BobbieL wrote:ChuckS wrote:BobbieL wrote:
Durant - better player, no question
CP3 - better player next to Booker as a teammate. Elevates his teammates game
The goal is to win the last I checked and with CP 3 - Devin Booker was winning more games.
I mostly agree. But I've never seen two superstars mesh so favorably that both finished a season with nearly identical 27PPG averages. This suggested to me that they were able to co-exist without sacrificing their immense talents, by deferring only to the hot hand. It could be argued that they are both better mid range players, but they shoot threes so well that I think that is a plus, as is the ability of all great players to ISO.
On the other hand, I believe that a good point guard maximizes the worth of any scorer. And CP3 is one of the best. I think, next to overall size, that has been our biggest weakness. I liked Jones but thought he was poor at getting the ball to our best player when necessary. This was less harmful to Booker as a combo guard. A big is more affected. In one Milwaukee game, after we blew a lead and fell behind in the last few minutes, Eddie Johnson plaintively pleaded: "Get the ball to Durant -- please". We did and KD hit a long three to go back in the lead, Two plays later we were down again with seconds to go. Johnson said something like: They won't let KD beat them. Look for Booker. Sure enough Book hit the game winner. I believe that we are better with both and a good point guard. Most of all I think those who believe KD and Book are our problems should listen more to someone like Johnson who has reason to know better.
I understand there will be a new coach - and sure - maybe, that coach can get more out of the team
But if you are keeping Booker and Durant - the roster is not improving
Even if you trade Beal -- what are you getting back and what is the cost to trade him?
So yes, Book and Durant will still score there 25+ ppg game - but what will the record be and will they be in the playoffs?
I don't see it
They won't make the playoffs though. IF keeping BOTH KD and Booker, at best we may be able to make incremental improvements on the margins that "MAYBE" could bring in an additional 4-5 wins if lucky?? But then what, Even with both of them playing, we've still gotten progressively worse each season.
And is great as KD has been/ is, he's only getting older and he'll inevitably fall off a cliff at any point in the next couple of seasons and won't be the true needle mover needed to validate his salary, etc.
His value will become neutral at best with his contractual cost, Booker will be closer to 30, and we'll still be fighting to just make the play in tournament IF everything goes verybright for us and we stay healthy too. This is just one of those examples of being in severe denial and rationalizing very mediocre outcomes to satiate feelings of sentiment towards what might have been.
But in the end, each season we hold onto this is ine more year added to our INEVITABLE rebuild!! It's utterly pointless and exponentially damaging to our long term future as well.
