KD to GS - Pt III

[YogurtProducer]

This sit affect his legacy at all jeeeez

"Rings is the key to having a great legacy, KD needs them to be considered a great"

*gets rings*

"Well we didn't mean that way we meant the other way"

There's a difference between winning a ring, and being a champion

Only to salty realgmers there is

[Left*My*Heart]

One thing is for certain, Golden State just seems like a team that people want to play for. And I'm not even referencing their style of play either, because lest we forget, Andre Iguodala did the exact same thing; he joined the team that beat him. He mentioned the camaraderie the Warriors gave off being the biggest selling point. This was during a time when Mark Jackson was still their coach and ran an awful stagnant offensive system that worked against the strengths of the Warriors; during a time when they weren't a contender yet.

Durant did mention that it was who he played with that mattered, and the chemistry of the Warriors may have been what appealed to him more than anything.

Curry and Iguodala were friends outside of basketball. They wanted to play together. Durant makes up that circle. They became very close in 2010. http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/16790897/durant-warriors-had-2010-world-championship-roots

Being happy and playing the game you love with guys you like on and off the court is important to some people.

[Winsome Gerbil]

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.

This "all of us" group you refer to sounds like a bunch of gutless frontrunners.

Fortunately I hang with people a little less yellow.

[QRich3]

Yeah, that "all of us" crap is not nearly accurate, obviously most people will take a chance to improve their career money wise and responsibility wise, but that's not nearly what's happening here. A couple of days ago it was far from clear that going to the Warriors would've been his best decision, let's not act like the world usually works like that. It was his decision and he had every right to take it, but the majority of criticism or character judgement he's taking is reasonable and predictable.

There's a difference between winning a ring, and being a champion

Only to salty realgmers there is

Funny I just came from reddit and Warriors fans there claim it's just a reddit circlejerk. People on twitter claim it's just twitter, etc. It's not isolated or just on the internet when everyone everywhere is saying pretty much the same

[MisterHibachi]

There's just one problem with that: That's just not true. The Thunder were right there with the best of the best. Both him and Russ are in their prime. Their supporting cast were only gonna get better. Don't tell me about the need for this move. There was no need. None at all.

Yeah, possibly, but he may think, as well as I do, that he has a better chance with Golden State. The increase in the odds of winning the championship are enough for him to leave his team behind.

According to latest reports they basically told him they don't need him and he took it. They signed him to take out an opponent and he doesn't even realize it.

They were favourites before getting him and favourites after getting him. How much credit does he really deserve for any potential championships when we know his team was favoured to win without him.

[NothingButLuck]

Feeling super happy for KD choosing to go to the Warriors. Got robbed of the opportunity playing for the hypothetical OKC with Westbrook, Harden, and Ibaka during their prime, now he'll get to play with Curry, Green, and Thompson.

[Whopper_Sr]

It still feels surreal. I'm certainly not the biggest GSW fan in the world but boy am I excited to see this team in action!
This is probably the most excited I've been about a non-Nuggets team since the 07-08 Celtics.

[fa2011]

I've avoided these threads for a few days now, but glad to see nothing's changed, Westbrook still takes the blame. After a few days I finally needed to vent a little off the team board and just figured I'd rant some random incoherent thoughts.

I never really got deeply into the NBA until I joined this site, but before that started to really love the Thunder. I've been a fan of a few teams in my life, but my first favorite player was Reggie Miller, a guy who played his whole career for one team in a small market. I always appreciated that, and as a guy who grew up in the middle of nowhere I personally enjoy the small market feel, and always hoped I'd have a team with a great player who was the same. That seemed to be Kevin Durant.

All these years, the reason I started following OKC as a fan half way across the country was a tweet on the night of the Decision, from Durant, announcing his extension quietly. He was humble and quaint and loyal, he said the right things, did the right things. He always talked, even this season, about loyalty and that in the end he'd win in OKC, for OKC and his teammates. Well 2 days ago I found out that guy wasn't real, it was all a lie. Not only a lie, but a lie that destroyed my interest in most of the NBA.

