Durant looks worse everytime he talks about his decision

[Jon Simmons]

why should a player be forced to stay somewhere? its free agency. If i was an NBA player id be trying to get to NY or LA as soon as possible because I want to live in those places. Some players make the sacrifice and stay with their teams and they should be praised, but the ones who leave shouldn't be insulted. its more than a basketball player

Here we go....this is classic twisting.

Its not the fact he left OKC....you know that

[Onus]

Again, LMAO at the people (mostly GSW fans) making this comparison as if it could possibly mean something. The Warriors WON the NBA championship in 2015, and really should have won it in 2016. (Curry wasn't 100%, and Green and Bogut both missed important games.) This is a team that without KD would still have been favorites to win the NBA championship this coming season (especially as they would have kept Bogut). I mean, we're talking about a team that won 73 games last season, for heck's sake!

Compare this to LeBron's Miami and Cleveland teams. Yes, the televised "Decision" was lame (and LeBron took a lot of deserved heat for that). Still, without LeBron, I doubt Miami wins a title...and I doubt Cleveland makes it out of the first round of the playoffs.

Seriously, if you guys truly think the situations equivalent...I don't know what else to say....

You do realize as soon as Lebron joined Miami they threw a parade and started saying not 1, not 2 not 3 ... before the season even started.

Yea it was a foregone conclusion that they were going to win titles by not only themselves but the media and fans. They had 2 of the top 5 talents and a third who could be argued top 10 at the time. So to say these situations aren't similar is just

Here, let me break it down for you:

Huge Difference #1:

GSW (without KD but with Bogut staying) = one 73-win season done, and a chance for another next season.
Miami (without LeBron) = no chance at a 73-win season

Huge Difference #2:

GSW (without KD but with Bogut staying) = one title already won, one title lost in a close game seven, and most importantly, favorites for at least one more title next year.
Miami (without LeBron) = no titles (with just Bosh and an aging though still good Wade)

Still don't get it? Let me write it even more clearly: If KD had died this past summer before announcing his decision, GSW would still have been an all-time great team, one that would have been clear favorites to win it all this coming season. If LeBron had died that summer before announcing his decision, there would have been no parades, no "not 1, not 2 not 3"...because it was LeBron's presence that made Miami a true challenger for multiple titles.

Well we really don't know that since we don't know what a Bosh/Wade team would have looked like. I'm pretty sure they would've been in contention with the 2 still in their primes (before Wade broke down and Bosh got blood clots). As a safe guess 50-55 wins. Probably battling it out with the Celtics and may or may not have made the finals.

What's really funny is that before Steve Kerr, the Warriors were a 1st rd exit (2 years ago). No one was talking about how talented the Warriors were, same core group mind you. No one was saying how they're going to be scary in a few years, or that they're an up and coming team, because for the most part we didn't have a lot of "high end talent". Talent can mean a lot of different things but in draft terms we didn't have any one that was a top 5 pick in their respective drafts outside of Bogut who we only got because he was injured all the time / freak injury to his arm. I said it's funny before because now that Steve Kerr took over, we're some historic all time great team. If KD were to join the team 2 years ago, which basically would have been the same team no one would be up in arms about it.

So like taiki was talking about context how many other teams/players situations could be improved by setting their egos aside and buy into team vs me. Because apparently that's what Durant wanted most.

[sfhand]

No, I can.

Sure you can... there are plenty of worthless guarantees in this world, what's one more?

No, I can safely guarantee it. I guarantee Russ didn't text a single GSW player during the conference finals.

Russ, is that you?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using RealGM mobile app

[Onus]

Any hardcore basketball fan will.

It's pretty recognized that Lebron's legacy is unaffected by him jumping ship twice to better situations

With very few exceptions, every player who leaves a team is going to a "better situation".

LeBron once created his own team out of a 1st round loser year previous, and the other time he joined a 33 win team. Durant joined a 73 win team that JUST BEAT HIM. This is comparable?

No, if LeBron joined Boston's Big 3 after losing to them in the playoffs, then you might have something. But he didn't - instead he created his own team and went out and BEAT Boston the next year.

This is exactly the revisionist history I'm talking about because adding Bosh and Love to the team wouldn't have improved those teams by themselves right ...

IF you really want to put it into Lebron beat the team that beat him, well KD lost to Lebron in the Finals, Steph just lost to Lebron in the Finals, now they're teaming up to beat the team that beat them. Look at all the similarities now!

[bwgood77]

It won't matter in the long run, people will remember he has 3 rings and is a "winner", not that he's jump shipped twice. Hell you have people in this very thread making revisionist history saying he joined a bad Miami team and took a gamble on Kyrie and Love. This country celebrates winners and it really doesn't matter how you got there to do it, which is sad but why Trump is a presidental candidate.

Perhaps. People will be able to make up their own minds on what they "remember". He's not guaranteed a ring by any means. He certainly SHOULD win one now. I don't think people remember Gary Payton because of his ring in Miami but will remember him more for his time in Seattle. I'm sure there are many examples.

