Kevin Durant-Nets/Suns- 22-23 Thread- any last thoughts on Bradley Beal?

[MartinToVaught]

There's something really wrong with the league when superstars can force their way out of the contracts they got themselves into so they can get on another stacked team after the previous stacked team that they engineered together failed. Honestly making me lose interest in the sport as a lifelong fan.

Kd didn't force his way out of anything. The nets could have kept him, they just decided it wasn't worthwhile. I don't really get why people complain about players "forcing their way out of contracts" when they do things they are contractually allowed to do

KD absolutely forced his way out. He demanded a trade with several years left on his contract last summer and the Nets had that hanging over their heads all season.

[parsnips33]

I wonder why we never talk about a GM "forcing" a players way out of a contract. Like seriously, how dare the Suns GM force Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson out of their contracts - contracts that the GM knowingly and willingly signed?

[MartinToVaught]

I wonder why we never talk about a GM "forcing" a players way out of a contract.

Because a GM's job is to acquire players and put a roster together, while a player's job is to play the games.

If a GM showed up on game day in a full uniform and demanded to play point guard from now on, people would look at them funny, just like they do when a player tries to dictate roster moves.

[parsnips33]

I wonder why we never talk about a GM "forcing" a players way out of a contract.

Because a GM's job is to acquire players and put a roster together, while a player's job is to play the games.

If a GM showed up on game day in a full uniform and demanded to play point guard from now on, people would look at them funny, just like they do when a player tries to dictate roster moves.

It's not anybody's "job" to ask their boss for a raise either, but we wouldn't treat is as some great moral failing if somebody did

[sp6r=underrated]

"If everywhere you go smells like ****, maybe it's time to check your own shoes."

Kyrie is one of the few players I genuinely dislike who arrived on the scene during my adulthood.

He is just a uniquely selfish, unprofessional human being.

Are you glad nets experiment failed as catastrophically as it did? I remember you had a special dislike to them

I want to preface my remarks by saying this has nothing to do with me being a Knicks fan. My disdain for them really ratched up when Kyrie went full moron and Durant sided with him. Once KD sided with him my disdain for them just became immense. Add to that Simmons and you have a uniquely loathsome team. And their failure is a good thing.

[sp6r=underrated]

I wonder why we never talk about a GM "forcing" a players way out of a contract.

Because a GM's job is to acquire players and put a roster together, while a player's job is to play the games.

If a GM showed up on game day in a full uniform and demanded to play point guard from now on, people would look at them funny, just like they do when a player tries to dictate roster moves.

It's not anybody's "job" to ask their boss for a raise either, but we wouldn't treat is as some great moral failing if somebody did

I have no problem with trade demands in the abstract. Often times they are justified. You need to evaluate them on a case by case basis.

KD has heavy culpability for why things went so poorly in Brooklyn. This wasn't KG in Minnesota where a star worked hard and mgmt., had no clue. So in this case I'll boo him

[Peregrine01]

I wonder why we never talk about a GM "forcing" a players way out of a contract. Like seriously, how dare the Suns GM force Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson out of their contracts - contracts that the GM knowingly and willingly signed?

It’s a gm’s job to make trades. And they are not forcing anyone out of a contract. The player just gets traded with their existing contract.

[OhayoKD]

I wonder why we never talk about a GM "forcing" a players way out of a contract.

Because a GM's job is to acquire players and put a roster together, while a player's job is to play the games.

If a GM showed up on game day in a full uniform and demanded to play point guard from now on, people would look at them funny, just like they do when a player tries to dictate roster moves.

i have no idea what you're talking about. Players don't dictate roster moves. What you're actually saying is dumb is players voicing their opinion as pretty much any employee can do. It just so happens that the best players are more valuable than the owners so the owners respond accordingly.

Not sure why people are trying to make this out to be some sob story for the billionares. It doesn't matter what language you use here("demand, dictate"), the owners are making the decisions, and there is an agreed upon series of consequences if the players were to do something they shouldn't. KD filed a trade request. The owner accepted it. They have nothing to complain about.

[TroubleS0me]

Watch on YouTube

[Statlanta]

The core already made the Finals without him he's going to have to do some hard carrying to even convince me he deserves to be a top 20 player

[Jaivl]

2023 Paul is miles behind 2021 Paul. I don't think Durant has an unfair cast, just a very strong one, like many other players before.

