprecedented move. That's part of the trade off.

[JayMKE]

their isn't going to be a decision special on ESPN is there?

[jpm312]

their isn't going to be a decision special on ESPN is there?

He's gonna post an article on The Player's Tribune.

[maximus721]

So it begins

[gustofwind]

I don't know what you intended by this comment, so I I'm sorry if I misappropriate your quote. But, it frustrates me when people say "he just wants to win" like it's not a selfish desire. I don't see how joining a team that gives you a shortcut, or in this case perhaps even an absolute monopoly on winning, is any worse or better than joining a team for money. Are you helping making the world a better place by winning more games for some random team? Especially, since you would be winning games for, you know, YOUR team (not some other team).

I "just want to win" is hardly an ethical position.

I don't understand at all what you're saying. Why is ethics brought into this? Is anyone saying wanting to win is ethical?

Wanting to win and wanting money are two very legitimate interests. You can say both are selfish, but if we're going philosophical nearly everything that happens in sports is selfish. No point going down this path.

Honestly, at this point, if the rumors are true that Durant is even seriously considering joining Golden State I've lost a great deal of my respect for him. It would be the most cowardly thing imaginable in professional sports. Maybe more importantly, it would decimate the career of one of the future all time greats, as he would be relegated to being a role player.

Please. If you think Durant will be a role player you are fooling yourself. He is easily their number 1 or 2 (more like 1A/1B with Curry) scoring wise and will be their 3rd best defender.

Oklahoma City vs Golden State has the potential to be an awesome rivalry for 5 years at least. Instead of helping to fortify his team, Durant says "screw it, I'll just join the competitor and create a monopoly where I don't have to try that hard to win."

If Durant's team was lacking in talent, or if Golden State needed one more star to be great, I wouldn't care. But you don't leave a title contender at the peak of its powers to play for an equal rival to remove competition from the sport. Its absurd. Especially if that rival just won 73 games.

So much talk about it being "Durant's team". It's very possible Durant doesn't view the Thunder as "his" team, but rather a team he is contracted to play for whose contract runs out. He owes nothing to fortify "his" team because right now he's on the market and can play wherever he chooses. There are tweets that Durant likes the Warriors style of play and culture. It seems odd to fault him for wanting to play in a place where he likes how they play and their environment, but hey maybe that's just me. If Durant doesn't like those aspects of the Thunder, why should he stay and neglect his own self-interest and desires just because of some people losing respect for him? Not everything is about competition, Durant has every right to want to enjoy his career in the way that he wants it to. It's misleading to say a move would be to remove competition from the sport, when in reality there is so much more that goes into it.

So yes, like you said, it is the most cowardly thing in professional sports only if you view sports through one lens of intense fierce competition where it is imperative to win with your team and where pride and being alpha is desirable. But that's ignoring the reality that NBA is entertainment and a business. The players are workers. Just like you and me, there's nothing wrong with wanting to work in the best situation.

Not to mention this isn't some ridiculous move against the competitive nature of the NBA. If Durant is taking the minimum or some ridiculous paycut that really threatens the league, I could understand. But he isn't. The Warriors have to use legitimate cap space that they have to create by dumping players to even have the ability to sign Durant. Bogut/Barnes will definitely go, that's two starters on this 73 win team that will have to be moved.

OK, I have read your post and heard what you have to say. Thanks for sharing.

I still disagree.

One comment: the idea of keeping competition alive is not about simply OKC and GSW, it's about the fans. The fans want to be able to root for a team that has a chance at winning. If one team has a complete monopoly on winning, to the point of erasing all competition for a championship, other fans lose out. This one of many reasons I would view Durant's actions if he joined GSW to be selfish.

In the end it's true that's just my two cents. But, for the record, in the poll I posted over 60% of posters agreed it would be "disgusting" if Durant joined the Warriors. Not bad, literally "disgusting." So this won't be the last time you hear complaints if Durant joins. Just sayin'.

[nbafan38]

So it begins

He hasn';t even left yet. This is going to get ugly if he goes to GSW. I can already tell by the way the board is tonight when he hasn't even gone there yet.

