ATL - New Lottery Rules Move to Owner Vote - pg59

[blazza18]

Durant was the MVP and most important player, shouldn't get take most the blame? He played like poop the last 3 games of the series. Also, I don't care he left OKC. Want to leave there? Fine, just don't go to the team that just knocked you out and set the record for most wins in the regular season. There was an unprecedented cap spike, he could have literally went anywhere.

Of course he deserves blame but conveniently ignoring their other super star (who was by far a bigger negative) and their role players going from world beaters to scrubs just to fit your narrative is ridiculous.

Also, I don't care he left OKC. Want to leave there? Fine, just don't go to the team that just knocked you out and set the record for most wins in the regular season. There was an unprecedented cap spike, he could have literally went anywhere.

I'll never get this. Why leave for a chance to play with great team under a great coach under an owner who will do anything to win. Plus have a life set for you off the court?

His decision has basically wrecked the league for the next few years. I don't see how anyone thinks that's good. The Cavs had to score like 80 points in half just to win a game against them. (Also, I secretly think that GS tanked game 4 because they didn't want to go 16-0)

Again. Why is this a Kevin Durant problem?

[blazza18]

I'll also not understand what win totals the previous year have to do with anything either.

[M-C-G]

I'll tell you guys one thing, if Giannis leaves, I am cancelling my season tix and 1000% percent blaming the management and ownership. After waiting so long to have a top player, our management has shown no vision in building the team. It's on them all the way and I'll be 1000% destroyed as a fan of the Bucks.


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[Nowak008]

Again. Why is this a Kevin Durant problem?

In sports, it's not just if you win, it's how you win. For example, how Dirk won his championship will always be seen as more impressive than if Durant wins 4 titles in a row with GS. Tom Brady has 5 superbowls, but I'll always bring up the fact that their team videotaped opposing defenses illegally and deflated footballs to their advantage.

Super duper stars need to be held to a higher standard. If Serge Ibaka would have joined GS, I wouldn't have given two craps about it. The superstars are role models for millions. They are supposed to be the stewards of the league. The Cavs went 12-1 in the Eastern Conference. They had a top 3 player of all time - in his prime - with two other all stars... and had zero % chance of winning the series. The league is worse off because of it - the cap was even affected because of his puss move.

[Prez]

How is that a Kevin Durant problem though?

I mean he's a professional competitor, I think it's pretty fair to evaluate the competitive aspect of his decision.

[blazza18]

So Durant should give a **** about what 29 other teams are doing before he decides to choose where he freely wants to live/play basketball.

[Prez]

So Durant should give a **** about what 29 other teams are doing before he decides to choose where he freely wants to live/play basketball.

I didn't mention anything about the other teams. I never brought up the "ruining the league" angle. Just that he's an all-time great competitive athlete and instead of going at the specific competition that he just lost to, he chose instead to concede defeat and join them. That's pretty weak. I don't understand what's so controversial about that.

[Pachinko_]

Yeah I also struggle to understand why he should give a **** about any of the above

The only thing I can think of is maybe Nike told him to try and maintain a likeable profile and maybe write some BS for the great unwashed on instagram.

[blazza18]

How's Kevin Durant going to live with himself knowing he's just not a competitor and is actually a pussy. How's he going to live with himself knowing his move meant 29 other teams were actually bad because of him. How can he live with himself knowing that him winning means nothing.

I don't know either, Kevin.

[Prez]

Like this discussion usually goes, just more dodging and dismissal of the actual point being made.

[blazza18]

I call bs that's he's apparently not a competitor but whatever we're just going around in circles.

[AussieBuck]

He's a competitor in that he likes to win, he's not in any way regarding wanting a competitive challenge. Obviously it's a smart move for a bunch of other reasons, if you're a future HOF player at your peak, choosing to fill Harison Barnes' spot on a 73 win team is a good way to make sure you get a title.

[Prince12]

Blaze always confuses me when this argument comes up as it does every month or so. Its not about whether KD gives a **** or not, he clearly wouldn't, he won a title and had a great season. I just feel that anyone that is competitive on any level would find that move seriously hard to do given they just beat you. I couldn't imagine doing that in my local footy league, i **** hate teams that beat us.

Thats really all there is to it to me, i just still struggle to see how he brought himself to do it but oh well.

[greekbuck34]

I think the NBA championship for most of the good teams is like Dark Souls.
Everybody should be prepared to die but in the end if you have a good group and a few great players you will reach the last boss and after a few tries you will beat it. Just like Lebron, Dirk etc.

