Durant looks worse everytime he talks about his decision

[ryanpuge]

Oh trust me I am (though the Browns put a damper on things). I'm not even speaking from the standpoint of the move making it harder for my Cavs to win going forward. It just makes the entire league worse off and it sucks to see, and I really can't understand how a competitor like Durant can have no problem with what he said in that quote.

Honestly, when don't the Browns put a damper on Sundays. Just keeding you. At least you guys passed on trading Haden + picks for Kaep.

Non taken lol. The Browns are the biggest joke in sports, and I have no problem admitting that.

The Cavs won 3 games in a row to end the Finals. The Indians have just won 3 games in a row to move on. And the Browns have won 3 games total the past 2 seasons.

good one...

[NW]

On some level I actually respect Durant just wanted to have more fun playing basketball when he knew he'd have a huge backlash from fans.

But as NBA fan of a non-contender, I feel robbed of some great OKC\GS match ups and it'll be hard not to be pulling for Anybody But The Warriors moving forward. I just can't get over the fact that OKC probably would have closed GS out if Durant played better down the stretch.

I'm rooting for Blake to OKC so we can still get that.

Never going to happen.

Next year Sam tries to get Griffin, fails. Tries to get Hayward, fails. Trade Russ for draft picks, rebuild, turn into the Timberwolves.

I'm resigned to it so it can't hurt me.

Probably not going to happen, but it'd be a pretty smart move from a business and image perspective for Blake.

Hometown boy returns to team with the "loyal" guy who stayed to form the small market hero squad battling the Evil Empire in the Bay Area. Not bad coming off beating up the equipment manager.

Both happen to be the top dogs of the Jordan Brand. Russ isn't a big publicity guy so he gets to be the undisputed public face as opposed to the Clips where he has to share with CP3

[StepBackCrack]

On some level I actually respect Durant just wanted to have more fun playing basketball when he knew he'd have a huge backlash from fans.

But as NBA fan of a non-contender, I feel robbed of some great OKC\GS match ups and it'll be hard not to be pulling for Anybody But The Warriors moving forward. I just can't get over the fact that OKC probably would have closed GS out if Durant played better down the stretch.

I totally understand fans who wanted OKC/GSW to continue the great rivalry between them but you gotta admit, it's kinda unfair to see OKC/SAS/GSW having to battle each other in the West whereas the Cavs reaching the finals is a given thing in the East and they are more rested in the finals. In a way, Durant made it fairer to himself (and GSW) by joining GSW. Fairer in terms of how hard/easy to reach the finals compared to the Cavs/LeBron in the east not fairer in terms of team strength. The ideal situation would have been Durant going to the East to balance the strength of the conferences but he had much better reasons to join GSW. In any case, I understand why some non-haters wanted him to stay or leave to Boston.

[Kupchak9]

Imagine if the Cavs win again next year? Lebron would be the GOAT.

KD and Curry's credibility would go down the toilet.

[bondom34]

I respect you a ton as a poster. But I'm going to be honest. I stopped reading this post at the bold, because if you believe this you have to either be very much biased or just not reading it.

And yes, this is an easy road to a title.

That's unfortunate because I explain the bolded statement in the subsequent sentences. But I very well realize why you'd take offense at his comments, I understand that. The second part is not a statement I'd challenge in general (only added the caveat that it's as easy as it gets, but still not easy as other teams have pretty good players as well).

Obviously we're too far apart to reach common ground and I guess that's understandable given our respective team preferences. You're a quality poster but certain topics sometimes can't be discussed at the highest level of quality. So we should both move on from our current conversation and have quality discussions elsewhere about different topics soon again.

Gladly my good man. I think given our team allegiances neither of us see it remotely the same.

[bondom34]

I understand why OKC might take offense at these comments but he is not trashing the organization or the players. He praises the Warriors and yes, consequently it means that he saw something there he missed in OKC. But he is asked to elaborate on the reasons for his decisions and this necessarily means mentioning why he prefers one situation over the other. It is not, however, trashing OKC - he never even remotely said that the situation in OKC was bad or something similar. Should I show you all the statements after he joined GS where he speaks highly of OKC? He would not do that if he intends to trash his former organization. I don't know what to say if this consitutes trashing in your book because then there would have been no way for him to give reasons for decision without "trashing" OKC.


Easy road to a title (as easy as possible, it's naturally still difficult to winn the title), yes. Otherwise obviously not. Easier play? Sure, which player wouldn't want easier shots? It's the entire purpose of the game - create good opportunities to score as a team and put yourself in the position to win the game. Players who don't want to be in the best position to win are the worst competitors, actually. You don't necessarily have to leave your team, obviously.

Whether it's a lie or his genuine opinion regarding the hard road is not on you to decide. As I wrote in the post before, there are different perspectives to be taken into consideration and it's certainly a hard road from several points of view albeit not from all. As for the trashing stuff we have to agree to disagree apparently.