He seemed to always want to be the man who got credit when he won, but rarely took blame for losses, blaming Russ on the way out was no different. He was always the guy taking the back seat on court and in the locker room, always the follower, rarely the leader. He couldn't even handle making the decision for himself, apparently letting his handlers do most of that. In the end I guess what this rant is about is that as a grown man I'm a bit hurt. Not because he left. If he went to Boston I'd be pissed, but I'd say OK he wanted to build something. If it was the Spurs it was a class organization. But he took the chicken way out, he needed to be possibly the 3rd best player on his own team to try to win. Well, after these years of following him I just feel like everything he ever said and tried to portray was a lie. And to me, that's what hurts. Not that he left, but that he lied. To me, to OKC, to all their fans and all his fans. He's not a guy I'd ever respect, he's the worst of the worst. Not a competitor, not humble, not a real person at all.

Bye Kevin,hope you're miserable.

By chance, did you catch Woj's podcast with Jeff Van Gundy regarding KD? Pretty decent IMO. I liked how JVG was very rational in his thoughts/opinions and very unbiased. He touched on the fact that KD has earned the right to switch teams and how GS' biggest challenges were health and disappointment of losing games.

However, the part I found most interesting was when Jeff and Woj touched on Russell's persona in his "real life", is much different than his outwardly gruff attitude. The gist of it was that Russ has a close knit circle of friends that's impenetrable (essentially, his wife, a friend or two, and his agent) that is willing to give him the unvarnished truth vice KD's revolving agents and company he holds, that are unwilling to be honest with him. They said they don't believe that Westbrook would leave OKC because he's a different player who would rather have people come to him, vice going to another team. Most surprising is when Jeff told a story about sitting next to a neighbor of Westbrook's on a flight and he painted Westbrook in a completely different light than what's portrayed on TV. The neighbor was very complimentary of Russell and told stories an all around good guy that balled with the neighborhood kids; the kids even knock on Russ' door and ask his wife if he can play lol

In a nutshell, all those things you said about KD were things that made him very likeable, I would echo. Him leaving OKC doesn't change my opinion of who he is a player, and I think he's still a remarkable talent. As you touched on, him leaving for the Spurs or even Boston would have still been disappointing, but still palatable. For those that say he left for a "better situation," that's, true, but SA could have been "better" as well. In the end, he wanted a freebie for a ring and that was GS. GSW fans shouldn't take this a jab at them, their front office and the players lobbied for their target and got him. And for that, their entire organization should be commended since they came away with the prize of '16.

However, through all of this, I don't think KD is an Alphadog like a Jordan, Bird, Kobe, or Miller. IMO those guys not only wanted to win, they wanted to rip your heart out, stomp on it, and do it on their terms. I still remember the Pistons leaving the floor without shaking the Bulls' hands on the ECFs. I'm sure that was almost as good of a feeling than winning the Championship. That's not to be confused with he's less talented because KD is one of the best in that regard.

[bondom34]

However, the part I found most interesting was when Jeff and Woj touched on Russell's persona in his "real life", is much different than his outwardly gruff attitude. The gist of it was that Russ has a close knit circle of friends that's impenetrable (essentially, his wife, a friend or two, and his agent) that is willing to give him the unvarnished truth vice KD's revolving agents and company he holds, that are unwilling to be honest with him. They said they don't believe that Westbrook would leave OKC because he's a different player who would rather have people come to him, vice going to another team. Most surprising is when Jeff told a story about sitting next to a neighbor of Westbrook's on a flight and he painted Westbrook in a completely different light than what's portrayed on TV. The neighbor was very complimentary of Russell and told stories an all around good guy that balled with the neighborhood kids; the kids even knock on Russ' door and ask his wife if he can play lol

The bolded is what I've always gotten as a read on Russ, and hope its true.

You've given me hope .

[whatisacenter]

so many Stephen A's on this board. most often the people who call someone soft, weak, or bitch should start by looking in the mirror.

[John Murdoch]

Dam so this went 300+ pages ?

