KD to GS - Pt III

[Benedict_Boozer]

Wiretap is saying Draymond literally told KD we can win rings without you regardless

And KD still ran to the team? If that's legit that's crazy. No matter what Jerry West supposedly said to smooth it over that is wild.

I mean damn. You gotta give KD this, the dude must REALLY want a ring if he can hear that and still want to join.

[Kabookalu]

If Westbrook intended to leave regardless of Durant's decision, I can see why Durant chose Golden State. Russell may not have said it outright, but he probably slipped something through his tonality or body language that he didn't intend to stay with OKC that Durant picked up on. And if I was pressed with that situation, my only two choices left would be either with the Clippers or Warriors, just because I'd hate to land on an even worse situation than the one I just left. LAC and GSW are the only two teams that would present to me better environments than OKC if I signed with them.

[Benedict_Boozer]

If Westbrook intended to leave regardless of Durant's decision, I can see why Durant chose Golden State. Russell may not have said it outright, but he probably slipped something through his tonality or body language that he didn't intend to stay with OKC that Durant picked up on. And if I was pressed with that situation, my only two choices left would be either with the Clippers or Warriors, just because I'd hate to land on an even worse situation than the one I just left. LAC and GSW are the only two teams that would present to me better environments than OKC if I signed with them.

In that scenario, KD should have taken a 1+1 - take his chances with Westbrook and pick his squad next year.

[Kabookalu]

If Westbrook intended to leave regardless of Durant's decision, I can see why Durant chose Golden State. Russell may not have said it outright, but he probably slipped something through his tonality or body language that he didn't intend to stay with OKC that Durant picked up on. And if I was pressed with that situation, my only two choices left would be either with the Clippers or Warriors, just because I'd hate to land on an even worse situation than the one I just left. LAC and GSW are the only two teams that would present to me better environments than OKC if I signed with them.

In that scenario, KD should have taken a 1+1 - take his chances with Westbrook and pick his squad next year.

That's what I would have wanted too. I'm just sympathizing with Durant's decision, and don't hate him as much for it, even if I don't think he made the right one. I would have still given it one last shot instead of bailing on what he foresaw as a sinking ship.

[Litany]

Wiretap is saying Draymond literally told KD we can win rings without you regardless

And KD still ran to the team? If that's legit that's crazy. No matter what Jerry West supposedly said to smooth it over that is wild.

I mean damn. You gotta give KD this, the dude must REALLY want a ring if he can hear that and still want to join.

Lmao...yeah...I'm sure KD was in complete shock that a team that just obtained the best regular season record EVER was confident they'd be able to win a ring without any changes.

It's been stated everywhere they pitched strength in numbers they said okay KD you don't come here...we'll win a ring or two...and you'll likely get one at some point. But if we do this together we'll win a bunch.

People are soooooo wanting to make Durant out to be some awful person when he's doing exactly what all of us would have done in the same situation. Tearing him down like lebron now.

The Internet...same **** different day. Lmao.

[Run DLC]

I've always thought of him as a phony. I remembered a few years back when he'd regularly joined LeBron for off-season workouts and those were the years that LeBron was winning MVP's and being the most talked about player in the league, and right then, I knew this dude wasn't as genuine as of a friend to LeBron as CP3, Wade, and Melo are. He seems like the type who's very jealous of his rivals, but instead of wanting to dethrone them, he pretends to be friends with them and use them. It's obvious LeBron and Durant aren't that close anymore. It's the same thing now with Curry. He got jealous that the league had replaced him with Curry as the golden child of the NBA and instead of doing whatever it takes to beat him, he joined him. It's no secret that LeBron is just as bitter of Curry's rise to superstardom, but he did what any true competitor would do and avenged his 2015 defeat against Curry and took back his title as the "Best player in the league ".

[ils411]

Eh, KD = wuss confirmed, much like how Lebron = wuss also.
Though Lebron's wussness is still a level higher than KD's.
But can't blame either for wanting rings. Not everyone is lucky enough to be in a team that got Pippen, grant, kucock (spelling?), rodman etc or got paired with a Shaq or Pau without conniving or jumping ship to do so.

people crying about how the league will be boring or predictable but the bulls and their double threepeat and the lakers and their threepeat and back2back wasn't? come now brown cow, don't be hypocrites. heck, if Jordan didn't retire after the first threepeat, what are the odds that the bulls went 8 for 8? I'm sure the odds would be very very high and that would be, as per definition being thrown around, boring and predictable.

Yeah the people acting like the "old way was so much better" is laughable. In the 80's there were two stacked teams that won 8 of the 10 championships of that decade. In the 90's there were two teams that won 8 of the 10 championships of that decade. From 99 to 2010 two franchises won 9 of the 12 championships. The NBA has never been a parity league.

Although I don't get your point how Lebron is a "bigger wuss" than Durant. Durant joining a 73 win Super team that would have been the favorites to win without him is a bigger deal than Lebron teaming up with Wade and Bosh on a team that was a first round loser the year before.

