If Durant leaves the Warriors in 2019, where does he go???

[HurricaneDij25]

If KD ever becomes tired of being the gutless frontrunner he's always been throughout his basketball life (fat chance) and wants to head back east, there might not be a better situation for him in terms of cap space and the immediate potential to win right away than right here in Indiana, assuming our team can somehow improve and win 50+ games this upcoming season (another big if).

As I've told my mom's cousin back in mid-July, it's good to dream.

Obviously Philly still has cap space, but Durant will still receive the same treatment from the fans and media as he currently does in GS if he were to hypothetically sign there. Brooklyn has done a nice job developing young talent with the little draft assets they've been given over the last five years, and they too have cleared a ton of cap space to potentially sign Durant and one other star. Beyond that however, there aren't too many other good options for Durant if he were to leave GS.

Like I said, it's good to dream.

[Wizop]

I'm always an optimist before the season so I'm hoping for a year so good we need our cap space to bring our own guys back.

Sent from my phone.

[boomershadow]

We're just not a destination team like some teams who seem to have secret free agent magnets. I wouldn't knock it if it were to happen, but I just don't see us overnight going from making free agent splashes like Monta Ellis and Tyreke Evans to all the way to Kevin Durant.

Like I said, if it were to happen that would be cool. And I do think Indy is too overlooked as a free agent destination. Hopefully the tide on that changes some. But I don't expect it to change that much.

[Wizop]

I hate the inferiority complex.

Sent from my phone.

[Pacers_Freak]

I do not think it is an inferiority complex. I think as fans we have seen how it has gone in the past. The FO is still going to reach out and do their deal to try and lure someone. I mean Pritchard basically said they reached out to Lebrons camp this summer. It'd be great if a KD type wanted to come here. However, not likely. So I don't see it as an inferiority complex.... just being realistic.

[Wizop]

t'd be great if a KD type wanted to come here. However, not likely. So I don't see it as an inferiority complex.... just being realistic.

with respect to any given free agent, it can be realistic. however, to say that no all star is ever going to sign here is an inferiority complex.

[boomershadow]

I don't think it's impossible for us to lure an all-star here. David West was an all-star before coming here. Monta Ellis, while not one, at certain points in his career definitely had reason to be in that conversation. I think we're an underrated destination for free agents when one considers the culture and the years of solid play we've come to expect from this team. I've often thought we were just one key piece away from being that serious "contender" that the media talks about, even if I don't often buy into their criteria for what makes a team become one.

I'm hoping that Oladipo and Pritchard do a better job (than PG and Bird) of marketing the team and putting it out there what makes this team unique and why it might actually be worth a longer glance than most of the top tier free agents have given us over the years. But I don't think the flip will switch overnight and all the sudden we're gonna grab the reigning two-time finals MVP. That said, if I'm wrong and it did happen then I would be more than happy to embrace it and describe how wrong I was to doubt it.

[Pacers_Freak]

t'd be great if a KD type wanted to come here. However, not likely. So I don't see it as an inferiority complex.... just being realistic.

with respect to any given free agent, it can be realistic. however, to say that no all star is ever going to sign here is an inferiority complex.

There is a difference between an all star and a top 3 player in the world. And it's not an inferiority complex at all. David West is the biggest free agent (in recent times) the franchise has ever landed. That is no KD. If Pritchard doesn't call KD because he thinks we don't have a shot that is an inferiority complex. I'm just a fan and can look at it realistically. We can't offer the stars the lifestyle that NY, Cali, Miami, etc can. Such if life. Doesn't mean we are inferior in the least bit. Hope I'm wrong. if KD came here I'd be the first to admit it. But we all know the likelihood of it is next to nothing.

[Wizop]

We can't offer the stars the lifestyle that NY, Cali, Miami, etc can. Such if life. Doesn't mean we are inferior in the least bit. Hope I'm wrong. if KD came here I'd be the first to admit it. But we all know the likelihood of it is next to nothing.

lifestyle depends totally upon what they are looking for. sure a 19 year old kid looking for a club scene is likely to prefer a bigger city. however, an older player with a family may be looking for something entirely different. for example, Tony Gwynn, the baseball player, was a native Californian, played in San Diego, but made his home in Fishers.

team culture also plays a part. we may not want a top 3 player unless he makes the players around him better. Booker came here (definitely not a top 3 player) saying he'd asked around the league and learned we had a locker room that worked. Tyreke was regarded as a top free agent and he's here. would I like Jimmy Butler or Klay Thompson? sure, if we build it, is there no chance the stars will come?

now if you want to argue that the lack of a true hard cap hurts, okay. it is certainly true that the cities with mega local TV dollars can more easily justify paying huge luxury tax bills. I'll certainly grant that we're not going to be paying tens of millions of dollars a year in luxury tax, but to me that's separate from saying that stars won't want to pay here no matter how much we're willing to pay them.

