Front Court of the Future?

[DCZards]

I agree with the pipedream crowd. While I would love it, I just see no way to get KD to DC.

Why is there "no way to get KD to DC"? Won't he be an unrestricted free agent in a couple of years? When that time comes, I think there's no question that the Zards will be one of the teams on KD's short list, given that DC is both his hometown and a major media market. Add to that the fact that with Wall and Beal the Zards will probably have the best backcourt in the NBA in a couple of years. I'm sure KD will also take that into account.

No, not a given that KD will end up in a Zards uni...but also not a pipe dream.

[barelyawake]

Well said!

Also, as I posted, people around Durant really are pushing him to come back home. Wale, his favorite artist listed many times on his IPod (when Durant listed his top tunes), is friends with Leonisis' son. And he's pushing both to get KD here. It really isn't as pipedreamy as people think.

But, our management has always settled for "just a playoff team" because they never felt media or fan pressure to do otherwise. In other words, the "whatever it's a pipedream" crowd actually are part of the problem.

[payitforward]

If you don't like betting on sure things, then don't bet on Durant coming home as he promised to the media, his friends, his agent and his mother. "I swear on my Momma's eyes that I will be a Wizard." -- Kevin Durant.

Not to lose any sure bet money but... I would think we would need to be one player away from contending for Kevin to come here. As we are currently - don't think he comes when he could actually compete for a championship in OKC.

Just saying...

A) If Durant goes back on his promise to come to the Wizards when his contract expires, it would be unusual for a person of his high moral fiber.

B) To be one piece away, if Durant is that piece, we would need only a defensive center. We have two years to get a defensive center. Durant/Beal/Wall/Porter/Webster/defensive center is a championship team, just saying.

Ummm, can you provide a real citation for that quote? I.e. some legitimate news medium that interviewed him? A real tweet by him? Something like that? That would actually convey "his promise to come to the Wizards when his contract expires"?

Because without that it sounds like total BS to me. Keep in mind that Kevin Durant is a professional basketball player. This is his business. This is not anything other than his business. For example, it's not his mission in life to play ball in front of mama. And you can imagine how his teammates (and Thunder management) would react to a statement like the one you claim he made.

In other words... what a load of....!

[payitforward]

I agree with the pipedream crowd. While I would love it, I just see no way to get KD to DC.

Why is there "no way to get KD to DC"? Won't he be an unrestricted free agent in a couple of years? When that time comes, I think there's no question that the Zards will be one of the teams on KD's short list, given that DC is both his hometown and a major media market. Add to that the fact that with Wall and Beal the Zards will probably have the best backcourt in the NBA in a couple of years. I'm sure KD will also take that into account.

No, not a given that KD will end up in a Zards uni...but also not a pipe dream.

In short... no, he won't be an unrestricted FA in a couple of years. Why would OKC let him become unrestricted? Because they want to help Wizards fans have foolish dreams?

Man! it'd be nice to see this foolish notion go away!

[TGW]

Amen payitforward.

[GeeWiz]

I agree with everybody else.
We need to focus on realistic acquisitions, not a Durant pipe-dream.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

[DCZards]

In short... no, he won't be an unrestricted FA in a couple of years. Why would OKC let him become unrestricted? Because they want to help Wizards fans have foolish dreams?

Man! it'd be nice to see this foolish notion go away!

Yeah, I guess you're right, pif. Those Heat fans who had a pipe dream of Lebron becoming an unrestricted FA and coming to Miami must have been smoking some strong stuff....oh wait...that did happen.

[nate33]

In short... no, he won't be an unrestricted FA in a couple of years. Why would OKC let him become unrestricted? Because they want to help Wizards fans have foolish dreams?

Man! it'd be nice to see this foolish notion go away!

Yes, he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2016. There is no restricted free agency once you get past your first rookie deal. OKC will obviously extend a max offer, but if Durant doesn't want to stay in OKC, OKC is powerless to stop him from leaving.

[barelyawake]

A) I used to respond to PIF. I admit my past mistakes.

B) Thank you, Nate and DCZ.

C) Most of the media agrees that if OKC doesn't win a championship Durant will leave. Durant blames ownership for trading Harden and OKC is a pit.

D) The media have been speculating about, and now there are rallies and billboards from Cav fans to make reality, LeBron's return to the third worst city in America (obviously Detriot and OKC being the others). Will they work? Who knows? Do they help? Absolutely.

E) Article after article have been printed, and radio shows have endlessly discussed, that the reason that our local teams (outside of the Skins) don't feel the need to build a contender is because of the lack of fan pressure to do so.

F) This is the same board in which many thought Blatche could be the cornerstone of a championship team. The NBA is not moneyball. Superstars win championships, period. But what about Detroit? Stop it.