Eh, IMO, Wade and Bosh >> Thompson and Green soooo.. Lebron is still the bigger wuuss...
But respect is given when due and LeBron deserves it after not giving up even when down 1-3. Luckily for him his second superfriends team turned out to be just the teen titans which almost, but not quite erases his first superfriends shenanigans. IMO of course.

[anish23]

I've always thought of him as a phony. I remembered a few years back when he'd regularly joined LeBron for off-season workouts and those were the years that LeBron was winning MVP's and being the most talked about LeBron in the league, and right then, I knew this dude wasn't as genuine as of a friend to LeBron as CP3, Wade, and Melo are. He seems like the type who's very jealous of his rivals, but instead of wanting to dethrone them, he pretends to be friends with them and use them. It's obvious LeBron and Durant aren't that close anymore. It's the same thing now with Curry. He got jealous that the league had replaced him with Curry as the golden child of the NBA and instead of doing whatever it takes to beat him, he joined him. It's no secret that LeBron is just as bitter of Curry's rise to superstardom, but he did what any true competitor would do and avenged his 2015 defeat against Curry and took back his title as the "Best player in the league ".

this is a Conspiracy Theory, but I believe in it !

By choosing to go to the Warriors, Kevin Durant has given ANY CHANCE WHATSOEVER to be called the best player in the league. Now all we need is for the KING to average a Tripple Double in the finals and beat this PACKED warriors team. After that... the GOAT discussion better get buried... MJ never had to go against something like this...

hopefully this next year Kyrie gets better, Love starts to perform, and THE KING DOES WHAT HE DOES BEST and beats these so called "warriors" lol... what a bad name for them... "warriors" My ***.

[ils411]

I don't get this "Durant lost respect" thing.
He wants to win rings. went to a team with the highest probability of winning one with. If he wins a ring with the warriors, then he wins a ring and adds to his legacy. Not in the realms of Lebron, Kobe and MJ but something like along the lines of Pippen... you know, the guy who won 6 rings with Jordan and is considered by many as one of the best defenders in his position ever. Great guy, great player, a legend, but not among "THE LEGENDS" something that Jordan has elevated to and something that Kobe tried to attain and Lebron is chasing after.
Winning rings with the warriors wont diminish Durant's achievements and legacy, but his legacy will be below those who are truly great and below those who almost but did not quite reach the peak.

[6rings4LeClutch]

Kd and curry are such a perfect fit, it was meant to be.

[Benedict_Boozer]

I don't get this "Durant lost respect" thing.
He wants to win rings. went to a team with the highest probability of winning one with. If he wins a ring with the warriors, then he wins a ring and adds to his legacy. Not in the realms of Lebron, Kobe and MJ but something like along the lines of Pippen... you know, the guy who won 6 rings with Jordan and is considered by many as one of the best defenders in his position ever. Great guy, great player, a legend, but not among "THE LEGENDS" something that Jordan has elevated to and something that Kobe tried to attain and Lebron is chasing after.
Winning rings with the warriors wont diminish Durant's achievements and legacy, but his legacy will be below those who are truly great and below those who almost but did not quite reach the peak.

Well said


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

[BW32]

Wiretap is saying Draymond literally told KD we can win rings without you regardless

And KD still ran to the team? If that's legit that's crazy. No matter what Jerry West supposedly said to smooth it over that is wild.

I mean damn. You gotta give KD this, the dude must REALLY want a ring if he can hear that and still want to join.

The message to take from all of that is that Jerry West is still a boss.

[RingsDontLie]

I don't get this "Durant lost respect" thing.
He wants to win rings. went to a team with the highest probability of winning one with. If he wins a ring with the warriors, then he wins a ring and adds to his legacy. Not in the realms of Lebron, Kobe and MJ but something like along the lines of Pippen... you know, the guy who won 6 rings with Jordan and is considered by many as one of the best defenders in his position ever. Great guy, great player, a legend, but not among "THE LEGENDS" something that Jordan has elevated to and something that Kobe tried to attain and Lebron is chasing after.
Winning rings with the warriors wont diminish Durant's achievements and legacy, but his legacy will be below those who are truly great and below those who almost but did not quite reach the peak.

I'm pretty sure Kobe and Lebron are legends of the game as it stands. Anyone who says otherwise is definitely a hater. These guys got 8 rings between them. Lebron probably gets 3 or 4 more rings as well.

If Durant gets a few rings out of this, everyone is going to forget he jump shipped.

[ils411]

I've always thought of him as a phony. I remembered a few years back when he'd regularly joined LeBron for off-season workouts and those were the years that LeBron was winning MVP's and being the most talked about LeBron in the league, and right then, I knew this dude wasn't as genuine as of a friend to LeBron as CP3, Wade, and Melo are. He seems like the type who's very jealous of his rivals, but instead of wanting to dethrone them, he pretends to be friends with them and use them. It's obvious LeBron and Durant aren't that close anymore. It's the same thing now with Curry. He got jealous that the league had replaced him with Curry as the golden child of the NBA and instead of doing whatever it takes to beat him, he joined him. It's no secret that LeBron is just as bitter of Curry's rise to superstardom, but he did what any true competitor would do and avenged his 2015 defeat against Curry and took back his title as the "Best player in the league ".

this is a Conspiracy Theory, but I believe in it !