[fa2011]

However, the part I found most interesting was when Jeff and Woj touched on Russell's persona in his "real life", is much different than his outwardly gruff attitude. The gist of it was that Russ has a close knit circle of friends that's impenetrable (essentially, his wife, a friend or two, and his agent) that is willing to give him the unvarnished truth vice KD's revolving agents and company he holds, that are unwilling to be honest with him. They said they don't believe that Westbrook would leave OKC because he's a different player who would rather have people come to him, vice going to another team. Most surprising is when Jeff told a story about sitting next to a neighbor of Westbrook's on a flight and he painted Westbrook in a completely different light than what's portrayed on TV. The neighbor was very complimentary of Russell and told stories an all around good guy that balled with the neighborhood kids; the kids even knock on Russ' door and ask his wife if he can play lol

The bolded is what I've always gotten as a read on Russ, and hope its true.

You've given me hope .

Haha. Well, if we can make a pact? If Russy leaves, send him to Orlando, we need him. Not sure about your sig, but you may need to remove KD from it now

[bondom34]

However, the part I found most interesting was when Jeff and Woj touched on Russell's persona in his "real life", is much different than his outwardly gruff attitude. The gist of it was that Russ has a close knit circle of friends that's impenetrable (essentially, his wife, a friend or two, and his agent) that is willing to give him the unvarnished truth vice KD's revolving agents and company he holds, that are unwilling to be honest with him. They said they don't believe that Westbrook would leave OKC because he's a different player who would rather have people come to him, vice going to another team. Most surprising is when Jeff told a story about sitting next to a neighbor of Westbrook's on a flight and he painted Westbrook in a completely different light than what's portrayed on TV. The neighbor was very complimentary of Russell and told stories an all around good guy that balled with the neighborhood kids; the kids even knock on Russ' door and ask his wife if he can play lol

The bolded is what I've always gotten as a read on Russ, and hope its true.

You've given me hope .

Haha. Well, if we can make a pact? If Russy leaves, send him to Orlando, we need him. Not sure about your sig, but you may need to remove KD from it now

Thanks for the reminder!

[MagicForLife]

Can someone tell me why the league can't veto KD going to GS, but they could veto CP3 going to LAL?

[whatisacenter]

Can someone tell me why the league can't veto KD going to GS, but they could veto CP3 going to LAL?

KD is a free agent. CP3 was under contract and was being traded by a league owned team.

[guitarpatch]

Can someone tell me why the league can't veto KD going to GS, but they could veto CP3 going to LAL?

The Hornets were owned by the league/other owners at the time. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but the excuse was that the Hornets would had to take on more $ in the deal, and the other owners didn't want to pay it.

Was there also competiton reasons as well? I'm sure of it.

[Frosty]

Can someone tell me why the league can't veto KD going to GS, but they could veto CP3 going to LAL?

The Hornets were owned by the league/other owners at the time. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but the excuse was that the Hornets would had to take on more $ in the deal, and the other owners didn't want to pay it.

Was there also competiton reasons as well? I'm sure of it.

The league was trying to sell the team, it's a lot easier to sell a team with a star on it even if the star is making noise. It's a lot more attractive then a bunch of mediocre crap.

[Frosty]

so many Stephen A's on this board. most often the people who call someone soft, weak, or bitch should start by looking in the mirror.

When you found this out, did you break that mirror or just take it like a soft, weak bitch??

Sorry I just couldn't resist.

[dc]

Can someone tell me why the league can't veto KD going to GS, but they could veto CP3 going to LAL?

Because the league owned the Hornets/Pelicans at the time. If the Hornets/Pelicans had their own independent owner at the time that signed off on the trade, the league wouldn't have been able to do a thing.

[NBAfan3024]

Can someone tell me why the league can't veto KD going to GS, but they could veto CP3 going to LAL?

The Hornets were owned by the league/other owners at the time. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but the excuse was that the Hornets would had to take on more $ in the deal, and the other owners didn't want to pay it.

Was there also competiton reasons as well? I'm sure of it.

The league was trying to sell the team, it's a lot easier to sell a team with a star on it even if the star is making noise. It's a lot more attractive then a bunch of mediocre crap.

bingogo