Well I almost said it the first time, but I will this time, this isn't a thread about LeBron, but I think everything you do impacts your legacy personally. But since SO many people base EVERYTHING about how good a player was based on # of rings, then all of those who judge things that way will only care about that. As a hardcore fan, personally I judge everything with context. I'm sure many others here do too.

I DEFINITELY don't want to get into an election discussion here as this is definitely not the place for it.

I don't think it's based on the # of rings but at least having 1 if not more. Winning 1 ring while in your prime means so much more to your legacy than not winning any. I mean if we did it strictly by the numbers, Oscar and Wilt would be dominating GOAT arguments. But since they didn't show up or were unable to get there they're thought of as less. If you talk about it strictly in context terms then everything is moot because everybody plays under different context and some people weren't given the opportunity to grow to their full potential especially given that the draft places young kids in bad situations and can change the entire outlook on the kid's evolution.

But I do strictly look at everything with context so to me it is somewhat moot. This is just me. Perhaps others. I wouldn't think of Barkley as any different had he won a ring with Houston. He was still pretty much in his prime, averaged his second highest rpg, a little less in points playing with stars. If you want to throw a simple all encompassing stat in there like PER, it was 23, higher than his 93-94 year in Phx, the year after he won MVP.

Having won rings goes into the equation for me to some extent, depending on context again. It also depends on other things like the clutch factor. If you don't have it so you join someone who does and it gets you that ring, then I'm going to remember facts like that. For example, I will probably never think of LeBron as very clutch, however his block on Andre in game 7 WAS about the most clutch play I remember seeing from him. Against SA, in game 6, he looked EXTREMELY shaky to me at the end of the game, like he was conceding the loss, and not for Bosh and Allen, he doesn't get that ring.

Do all I remember is the fact he got the rings? No. I also remember he joined those guys and got beat by a big underdog in Dallas. That goes into his legacy in my mind.

I'm not knocking LeBron, and think he's one of the best players ever to play, and was pulling for him to win one for Cleveland, so again, this is just an example since you brought him up.

I'll watch everything this season and make up my own mind about how I feel about how it impacts every player's legacy. But I'm not really concerned with the legacy thing like some people seem to be.

But back to my original point. I will remember, whether or not he wins rings, that he did in fact leave OKC. And I think most hardcore fans will remember it.

Perhaps some casual fans or fans who just start following the nba will forget he ever played in OKC I suppose like the poster I originally responded to was suggesting.

[Prius]

As expected a few sweeping in to defend him lol.

Derailing and baiting.

[Prius]

Durant will forever be known as a ring chaser. He might win some Finals MVPs but he will always be a ring chaser.

Just like Lebron, Bosh, Shaq, Payton, Karl Malone, Lamarcus Aldridge and all the superstar free agents who changed teams

[DROB27]

Ya'll sound so dumb trying to compare this to Bron's decision

it's not the same

[dho4ever]

When all is said and done, Durant will go in the hall of fame if he wins a ring or not, but it's how he wins a ring that really matters. And going the route he did, it just feels "cheap".

I don't judge a player's greatness just based on if they won a championship or not. Why? Because guys like Eddy Curry, Adam Morrison, and Mark Madsen are NBA champions and no one considers any of them great.

Well Eddy Curry, Adam Morrison, and Mark Madsen aren't considered great because they suck at basketball. Durant does not suck at basketball so I don't get the comparison. Maybe you sprinkled some emotional appeal but there's no real substance in your comparison.

[Prius]

:lol: Ya'll sound so dumb trying to compare this to Bron's decision

it's not the same

You're right it isn't the same, it's actually worse than Durant's decision. Lebron left the best team in eastern conference that has been to the finals to form a super duper dream team in Miami to get some rings under his belt knowing he will go back to Cavs and try to be a hero and win a championship with Cleveland to ascend him to god status. That's the most selfish moves a player can make.

[omerome]

When all is said and done, Durant will go in the hall of fame if he wins a ring or not, but it's how he wins a ring that really matters. And going the route he did, it just feels "cheap".

I don't judge a player's greatness just based on if they won a championship or not. Why? Because guys like Eddy Curry, Adam Morrison, and Mark Madsen are NBA champions and no one considers any of them great.

Well Eddy Curry, Adam Morrison, and Mark Madsen aren't considered great because they suck at basketball. Durant does not suck at basketball so I don't get the comparison. Maybe you sprinkled some emotional appeal but there's no real substance in your comparison.

Did you even read my post? I pretty much said that. Durant will be a hall of famer if he wins a title or not, so just winning one won't make him a great player. He already is.

[Prius]

Biggest pussy move in NBA history by a star player. Hope Golden State gets rolled by the Spurs or Cavs in the playoffs.

They won't. Warriors will rightfully take back what was their's last season, a championship that was stolen away from Warriors by Silver. Even with one superstar down, you got like 2 or 3 more standing which will be more than enough unless Silver and the league strikes again.