[nfmos]

The NBA is really weird man... a team wins 73 games, falls 1 game short of a championship and they think about adding a superstar to the team. I mean, really, does the saying "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mean anything to these franchises? I wouldn't TOUCH Golden State's roster right now. In my opinion, adding Durant is way more likely to mess things up. Basketball is not about mathematically adding numbers together...

The problem is a couple things though. We are at a point where we have to decide if we are going to commit some big money to two players that failed us in the playoffs last season, vs using that money, plus Boguts (who was also ineffective) contract, to land a bonafide superstar to help us for the foreseeable future. We also saw last year that our depth helped us over the course of the long regular season more than it did in the playoffs, where rotations shorten and depth isn't as important.

As far as if it aint broke, don't fix it, we weren't going to be able to keep the same team without some overpays anyways, and if we are going to spend that type of money, we might as well go for Durant. When you think about it, Durant would only get about 4 million more than us resigning Barnes anyways. Who would be more valuable?

[BayArea408415]

So it begins

The dude is wearing an Atlanta Braves hat and burning a Durant jersey.

I don't condone burning jerseys either way but just a bit funny. I know that some people wear New Era caps as a fashion statement too.

[Jedi32]

Instead of beating around the bush why don't folks just admit that they don't want Durant on the Warriors because they are scared that their favorite player/team won't be winning anything, anytime soon. All these other bs narratives are just saltiness plain and simple, and honestly if weird seeing lebron fans talk down on this. I would think you guys would understand it honestly.

[cyclix]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/InsideHoops/status/749785653588754432[/tweet]

[JulesWinnfield]

Instead of beating around the bush why don't folks just admit that they don't want Durant on the Warriors because they are scared that their favorite player/team won't be winning anything, anytime soon. All these other bs narratives are just saltiness plain and simple, and honestly if weird seeing lebron fans talk down on this. I would think you guys would understand it honestly.

Of course that's the reason. I still think comparing this to Lebron 2010 is a major stretch on so many levels though. Both in terms of the quality of the team they're joining, the quality of the cast they're leaving, and the whole "can't beat em join em" aspect that exists with Durant that absolutely makes him look weak here as a cherry on top

But yes. I'm salty because I'm not a warrior fan and I dislike the fact that this makes them a major favorite. You got me.

[DreDay]

I don't know what you intended by this comment, so I I'm sorry if I misappropriate your quote. But, it frustrates me when people say "he just wants to win" like it's not a selfish desire. I don't see how joining a team that gives you a shortcut, or in this case perhaps even an absolute monopoly on winning, is any worse or better than joining a team for money. Are you helping making the world a better place by winning more games for some random team? Especially, since you would be winning games for, you know, YOUR team (not some other team).

I "just want to win" is hardly an ethical position.

I don't understand at all what you're saying. Why is ethics brought into this? Is anyone saying wanting to win is ethical?

Wanting to win and wanting money are two very legitimate interests. You can say both are selfish, but if we're going philosophical nearly everything that happens in sports is selfish. No point going down this path.

Honestly, at this point, if the rumors are true that Durant is even seriously considering joining Golden State I've lost a great deal of my respect for him. It would be the most cowardly thing imaginable in professional sports. Maybe more importantly, it would decimate the career of one of the future all time greats, as he would be relegated to being a role player.

Please. If you think Durant will be a role player you are fooling yourself. He is easily their number 1 or 2 (more like 1A/1B with Curry) scoring wise and will be their 3rd best defender.

Oklahoma City vs Golden State has the potential to be an awesome rivalry for 5 years at least. Instead of helping to fortify his team, Durant says "screw it, I'll just join the competitor and create a monopoly where I don't have to try that hard to win."

If Durant's team was lacking in talent, or if Golden State needed one more star to be great, I wouldn't care. But you don't leave a title contender at the peak of its powers to play for an equal rival to remove competition from the sport. Its absurd. Especially if that rival just won 73 games.

So much talk about it being "Durant's team". It's very possible Durant doesn't view the Thunder as "his" team, but rather a team he is contracted to play for whose contract runs out. He owes nothing to fortify "his" team because right now he's on the market and can play wherever he chooses. There are tweets that Durant likes the Warriors style of play and culture. It seems odd to fault him for wanting to play in a place where he likes how they play and their environment, but hey maybe that's just me. If Durant doesn't like those aspects of the Thunder, why should he stay and neglect his own self-interest and desires just because of some people losing respect for him? Not everything is about competition, Durant has every right to want to enjoy his career in the way that he wants it to. It's misleading to say a move would be to remove competition from the sport, when in reality there is so much more that goes into it.