I respect you a ton as a poster. But I'm going to be honest. I stopped reading this post at the bold, because if you believe this you have to either be very much biased or just not reading it.

And yes, this is an easy road to a title.

So the Warriors being tight is a slight at OKC? Methinks that reaction by OKC fans speaks more to what you think of the culture of your organization than what KD does.

Easy road, I suppose it's easier, but it's also the most pressure packed. Anything short of winning the last game of the season is a failure that will be laid at Durant's feet. Not the case anywhere else he could have gone

No, him claiming the Warriors are essentially run better and have a better team is. If you don't take that as a slight, I dunno what i.s

[Pillendreher]

On some level I actually respect Durant just wanted to have more fun playing basketball when he knew he'd have a huge backlash from fans.

But as NBA fan of a non-contender, I feel robbed of some great OKC\GS match ups and it'll be hard not to be pulling for Anybody But The Warriors moving forward. I just can't get over the fact that OKC probably would have closed GS out if Durant played better down the stretch.

I'm rooting for Blake to OKC so we can still get that.

Never going to happen.

Next year Sam tries to get Griffin, fails. Tries to get Hayward, fails. Trade Russ for draft picks, rebuild, turn into the post-Garnett Timberwolves.

I'm resigned to it so it can't hurt me.

Have some faith.

[NW]

I respect you a ton as a poster. But I'm going to be honest. I stopped reading this post at the bold, because if you believe this you have to either be very much biased or just not reading it.

And yes, this is an easy road to a title.

So the Warriors being tight is a slight at OKC? Methinks that reaction by OKC fans speaks more to what you think of the culture of your organization than what KD does.

Easy road, I suppose it's easier, but it's also the most pressure packed. Anything short of winning the last game of the season is a failure that will be laid at Durant's feet. Not the case anywhere else he could have gone

No, him claiming the Warriors are essentially run better and have a better team is. If you don't take that as a slight, I dunno what i.s

Read on Twitter

Where did he say they were run better? He said they were family tight and had an energy. Same thing Igudola said when he came, same thing Varajao said last year when he got here. The culture the Warriors have is not a reflection on OKC.

[StepBackCrack]

I respect you a ton as a poster. But I'm going to be honest. I stopped reading this post at the bold, because if you believe this you have to either be very much biased or just not reading it.

And yes, this is an easy road to a title.

So the Warriors being tight is a slight at OKC? Methinks that reaction by OKC fans speaks more to what you think of the culture of your organization than what KD does.

Easy road, I suppose it's easier, but it's also the most pressure packed. Anything short of winning the last game of the season is a failure that will be laid at Durant's feet. Not the case anywhere else he could have gone

No, him claiming the Warriors are essentially run better and have a better team is. If you don't take that as a slight, I dunno what i.s

It's not a slight at all. Him claiming that doesn't mean OKC are awful at running a team. GSW is just better run at it in his opinion. That's all.

[Lala870]

I wish there was this much uproar about the jersey patches

[bondom34]

[

Where did he say they were run better? He said they were family tight and had an energy. Same thing Igudola said when he came, same thing Varajao said last year when he got here. The culture the Warriors have is not a reflection on OKC.

So the Warriors being tight is a slight at OKC? Methinks that reaction by OKC fans speaks more to what you think of the culture of your organization than what KD does.

Easy road, I suppose it's easier, but it's also the most pressure packed. Anything short of winning the last game of the season is a failure that will be laid at Durant's feet. Not the case anywhere else he could have gone

No, him claiming the Warriors are essentially run better and have a better team is. If you don't take that as a slight, I dunno what i.s

It's not a slight at all. Him claiming that doesn't mean OKC are awful at running a team. GSW is just better run at it in his opinion. That's all.

Well herre are 2 opinions on it from GSW. One says it says nothign about OKC. The other says it just shows they're "not as good". So there's that.

Its saying you dumped your girlfriend because she wasn't good enough and you're with a prettier nicer girl. TO add:

“I’m guess you could say I’m glad that they lost,” Durant said Monday at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, where the Warriors were given the ENCORE Award for their entrepreneurial spirit.

So yeah, sorry if that makes some people mad. It does, because it just comes off poorly, as has most of what he's said so far.

You're free to believe what you want but to most non-GSW fans (not all) this doesn't look like he's exactly speaking highly of the Thunder.

[Andre Roberstan]

So the Warriors being tight is a slight at OKC? Methinks that reaction by OKC fans speaks more to what you think of the culture of your organization than what KD does.

Easy road, I suppose it's easier, but it's also the most pressure packed. Anything short of winning the last game of the season is a failure that will be laid at Durant's feet. Not the case anywhere else he could have gone

No, him claiming the Warriors are essentially run better and have a better team is. If you don't take that as a slight, I dunno what i.s

It's not a slight at all. Him claiming that doesn't mean OKC are awful at running a team. GSW is just better run at it in his opinion. That's all.