[DeezRaptors]

Any hardcore basketball fan will.

It's pretty recognized that Lebron's legacy is unaffected by him jumping ship twice to better situations

With very few exceptions, every player who leaves a team is going to a "better situation".

LeBron once created his own team out of a 1st round loser year previous, and the other time he joined a 33 win team. Durant joined a 73 win team that JUST BEAT HIM. This is comparable?

No, if LeBron joined Boston's Big 3 after losing to them in the playoffs, then you might have something. But he didn't - instead he created his own team and went out and BEAT Boston the next year.

I can see what you are trying to prove. But on a side note lebron didn't just leave to join a 33 win team. He joined CAUSE bosh and wade would be there. He wouldn't have joined if they weren't going to be there. Then when he left to Cleveland I'm sure he wouldn't have went if they didn't have Kyrie or if KLove wasn't coming. Lebron joined situations he KNEW would have the solid players. But if you compare.it looks bad on Durant but I think he had all right to do the move to GS. We may not like it as fans but none of us would complain if he came to pur team.

Its free agency, morales don't count

[MalonesElbows]

Biggest pussy move in NBA history by a star player. Hope Golden State gets rolled by the Spurs or Cavs in the playoffs.

They won't. Warriors will rightfully take back what was their's last season, a championship that was stolen away from Warriors by Silver. Even with one superstar down, you got like 2 or 3 more standing which will be more than enough unless Silver and the league strikes again.

The fact you were even in the position to let the refs decide was a choke job in itself. If the Warriors played their normal game they would have rolled the Cavs 4-1. The Warriors let bums like JR Smith and Tristan Thompson go HAM.
Perhaps you can suppress the choking by adding enough superstars, the theory will be tested.

[jswede]

It's pretty recognized that Lebron's legacy is unaffected by him jumping ship twice to better situations

With very few exceptions, every player who leaves a team is going to a "better situation".

LeBron once created his own team out of a 1st round loser year previous, and the other time he joined a 33 win team. Durant joined a 73 win team that JUST BEAT HIM. This is comparable?

No, if LeBron joined Boston's Big 3 after losing to them in the playoffs, then you might have something. But he didn't - instead he created his own team and went out and BEAT Boston the next year.

This is exactly the revisionist history I'm talking about because adding Bosh and Love to the team wouldn't have improved those teams by themselves right ...

IF you really want to put it into Lebron beat the team that beat him, well KD lost to Lebron in the Finals, Steph just lost to Lebron in the Finals, now they're teaming up to beat the team that beat them. Look at all the similarities now!

Possibly the '14-15 cavs are 40 or 41 win team trading for Love without LBJ. That's a real stretch - Love worth 8 W's, since he won nothing in Minny - but I'll give it to you.

Bosh added to a 47 win '09-10 Heat team without LBJ....? I'll be generous again, and say they are a 55 win team.

Again. He joined 73 wins. Not counting pre-season, opening night will be the 8th straight game he shares the floor with them.

The second part of your statement is - well, I'll be nice and just say... nothing.

[bondom34]

Sure you can... there are plenty of worthless guarantees in this world, what's one more?

No, I can safely guarantee it. I guarantee Russ didn't text a single GSW player during the conference finals.

Russ, is that you?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using RealGM mobile app

No, but about the only guy I'd say is as unlikey ever to do that would be KG.

[jswede]

Biggest pussy move in NBA history by a star player. Hope Golden State gets rolled by the Spurs or Cavs in the playoffs.

They won't. Warriors will rightfully take back what was their's last season, a championship that was stolen away from Warriors by Silver. Even with one superstar down, you got like 2 or 3 more standing which will be more than enough unless Silver and the league strikes again.

And without a cheap shot to Love's head, rendering him out for 1.5 games and useless for another, it'd been Cavs in 5... While we're at it, a fully healthy Cavs would've won in '15 too, I'm sure we'll all agree.... (Just trying to keep up with your imagination, @Prius)

But in all seriousness, Draymond has a real problem with touching other guys' junk - it's a good thing you got a 4th star, bc he's not going to convince Silver, or anyone else not on GSW, that it's a cool thing to do. No matter how much he keeps doing it.

[BloodNinja]

I for one am just looking forward to seeing Durant play with the Warriors. It should be very exciting

[Duffman100]

God, whatever, he's on the Warriors now. I thought it was a ***** move, but get over it already.

[Bertrob]

And without a cheap shot to Love's head, rendering him out for 1.5 games and useless for another, it'd been Cavs in 5... While we're at it, a fully healthy Cavs would've won in '15 too, I'm sure we'll all agree.... (Just trying to keep up with your imagination, @Prius)

But in all seriousness, Draymond has a real problem with touching other guys' junk - it's a good thing you got a 4th star, bc he's not going to convince Silver, or anyone else not on GSW, that it's a cool thing to do. No matter how much he keeps doing it.

Cavs in 4