[Colbinii]

The core already made the Finals without him he's going to have to do some hard carrying to even convince me he deserves to be a top 20 player

Here is some convincing:

CP3 in 2021: 16.4/4.5/8.9 on 50/40/93 shooting splits, 3.5 OBPM, 60 TS%
CP3 in 2023: 13.7/4.2/9.1 on 43/37/83 shooting splits, 1.8 OBPM, 55 TS%

There is no Mikal Bridges [The player who led the 2021 Suns in Minutes] on the team.
There is no Jae Crowder [The player who finished 5th in Minutes for the 2021 Suns].
There is no Cameron Johnson [The player who finished 6th in Minutes for the 2021 Suns].

The 2021 Phoenix Suns were incredibly lucky. To state "A team that made the finals" is a bit weak when you realize...
Round 1: Lakers without AD for most of the series and injured in his minutes
Round 2: Nuggets without Jamal Murray for the entire series
Round 3: Clippers without Kawhi Leonard for the entire series

But hey, let's just be irrational.

[MartinToVaught]

KD's constant team-hopping will never be a good look for him, but at least it's not Warriors-level unfair. The truth is, if KD has another playoff meltdown like he did last year, there isn't anyone else on the Suns I'd 100% trust to step up and keep them afloat. The same couldn't be said about the Warriors, where their other stars did step up against the Rockets in 2018 while Durant was trying way too hard to play iso-heroball with questionable results.

[TroubleS0me]

KD's constant team-hopping will never be a good look for him, but at least it's not Warriors-level unfair. The truth is, if KD has another playoff meltdown like he did last year, there isn't anyone else on the Suns I'd 100% trust to step up and keep them afloat. The same couldn't be said about the Warriors, where their other stars did step up against the Rockets in 2018 while Durant was trying way too hard to play iso-heroball with questionable results.

He said he doesnt care about legacy

[TheGOATRises007]

KD's constant team-hopping will never be a good look for him, but at least it's not Warriors-level unfair. The truth is, if KD has another playoff meltdown like he did last year, there isn't anyone else on the Suns I'd 100% trust to step up and keep them afloat. The same couldn't be said about the Warriors, where their other stars did step up against the Rockets in 2018 while Durant was trying way too hard to play iso-heroball with questionable results.

He said he doesnt care about legacy

I don't believe him when he says that.

[Lost92Bricks]

KD's constant team-hopping will never be a good look for him, but at least it's not Warriors-level unfair. The truth is, if KD has another playoff meltdown like he did last year, there isn't anyone else on the Suns I'd 100% trust to step up and keep them afloat. The same couldn't be said about the Warriors, where their other stars did step up against the Rockets in 2018 while Durant was trying way too hard to play iso-heroball with questionable results.

Durant had 34/5/5 with 3 blocks on 11-21 shooting in game 7 of the WCF. Please stop it.

Then he went on to completely dominate the finals.

[Cavsfansince84]

I don't believe him when he says that.

I think he does but probably not to the degree he did from 2016-2022 when he felt the need to go to GS to make sure he retired with one and then went burner mode on twitter for a few years. Hopefully he's at peace with what he's accomplished now and not going to worry that much about any criticism he gets.

[TroubleS0me]

I don't believe him when he says that.

I think he does but probably not to the degree he did from 2016-2022 when he felt the need to go to GS to make sure he retired with one and then went burner mode on twitter for a few years. Hopefully he's at peace with what he's accomplished now and not going to worry that much about any criticism he gets.

this

[TroubleS0me]

the defense looks unorganized but engaged, compared to the lakers. There is a lot of talent on this team, too. I believe they can become a contender with small changes. Trading Kyrie would be a blessing and as much as i am a fan of him and his legacy, i think Steve Nash is overwhelmed with this first coaching job.

Also, Ben is starting to look like the real deal on defense. They dont even need him to score a lot, there is so much shooting on this team that a real playmaker may be exactly the right thing for them. One of the most interseting teams to follow this season imho.

Is it a blessing now?

[ardee]

His post GS career is really shaping up to be a comedy of bad luck and bad decisions.

If he had given the Nets the ok to trade Kyrie and keep Harden instead last year he'd be looking like a title favorite right now.