Durant is obviously a great player skill-wise and managed to reach the last boss but he wasn't prepared to die until he gets a ring.
He dropped the game and picked up a walking simulator to play instead.

He is a pussy. It's ok. True greatness is not for everybody.

Btw I dropped Dark Souls the first time I've tried it too but eventually I got it again after a few year and beat it.

Durant is a pussy now and he will remain a pussy for the rest of his career no matter how many rings he gets from the GSW train but he will always have the opportunity to pick up a failed team and lead them to a championship from nothing just like Lebron. Only then he will redeem himself imo.

[mademan]

Say what you want, but what I've noticed is people only care how many championships you have. KD clearly made the right decision if he cares about his legacy. He's now on pace for top 15 player of all time

[HurricaneKid]

KD will never go down as a great. You cannot be a top 4 player in the league and join a 73 win team with the two time league MVP and 3 other All NBA players and pretend you get to be in that conversation. The Warriors, between the RS and playoffs were +7.7/100 possessions without him on the floor. That was better than any team in the NBA.

Counting Championships is a fools' way of measuring greatness and this is completely different than what any other player has ever done.

[DingleJerry]

The team he played on doesn't change his ability to play the game. It might diminish is accomplishments/resume, but his game/skill/talent are the same. Durant is still one of the best players to ever play. With his size/shooting combo it puts him right up there. Maybe his resume won't get there if they don't rattle off several titles, but you'd be nuts not to think his game can hang with any of the all time greats.

It's similar to the Jim Kelley argument. He didn't win a SB so he's not as good or some kind of failure. Well, if the K makes the walkoff kick to win how does it change anything? He's the same player no matter which way that kick went.

[emunney]

KD will never go down as a great. You cannot be a top 4 player in the league and join a 73 win team with the two time league MVP and 3 other All NBA players and pretend you get to be in that conversation. The Warriors, between the RS and playoffs were +7.7/100 possessions without him on the floor. That was better than any team in the NBA.

Counting Championships is a fools' way of measuring greatness and this is completely different than what any other player has ever done.

He'll go down as a great, come on. He's clearly been one of the best non-LeBrons of his era and established that pretty well before ring chasing. Even his critics have to acknowledge that he did anything but coast to get that ring. He'll never be regarded among the very best players all time, but that hasn't changed. His rings are going to be graded in context, but I doubt he comes out looking worse than a guy with no rings.

I keep coming back to two things on Durant. First is the disconnect between the win at all costs mentality we expect from players, and then that's not supposed to extend to the offseason.

Second, the league maybe could have avoided it - we'll never really know - if they'd offered something other than a rip off deal on smoothing, which is what they did as each owner individually deluded themself into believing they were going to wrangle the chaos to their benefit.

[chonestown]

You know who the real pussy is? Mike Dunleavy, Jr. That guy, I tell ya.

[HurricaneKid]

KD will never go down as a great. You cannot be a top 4 player in the league and join a 73 win team with the two time league MVP and 3 other All NBA players and pretend you get to be in that conversation. The Warriors, between the RS and playoffs were +7.7/100 possessions without him on the floor. That was better than any team in the NBA.

Counting Championships is a fools' way of measuring greatness and this is completely different than what any other player has ever done.

He'll go down as a great, come on. He's clearly been one of the best non-LeBrons of his era and established that pretty well before ring chasing. Even his critics have to acknowledge that he did anything but coast to get that ring. He'll never be regarded among the very best players all time, but that hasn't changed. His rings are going to be graded in context, but I doubt he comes out looking worse than a guy with no rings.

I keep coming back to two things on Durant. First is the disconnect between the win at all costs mentality we expect from players, and then that's not supposed to extend to the offseason.

Second, the league maybe could have avoided it - we'll never really know - if they'd offered something other than a rip off deal on smoothing, which is what they did as each owner individually deluded themself into believing they were going to wrangle the chaos to their benefit.

I think it is a foregone conclusion that GSWs win the next two titles. And I won't give KD one iota of credit for the threepeat.

I absolutely agree that he is a great player but when we measure legacy no ATG ever joined a team that won 140 games and was a chasedown block/one shot away from B2B championships and being anointed the greatest team ever. So I am not going to reward him for wrecking the league for 3-4+ years by calling him an ATG. When he joined GSW he wanted to play in Curry's wake. To me that means you aren't in the conversation any more. You aren't charging into battle putting everything on the line. And if you aren't willing to put it all on the line you aren't better than the guys before you that did.

We respect the rings because you took on all comers and showed you could lead your team to the pinnacle. KD neither took on all comers nor led his team. He stood on the shoulders of others and is asking to be called a giant.