By choosing to go to the Warriors, Kevin Durant has given ANY CHANCE WHATSOEVER to be called the best player in the league. Now all we need is for the KING to average a Tripple Double in the finals and beat this PACKED warriors team. After that... the GOAT discussion better get buried... MJ never had to go against something like this...

hopefully this next year Kyrie gets better, Love starts to perform, and THE KING DOES WHAT HE DOES BEST and beats these so called "warriors" lol... what a bad name for them... "warriors" My ***.

yeah.. no.. Jordan never had to go against something like "this" because the "this" that Lebron and the calvs are about to try to beat where the Jordan led bulls and the bulls destroyed a many dreams in the form of Ewing, Malone, Barkly, Stockton, Kemp and many others not winning rings because Jordan and the Bulls were the mountain that was too high to conquer.

Also, Durant never had the chance to be called "the best player in the league". Lebron was there when he entered and LeBron was king. Then as the king started to look human, Cury emerged as the 3pt God. Durant will be the ewings, malones, barkleys of the world. A great talent, a great player but never the best.

[baller16]

The KD news just keeps coming:

Kevin Durant was in a walking boot, watching the NBA Finals, thinking about the upcoming season.

He had just met newly hired Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan. Durant was pushing through rehab and edging closer to returning to the court. He was fired up.

He sent a text.

"It's our year next year!" he said.

He sent another.

"Then Ima sign back and build a sick ass house and keep stacking chips!! That's [the] goal."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/16791990/nba-changes-led-kevin-durant-departure-oklahoma-city-thunder

[ils411]

I don't get this "Durant lost respect" thing.
He wants to win rings. went to a team with the highest probability of winning one with. If he wins a ring with the warriors, then he wins a ring and adds to his legacy. Not in the realms of Lebron, Kobe and MJ but something like along the lines of Pippen... you know, the guy who won 6 rings with Jordan and is considered by many as one of the best defenders in his position ever. Great guy, great player, a legend, but not among "THE LEGENDS" something that Jordan has elevated to and something that Kobe tried to attain and Lebron is chasing after.
Winning rings with the warriors wont diminish Durant's achievements and legacy, but his legacy will be below those who are truly great and below those who almost but did not quite reach the peak.

I'm pretty sure Kobe and Lebron are legends of the game as it stands. Anyone who says otherwise is definitely a hater. These guys got 8 rings between them. Lebron probably gets 3 or 4 more rings as well.

If Durant gets a few rings out of this, everyone is going to forget he jump shipped.

Never said Kobe isn't a legend nor did I say that Lebron wouldn't be a legend. I was referring to the "THE LEGEND" status that Jordan has been elevated to. It is what Kobe was aiming for, to be a "LEGEND" on par with Jordan..think about it, with every new talent, that comes in the the NBA the term always used is "will he be the next Jordan?" or "will he supplant Jordan?". It is always Jordan and no one else. There was never a "next Shaq" or "next Kobe" or "Next whatever whoever"..it is always Jordan, hence the "THE LEGEND" status. Deserving or not, true or not, Jordan is "THE LEGEND".
My 2 cents is that skill wise, I'm inclined to believe that Wade and Kobe and someother has matched Jordan. The difference is Jordan has those WTF moments that makes you ask "how in F's name did he do that?". Actually, he has lots of those and that's what's etched into the minds and memories of many.

[inquisitive]

he still has 2 days to renege

[kvash37]

Everyone is hating on Durant but not thinking about a couple things. Even is the Warriors had less talent its about style of play and fit.

1. GS has a style of play that is attractive to any shooter. Tons of ball movement and the green light to take some crazy shots.
2. He will get minutes as a stretch four around good defensive players. This could prolong his career.
3. Steve Kerr seems like an amazing coach to play for. Very intelligent but keeps things light and fun. He really allows his players to flourish and comes across as more of a co-worker than a boss.

[Black Jack]

All the people screaming about Durant are the EXACT SAME people who screamed about LeBron leaving Cle for Miami, and who have been all on his jock since the most recent finals win. Which vindicates Durant's decision - fans are totally fickle and all that matters is winning.

If Durant had stayed in OKC and not won a ring then the same fairweather fans would have taunted him mercilessly. End of day he did what he had to do to put himself in a position to win.

[Black Jack]

I've always thought of him as a phony. I remembered a few years back when he'd regularly joined LeBron for off-season workouts and those were the years that LeBron was winning MVP's and being the most talked about player in the league, and right then, I knew this dude wasn't as genuine as of a friend to LeBron as CP3, Wade, and Melo are. He seems like the type who's very jealous of his rivals, but instead of wanting to dethrone them, he pretends to be friends with them and use them. It's obvious LeBron and Durant aren't that close anymore. It's the same thing now with Curry. He got jealous that the league had replaced him with Curry as the golden child of the NBA and instead of doing whatever it takes to beat him, he joined him. It's no secret that LeBron is just as bitter of Curry's rise to superstardom, but he did what any true competitor would do and avenged his 2015 defeat against Curry and took back his title as the "Best player in the league ".

You're right - the fact that Durant worked out with LeBron in the offseason totally exposes how phony he is