lilfishi22 wrote:Ghost of Kleine wrote:lilfishi22 wrote:
It's a ridiculous position because you could argue anything for the sake of arguing. It doesn't make it any more credible. One could just as easily argue he would retire from the NBA and then join the Tasmania Jackjumpers in Australia because he'll have a great opportunity to win a championship and Tasmania is beautiful. Do they get paid a fraction of NBA salaries? Yes but "he's already made generational money" Are they so far below NBA talent? Yes but "maybe he doesn't want to play hard anymore at his age." Are the NBL on the other side of the world? Yes but "maybe he wants to get away from it all".
Reaching for reasons a ridiculous premise could in theory happen is just that, reaching.
Lol! This is exactly the same thing you're doing man! Arguing from a point of opinion just the same. And I can just as easily find your perspective to be ridiculous in how incredibly narrow minded your being lacking any legitimate semblance of objectivity.
There's nothing that I've proposed that you could really refute or invalidate. The same could be said for you that your just arguing for the sake of arguing. Show me some proof? any proof anywhere that KD has said even in comments what his plans are in any capacity towards actually substantiating your position legitimately?
Show me any example of him speaking to his top priorities as being competing for a championship on a contending team?? Because again, he clearly isn't doing that here over the last few seasons, didn't do that in Brooklyn either, and hasn't asked out or to be traded to a legitimate top tier contender!
Perhaps you're just talking from personal opinions of what you believe he show prioritize. But neither you nor I speak for him or the slightest idea what he'd actually prefer to do in his last few years of professional basketball.
And to take such a close minded position on a theoretical premise as you're choosing to do given that there's no evidence of either sides legitimacy beyond spirited speculation is borderline ridiculous.
So we can argue our positions to infinity if you want to keep going. It doesn't change anything really. Unless you have actual evidence to the contrary for my perspective, you're still just going to be arguing from a position of personal opinion and not any legitimacy any more than the claims that you're insinuating about my perspective.
Tell me one things he's done in his career that shows he's willing to just pick up and go to the worst team in the league? Even the not very good Brooklyn team he went to was a 42-40 playoff team. After OKC he went to play for, and was rightfully criticised, the 73 win Warriors. I also didn't argue his top priority is only going to teams that can win a title, I said he would very likely prioritise going to a team where he could win games. Washington won 15 games last season, 11 games this season and is likely on track for another sub-20 win season, they don't have the foundation to support winning games. One of the reasons they a historically not a good team is because they don't attract free agents and unless they have prime Lebron, Wade and Bosh going there, they aren't prepared to just flip a switch, pivot and become a deep playoff contender.
KD has shown nothing during his career to suggest he would entertain going to the worst team in the league while he's still an elite player. He's not going to Washington
Past doesn't dictate future man! As I've argued before, As a person ages/ gets older, there priorities can change. Obviously in life and every other aspect of a persons' existence, there's situations wherein they can freely make choices which some people may not have anticipated or understand! This is called free will, we all have it and exercise it sometimes. But obviously as I've also pointed out, the entire premise of having a choice illustrates that we're not dealing in absolutes here! We're both arguing a hypothetical possibility in which you're promoting that it's an impossibility that he would consider Washington because that premise doesn't fit your subjective view of him. BUT obviously neither of us know what he would/ could choose to do, I'm merely defending it as a possibility. And you're subjectively insinuating that it somehow couldn't be based upon your point of view but really nothing beyond that?
Also, as I've also pointed out, KD is Elite right?? Washington has a ton of picks/ big expirings (around $60 million worth), and a very exciting cache/ core of young players. Now just try and consider this for a moment......................Washington approaches KD, and says, we were/ are currently tanking, but are willing and ready to pivot if you come her, we have the assets, cap space, picks, expirings, and a solid exciting young nucleus to surround you with in Sarr/ Coulilaby/ Kispert/ Bey/ Carringyton/ George. And again, all the assets/ cap space for next season to make more trades and add vets in free agency to put more depth around him. All of this while also being in a much weaker eastern conference. Heck, they're sitting at only 154 million with still having Smart/ Poole Middleton, Holmes on the books. And the 2nd apron jumps to 208 million next season, so they could practically absorb KD if only having to make a few minor moves and still keep some of their key vets like Smart/ Poole/ Middleton. Just make a few minor moves to dump a bit more salary and then add another key piece in free agency, maybe make a trade or two for more depth pieces, and then you have a really solid competitive team with depth. That'd be their pitch! And of course KD is still elite right?? So like I've said before it's not like he can't win in Washington or
most anywhere he goes. Because as you yourself emphasized, "KD still impacts winning" and can chase more personal records/ accolades/ achievements pretty much anywhere. Unless you're going to argue for him falling off productively or becoming vastly less impactful??
And by the way, they also have a high likelihood of getting the first pick in this year's draft, so if KD was open to entertaining coming there and they had that pick, don't you think they could also use that to add another premium piece or multiple vet depth pieces? There's obviously tons of teams that'd be willing to give up another big name or valuable vet pieces to land Cooper Flagg or Edgcombe. Or they could keep him and have another elite cost controlled piece.
But that would then be counter to your original positional argument now wouldn't it. Because if you're claiming that's now a possibility, then wouldn't that also clearly indicate the premise of decline, or as you argued against, even at 37 years old and fully being aware that it's very rare for a player to continue their NBA career at or past 40, that he's still elite and impactful and too not make judgments as to him being in "retirement mode." Now again, we're talking about the possibility or impossibility of KD to ever consider going to Washington. And clearly, I've given reasons that are legitimate (whether you personally accept them or not) because you have examples every single season of teams that use their assets as Washington above possesses in excess to make moves and upgrade their roster to compete. We've seen the blueprint already being premised with teams like OKC, Houston, San Antonio, Brooklyn, etc, setting themselves up with all the mechanisms that I've repeatedly pointed out Washington having, and only needing that star player representation To lead them and then they can make moves and pivot into being a playoff team (possible contender) if making good follow up moves?
Do you somehow think that players wouldn't go to Washington to play with KD too if he proposed the idea to players, given his clout, and if they'd obviously add more depth and key acquisitions? KD's not stupid! Hee understands the clout and influence he still carries around the league. My point being, the mechanisms are already there for them to pivot, and KD would understand that better than any fans who apparently couldn't? He knows that he'd only have to commit to going there and other players would follow him. Washington has actually done a wonderful job of setting themselves up for such a dramatic pivot, and also again in a much weaker Eastern conference. For example, IF KD went there under the conditions I've suggested, it's more probable he'd be able to make the playoffs with Washington before we sniff the playoffs and maybe even the play in again! Which situation would of the two (Washingtons' and ours) you consider more if you were him?