You guys may not know this, not being OKC fans, but the part about team as family is basically Sam Presti's mantra. The other ones you could maaaayyyyyyybe make a case about, but combined with the comments from yesterday about him literally begging his agent to go to the Warriors...

Funny thing is, based on media day I think his departure might have done more to weld the team into one solid unit with a chip on its shoulder than anything else.

[StepBackCrack]

So the Warriors being tight is a slight at OKC? Methinks that reaction by OKC fans speaks more to what you think of the culture of your organization than what KD does.

Easy road, I suppose it's easier, but it's also the most pressure packed. Anything short of winning the last game of the season is a failure that will be laid at Durant's feet. Not the case anywhere else he could have gone

No, him claiming the Warriors are essentially run better and have a better team is. If you don't take that as a slight, I dunno what i.s

Read on Twitter

Where did he say they were run better? He said they were family tight and had an energy. Same thing Igudola said when he came, same thing Varajao said last year when he got here. The culture the Warriors have is not a reflection on OKC.

Exactly. I guess OKC fans will consider every positive thing said about GSW by Durant as a slight towards OKC.

[Andre Roberstan]

Snottie da GOAT

Read on Twitter

[sfhand]

With the players, no.

And it is a common practice throughout the league... so, there is nothing exceptional about it.

When you're in the middle of a heated series and you're buddying up with the other team, yea there is. Especially if said opponent is kicking a teammate in the groin. But I'd expect GSW fans to see this differently. Shocking.

The thing is texting is a private matter which means you have no freaking idea about who texts whom during any playoff series. No idea at all. None. Zip. Nada. Zilch. But you still have your opinions...

[bondom34]

And it is a common practice throughout the league... so, there is nothing exceptional about it.

When you're in the middle of a heated series and you're buddying up with the other team, yea there is. Especially if said opponent is kicking a teammate in the groin. But I'd expect GSW fans to see this differently. Shocking.

The thing is texting is a private matter which means you have no freaking idea about who texts whom during any playoff series. No idea at all. None. Zip. Nada. Zilch. But you still have your opinions...

I mean, it was widely confirmed they texted (Green and Durant). But you still have your opinions...

[NW]

No, him claiming the Warriors are essentially run better and have a better team is. If you don't take that as a slight, I dunno what i.s

It's not a slight at all. Him claiming that doesn't mean OKC are awful at running a team. GSW is just better run at it in his opinion. That's all.

You guys may not know this, not being OKC fans, but the part about team as family is basically Sam Presti's mantra. The other ones you could maaaayyyyyyybe make a case about, but combined with the comments from yesterday about him literally begging his agent to go to the Warriors...

Funny thing is, based on media day I think his departure might have done more to weld the team into one solid unit with a chip on its shoulder than anything else.

It may be, but I don't think Durant being moved by the family tightness of GSW means OKC sucked at it. LeBron and the Cavs preach the same (their fetish for Instagram) and Varajao was still taken aback by the the atmosphere in GS when he joined at the end of last season.

I imagine the stuff with the agent and his love of the GS style of play probably stinks to OKC fans, but again, is it a slight to OKC or just GS was different and more to KDs liking? No different that liking two different styles of music. One isn't better than the other. Just personal preference

[NW]

Snottie da GOAT

Read on Twitter

Not a bad analogy. He found a new girl. New girl wasn't necessarily better than the ex, just better for him.

[Andre Roberstan]

Snottie da GOAT

Read on Twitter

Not a bad analogy. He found a new girl. New girl wasn't necessarily better than the ex, just better for him.

Look at Snottie's TL, LOL. That's not what he's saying.

[E-Balla]

It's been like 3 months since he made his decision and I still can't believe what a weak, weak move that was. And quotes like these really show where his mindset is...

Obviously he's allowed to do as he pleases, which includes playing for whichever team he wants, but that doesn't restrict us as fans from being able to voice our opinions on it. Anyone who compares this to LeBron's decision (which was a weak move in itself, though how he went about it was definitely the worst part) is being naive. LeBron is the guy who made the Heat a super team and without him they would've been a lower playoff seed, plus the team was new and unproven. Durant joined an experienced team that had the best regular season of all time and has one championship and 2 Finals appearances in the past 2 years - a team that could conceivably win the next 3 titles in a row EVEN if Durant never plays a single game... And it makes it worse that Durant led his team to a 3-1 collapse when they played each other in the playoffs last year.

The situations aren't comparable and I don't see where people are coming from when they say with a straight face that they don't see anything wrong with his decision.

This isn't true at all. They were a lower player seed before they even added Bosh. No need to lie to get your point across.