[Pacers_Freak]

We can't offer the stars the lifestyle that NY, Cali, Miami, etc can. Such if life. Doesn't mean we are inferior in the least bit. Hope I'm wrong. if KD came here I'd be the first to admit it. But we all know the likelihood of it is next to nothing.

lifestyle depends totally upon what they are looking for. sure a 19 year old kid looking for a club scene is likely to prefer a bigger city. however, an older player with a family may be looking for something entirely different. for example, Tony Gwynn, the baseball player, was a native Californian, played in San Diego, but made his home in Fishers.

team culture also plays a part. we may not want a top 3 player unless he makes the players around him better. Booker came here (definitely not a top 3 player) saying he'd asked around the league and learned we had a locker room that worked. Tyreke was regarded as a top free agent and he's here. would I like Jimmy Butler or Klay Thompson? sure, if we build it, is there no chance the stars will come?

now if you want to argue that the lack of a true hard cap hurts, okay. it is certainly true that the cities with mega local TV dollars can more easily justify paying huge luxury tax bills. I'll certainly grant that we're not going to be paying tens of millions of dollars a year in luxury tax, but to me that's separate from saying that stars won't want to pay here no matter how much we're willing to pay them.

I think Klay is the perfect target.

[Scoot McGroot]

We can't offer the stars the lifestyle that NY, Cali, Miami, etc can. Such if life. Doesn't mean we are inferior in the least bit. Hope I'm wrong. if KD came here I'd be the first to admit it. But we all know the likelihood of it is next to nothing.

lifestyle depends totally upon what they are looking for. sure a 19 year old kid looking for a club scene is likely to prefer a bigger city. however, an older player with a family may be looking for something entirely different. for example, Tony Gwynn, the baseball player, was a native Californian, played in San Diego, but made his home in Fishers.

team culture also plays a part. we may not want a top 3 player unless he makes the players around him better. Booker came here (definitely not a top 3 player) saying he'd asked around the league and learned we had a locker room that worked. Tyreke was regarded as a top free agent and he's here. would I like Jimmy Butler or Klay Thompson? sure, if we build it, is there no chance the stars will come?

now if you want to argue that the lack of a true hard cap hurts, okay. it is certainly true that the cities with mega local TV dollars can more easily justify paying huge luxury tax bills. I'll certainly grant that we're not going to be paying tens of millions of dollars a year in luxury tax, but to me that's separate from saying that stars won't want to pay here no matter how much we're willing to pay them.

I agree, but in all fairness, the Fishers that Gwynn lived and moved to for was a vastly different Fishers. There was nothing built around Geist then, but a few homes, and Fishers was almost 1/10th he size that it is now.

I’ve always thought that Peyton Manning would change things. He was an absolute super duper star that got all the commercials in the world, didn’t miss out on a dime, and still got to have a family and everyone got to live a nice quiet life. They could go out to dinner and not worry about TMZ. people may have asked for photos, but in a respectful manner, usually letting them finish meals or events first. Seemed like a great quality of life to make top dollar.

[Wizop]

I’ve always thought that Peyton Manning would change things. He was an absolute super duper star that got all the commercials in the world, didn’t miss out on a dime, and still got to have a family and everyone got to live a nice quiet life. They could go out to dinner and not worry about TMZ. people may have asked for photos, but in a respectful manner, usually letting them finish meals or events first. Seemed like a great quality of life to make top dollar.

Peyton surely proved that you could make money from commercials even if you didn't live in New York of LA.

Gwynn liked the lack of recognition.

https://www.indianapolismonthly.com/features/tony-gwynn-lived-in-indianapolis/

but I agree with the notion that we tend to be respectful. I remember having dinner at Geist and saying Reggie a few tables over. everyone knew who he was, but no one visited his table. still, I heard that Peyton would slip into back doors of restaurants and go to private rooms so maybe it has changed a bit. the good schools for kids factor hasn't changed though.

[Scoot McGroot]

I’ve always thought that Peyton Manning would change things. He was an absolute super duper star that got all the commercials in the world, didn’t miss out on a dime, and still got to have a family and everyone got to live a nice quiet life. They could go out to dinner and not worry about TMZ. people may have asked for photos, but in a respectful manner, usually letting them finish meals or events first. Seemed like a great quality of life to make top dollar.

Peyton surely proved that you could make money from commercials even if you didn't live in New York of LA.

Gwynn liked the lack of recognition.

https://www.indianapolismonthly.com/features/tony-gwynn-lived-in-indianapolis/

but I agree with the notion that we tend to be respectful. I remember having dinner at Geist and saying Reggie a few tables over. everyone knew who he was, but no one visited his table. still, I heard that Peyton would slip into back doors of restaurants and go to private rooms so maybe it has changed a bit. the good schools for kids factor hasn't changed though.

Yeah. During the lockout, Reggie worked out all summer at HSE in 5eir weight room and gym and I really remember everyone letting him finish his workouts before cutting in for photos. And he was pretty great about it too.