G) We will be on Durant's short list if we haven't made moves that make it impossible for us to get him. That much is fact.

[theboomking]

There is very little mention in this thread of Love, who is also going to be a FA the year after Monroe and a year before Durant.

Signing Monroe could be a stepping stone to getting either of those guys via a sign and trade. I expect Monroe would play very well with Wall, Beal and Porter, and remain a valuable trade asset.

[pancakes3]

If you don't like betting on sure things, then don't bet on Durant coming home as he promised to the media, his friends, his agent and his mother. "I swear on my Momma's eyes that I will be a Wizard." -- Kevin Durant.

He actually said that? Could I have a link?
Not that I don't believe you, I'm just curious.

Of course he said it. I'd bet my children's tonsils on it, if I had any. I'd provide a link, but the entire center of operations for the Oklahoma paper who noted the quote was swept away -- presumably to Oz.

Here's the deal though, since you believe me. The more people you tell that true quote to, the more reporters will ask Durant about it and speculate about it in the press. It also increases the likelihood that the idea will be imprinted into the minds of Wiz management. It also will increase the number of fans demanding it. In other words, the more people you tell the more likely said true statement will come to fruition.

On one hand, if you believe this, I have a bridge in Oklahoma City to sell you. On the other hand, BA's strategy of creating an artificial grass roots movement to guilt trip Duran would probably help more than people are giving credit to. Now when the Lakers put up billboards to try and keep Dwight this past summer it was too little too late in a worse situation. If DC actively mounts a homecoming campaign for Durant (now might be too early) then I'm sure it would at least have SOME effect. I for one am going to spread the Durant-to-DC rumor as best I can and really I don't see the harm in it.

LeBron James quote was that he wanted to go where Durant was going... So Durant will move to PF and James to SF. They agreed to split whatever salary was available. Lopez is ticked off at Brooklyn and wants a trade to the Wiz... so there you have it... Wall/Beal/James/Durant/Lopez - bench of Webster/Ariza/Nene/Gortat.

Finally time for domination - get it done EG!!!

So even in a fantasy scenario we don't have a serviceable point guard.

There is very little mention in this thread of Love, who is also going to be a FA the year after Monroe and a year before Durant.

Signing Monroe could be a stepping stone to getting either of those guys via a sign and trade. I expect Monroe would play very well with Wall, Beal and Porter, and remain a valuable trade asset.

Pipedream or not, we certainly have the cap room to do it outright. We have even more if we do a s&t using Nene's contract as a ledger balancer.

[nate33]

The fundamental problem is going after Durant as a free agent is that we would need to be good enough that Durant would think his chances here are better than in OKC.

That's a difficult hurdle because we will have no good big men in 2016 assuming we are reserving cap room for Durant. Wall, Webster, Porter and Beal's cap hold will together cost about $41M. We will add to that roster one mid round pick (either from the 2014 draft or the 2015 draft, depending on which one we give to Phoenix). That's it. That's our roster. We'll have maybe $4M to fill other holes while still leaving $17M for Durant.

So would Durant want to come to team that has a PG, a SG, two SF's, and nobody else? I just don't see it. And I don't see how that changes unless there is a big trade in the works between now and then. And that big trade would likely involve giving up Beal - or at the very least, Porter.

I think the only plausible option would be to trade for Durant in the 2015/16 season after Durant made it known that he was leaving. But in that scenario, we would have to have enough trade assets to outbid other suitors. (We can assume that, even if Durant wants to come here, there would be a handful of other teams where he would also want to play. We need a better trade package than those other teams.) Porter is sure to be part of that trade package, plus some expiring contracts (Nene), plus some future picks. That still might not be enough.

[barelyawake]

It's true, Nate. It will take proper planning, proper drafting, proper trading and proper MLE signing for two years. We have all the important pieces barring a defensive center -- the best backcourt and two (hopefully) good small forwards. No one is suggesting we are ready now. We are suggesting with proper planning, and with a couple playoffs as advertising, we should/could be ready in two years.

[nate33]

It's true, Nate. It will take proper planning, proper drafting, proper trading and proper MLE signing for two years. We have all the important pieces barring a defensive center -- the best backcourt and two (hopefully) good small forwards. No one is suggesting we are ready now. We are suggesting with proper planning, and with a couple playoffs as advertising, we should/could be ready in two years.

Right. But I guess my first point is that we need to give up on the notion that we can sign him outright as a free agent. I just don't see how it's possible.

What we're really talking about is acquiring/retaining a very good big man in the offseason (Gortat or Monroe), adding some depth in free agency, and drafting a good player (preferably at least one good stretch four). Then we need to win 50+ games next year and be on pace to win 50+ in the following year. We need Porter to look really good. Then we need to trade Porter, Nene, our 2016 and 2018 pick for Durant.