So yes, like you said, it is the most cowardly thing in professional sports only if you view sports through one lens of intense fierce competition where it is imperative to win with your team and where pride and being alpha is desirable. But that's ignoring the reality that NBA is entertainment and a business. The players are workers. Just like you and me, there's nothing wrong with wanting to work in the best situation.

Not to mention this isn't some ridiculous move against the competitive nature of the NBA. If Durant is taking the minimum or some ridiculous paycut that really threatens the league, I could understand. But he isn't. The Warriors have to use legitimate cap space that they have to create by dumping players to even have the ability to sign Durant. Bogut/Barnes will definitely go, that's two starters on this 73 win team that will have to be moved.

OK, I have read your post and heard what you have to say. Thanks for sharing.

I still disagree.

One comment: the idea of keeping competition alive is not about simply OKC and GSW, it's about the fans. The fans want to be able to root for a team that has a chance at winning. If one team has a complete monopoly on winning, to the point of erasing all competition for a championship, other fans lose out. This one of many reasons I would view Durant's actions if he joined GSW to be selfish.

In the end it's true that's just my two cents. But, for the record, in the poll I posted over 60% of posters agreed it would be "disgusting" if Durant joined the Warriors. Not bad, literally "disgusting." So this won't be the last time you hear complaints if Durant joins. Just sayin'.

For the record, I still don't think we sign him

I also disagree about Durant guaranteeing anything. A big part of why the Warriors are highly regarded is their depth, which is crippled a lot by a Durant signing. It's asking a lot on Draymond to play C for a lot more minutes than he is used to.

Your fan point is valid, but this has happened before. See the decision 2010. Yeah, the situation is different, but in the moment the same things were being said. The league is over, where is the parity, 25 Washington Generals etc. etc. Nothing really happened, in fact the NBA grew a lot since that point. Not to mention that as a Warriors fan, it was entirely possible to write off the league then and declare we wouldn't win anything and just abandon it. Fast forward to 2016 and well...if there's anything I've learned over the last 6 years - anything is possible. I've watched the Warriors come from the depths of the league to NBA champions and 73 wins. I've watched the Clippers turn from doormat into one of the most winningest teams this half decade. I've watched the Cavs win an NBA title. I've seen the Raptors make an ECF appearance after looking dead in the water for a long time.

I definitely expect a lot of criticism of Durant and the like if this eventuates. I just think I have a different view on sports than a lot of people I guess Just wanted to explain my rationale in this thread.

[ChicagoStrong]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/InsideHoops/status/749793234247946240[/tweet]

[nbafan38]

Instead of beating around the bush why don't folks just admit that they don't want Durant on the Warriors because they are scared that their favorite player/team won't be winning anything, anytime soon. All these other bs narratives are just saltiness plain and simple, and honestly if weird seeing lebron fans talk down on this. I would think you guys would understand it honestly.

Of course that's the reason. I still think comparing this to Lebron 2010 is a major stretch on so many levels though. Both in terms of the quality of the team they're joining, the quality of the cast they're leaving, and the whole "can't beat em join em" aspect that exists with Durant that absolutely makes him look weak here as a cherry on top

But yes. I'm salty because I'm not a warrior fan and I dislike the fact that this makes them a major favorite. You got me.

Agree of course no one wants him in GSW because it means other teams have less chance to win. The way I see it Durant has the right to do what he wants but fans have a right to be upset about it.

[Hello Brooklyn]

If Durant has really dragged this out for so long to stay in OKC then hes really just an attention whore.

What were these meetings going to change?

[NyCeEvO]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/InsideHoops/status/749793234247946240[/tweet]

Quick...someone get a picture of KD's house. Anyone see any moving trucks?

[CoreConcept]

KD to Miami doesn't really make any sense. People keep talking about his "legacy", so it doesn't make any sense if he went there to play with Wade and Bosh after LeBron already won 2 rings with Wade and Bosh.