[DCZards]

Right. But I guess my first point is that we need to give up on the notion that we can sign him outright as a free agent. I just don't see how it's possible.

What we're really talking about is acquiring/retaining a very good big man in the offseason (Gortat or Monroe), adding some depth in free agency, and drafting a good player (preferably at least one good stretch four). Then we need to win 50+ games next year and be on pace to win 50+ in the following year. We need Porter to look really good. Then we need to trade Porter, Nene, our 2016 and 2018 pick for Durant.

Nate,

I'm not quite sure why you now say you "don't see how it's possible" to sign Durant outright as a free agent when in an earlier post you said this:

"Yes, he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2016. There is no restricted free agency once you get past your first rookie deal. OKC will obviously extend a max offer, but if Durant doesn't want to stay in OKC, OKC is powerless to stop him from leaving."

I do agree that it will take a near perfect storm for the Durant-to-Zards scenario to become a reality...requiring the kind of precise planning that barely points out. But I'm not sure why you seem to rule out Durant becoming an unrestricted free agent and signing with the Zards.

[nate33]

Nate,

I'm not quite sure why you now say you "don't see how it's possible" to sign Durant outright as a free agent when in an earlier post you said this:

"Yes, he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2016. There is no restricted free agency once you get past your first rookie deal. OKC will obviously extend a max offer, but if Durant doesn't want to stay in OKC, OKC is powerless to stop him from leaving."

I do agree that it will take a near perfect storm for the Durant-to-Zards scenario to become a reality...requiring the kind of precise planning that barely points out. But I'm not sure why you seem to rule out Durant becoming an unrestricted free agent and signing with the Zards.

Because in order to us to have sufficient cap room to sign Durant, we will need to let literally all of our players go except Wall, Beal, Porter and Webster. And I see no way that Durant joins a team with no big men. He's better off staying in OKC with Westbrook and Ibaka.

[DCZards]

Because in order to us to have sufficient cap room to sign Durant, we will need to let literally all of our players go except Wall, Beal, Porter and Webster. And I see no way that Durant joins a team with no big men. He's better off staying in OKC with Westbrook and Ibaka.

Thanks for the explanation, Nate. I depend on posters like you for the skinny on our cap situation. One could argue, however, with your assertion that Durant is better off in OKC with Westbrook and Ibaka than in DC with Wall, Beal, etc., especially if the Zards somehow manage to sign a decent big. DC certainly has a big edge over OKC when it comes to being a high-profile city/market.

In addition, Durant probably dreams of averaging 40 plus pts. with Wall dropping dimes to him.

[barelyawake]

Nate,

I'm not quite sure why you now say you "don't see how it's possible" to sign Durant outright as a free agent when in an earlier post you said this:

"Yes, he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2016. There is no restricted free agency once you get past your first rookie deal. OKC will obviously extend a max offer, but if Durant doesn't want to stay in OKC, OKC is powerless to stop him from leaving."

I do agree that it will take a near perfect storm for the Durant-to-Zards scenario to become a reality...requiring the kind of precise planning that barely points out. But I'm not sure why you seem to rule out Durant becoming an unrestricted free agent and signing with the Zards.

Because in order to us to have sufficient cap room to sign Durant, we will need to let literally all of our players go except Wall, Beal, Porter and Webster. And I see no way that Durant joins a team with no big men. He's better off staying in OKC with Westbrook and Ibaka.

I understand, Nate. However, we might be able to make it so it works either way. Might. Remember we have the following options at our disposal:
Drafting
Signing contracts that expire at the right time.
Trading for expiring contracts now or then.
Trading for players with smaller contracts.
Trading players for draft picks.
Structuring contracts so they hit harder on the backend.

I understand it gets tricky because of resigning Beal. And we agree it takes making a plan now (with options and contingencies).

[pancakes3]

To build off what BA said - it's not just one plan. It's a whole network of plans and maneuvers. Contingency plans, backups, flexibility, all while moving forward. It's not just player acquisition. Scouting, development, and... well... management.

[payitforward]

In short... no, he won't be an unrestricted FA in a couple of years. Why would OKC let him become unrestricted? Because they want to help Wizards fans have foolish dreams?

Man! it'd be nice to see this foolish notion go away!

Yeah, I guess you're right, pif. Those Heat fans who had a pipe dream of Lebron becoming an unrestricted FA and coming to Miami must have been smoking some strong stuff....oh wait...that did happen.

Oh... and that is similar? How?

And did LeBron pay something for his "taking my talents to Miami" move?

And did Miami have just a few advantages over Cleveland that don't match our situation vis a vis OKC -- despite the witty anti-Oklahoman posts?

Why don't you tell us how Kevin Durant will become an unrestricted FA -- just start there please.