Sure sounds like KD is leaving

[Jester_]

Sorry but this is just complete nonsense

We won the 2015 championship with 4 draft picks who were starters in Barnes, Klay, Steph and Dray, something that very few teams in NBA history have achieved.

I get that last season became more of a formality and it wasnt as special as the 2015 championship but to say you would trade away all of them for a playoff run is just nuts. We went 40 years without winning a championship, just enjoy it while it lasts because this team will most likely start coming apart over the next couple of years

Why is my personal preference for competition nonsense? That first championship would have been a lot more enjoyable if the Cavs were at full strength in the finals.

They're not your rings to trade.

They're not your rings period.

Lol what a useless comment.

Did you see the Houston series?

Do you remember we got beat by the Cavs?

Who's the random dude deciding his career choices? His brother?

Yes, that's my point - the one year we had a fair fight we lost. Did you see the Houston series? Where Chris Paul got injured?

Look, you guys enjoy winning easy rings. That's fine. I don't. I'd rather have one ring that we really worked hard to earn than 3 because we're overpowered. I don't enjoy playing games with cheat codes. The most fun playoff series in the last 5 years was knocking Denver out of the first round and giving the Spurs a run for it.

Last year it seemed like Houston was finally giving us a run, and what happens? Chris Paul goes down, they become worse in the off-season. Zzzz, boring.

Don't know how it was a fair fight when Draymond and Bogut didn't play in game 5 and Bogut missed the rest of the series. Honestly, everyone focuses on the Draymond dickslap and suspension, but if Bogut is in there in game 7 instead of Ezeli we win that game.

Yeah I agree, actually. I wish we were healthy that year and the Cavs the year before, so we could've pounded them 2-0.

[Jester_]

Every year is a fair fight. Every team is playing under the same rules. It's bizarre to me how the line over which a team becomes "too good" or "unfair" always seems to be set right where LeBron's team is. If LeBron teams up with players to form a super-team, it's cool. What a player!!! If he goes to the finals 7 or 8 straight years - "what dominance!" But when the Warriors put together an even better team, built mostly through the draft, its somehow not a fair fight. Ludicrous. There's always some team at the top. Circumstances and hard work brought us a dominant Warriors squad. So yes, I'll enjoy this ride to the fullest until it ends - and end it will. If KD decides to go elsewhere, so be it. If he decides to stay for another year, that would be even better. Either way, this current Warriors run won't last forever. You will eventually get your wish as the Warriors return back to the pack. They'll hopefully continue to challenge for championships, but this particular era of Warriors basketball will never be duplicated. I suggest you appreciate it while you can.

The amount of mental gymnastics you're doing to tell yourself that having 5 all-stars isn't a bit overpowered is baffling.

[xdrta+]

And more to the subject of the thread...Personally, I think he signed the 1+1 deals so the Warriors have his bird rights and he'll resign a supermax.

I wish we had Cousins bird rights, because I would resign him instead. He's an absolutely perfect fit with Klay and Steph. But I think the most we can offer DMC next year is something like 1/11m

After 1 season the team has what is called Non-Bird rights, which allows them to sign their own free agent at 120% of the player's previous salary. That means they could offer Cousins about $6M.

[likashing]

https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/draymond-green-knows-most-important-thing-contract-negotiations

I knew how much money we had, I knew our books, I knew what we’d have next year, I knew what the cap would be, I knew what was the most I could take, I knew what the max was. I knew everything. Then I made my decision. That’s how it should be.

Just learn the business. You’re a CEO of your business. You are a business and you are the CEO of that.

"That is something we’ll all talk about when that time is here," Draymond told The Athletic. "But it’s not now. We’re trying to win a championship. We’re not focusing on that now. But that’s something we definitely will talk about."

Like I have said before, these guys especially KD, Steph, and Draymond are very sophisticated financially. Klay doesn't talk much but look at his brand much but look at his popularity in China/Asia and what he has built for his brand.

Whether the 4 will stay or not is not about what lowly fans like us calculating the cap. The stars will talk. They will decide whether if they want to keep playing together. If they do, they will see whether they all want to get the max, and what the total payroll impact including luxury tax will be like. Their representatives will talk to Myers/Lacob whether they are committed to the payroll for (whatever... $200m? $250m? $300m?).

Lacob knows how much payroll expense the Warriors business can afford for the next 4 years. It is just like any big corp's planning their R&D budget. He might say ya we can max you all. Or he might negotiate like "hey I can only afford a e.g. $250m payroll, it is already higher than any other team will pay." if the 4 stars want to stay together, they will negotiate and see who and how each can take a little bit less, and keep negotiating. Or squeeze Lacob to commit to a higher number.

One thing I know, it won't be like Jimmy B demanding a 5-year $200m max or else. Now trade me to my preferred team and I don't care my new team will have any good teammates left after trading for me. Jimmy operates in a dumb vacuum... he just wants his 5th year and $200m. Our stars are a little bit smarter than that.

Another thing I know, is that Lacob is working hard on the business side to find a way to afford a crazy payroll for 4 years to keep this ship running. Arena revenue. Arena peripheral business's revenue. Local TV deals. Etc.

Small market teams' fans don't get it when some teams can afford a much bigger payroll than their team. Not surprised. They don't get how a new grad from Ivy League or MIT or Stanford or UCB are getting a $150k-$200k base pay offer, before stock compensation, by a tech company either. They don't understand how some people can save enough to pay cash for a house, while they struggle to save for anything. So there is no point talking to them when they claim "oh they can't afford the tax". They just don't get it.

Heck... if Lacob go lights years and have a business model to afford paying all 4 stars, and *not lose money*, they will cry like a little baby... in the end he can still afford to lose some money since the team is worth $3.1B, while he only bought it for $450m. That is $2.65B of equity. Yes, lowly fans like us can't understand these numbers.

I am glad our stars are smarter than us lowly fans (oh and Jimmy B too).

[CalGTR]

Every year is a fair fight. Every team is playing under the same rules. It's bizarre to me how the line over which a team becomes "too good" or "unfair" always seems to be set right where LeBron's team is. If LeBron teams up with players to form a super-team, it's cool. What a player!!! If he goes to the finals 7 or 8 straight years - "what dominance!" But when the Warriors put together an even better team, built mostly through the draft, its somehow not a fair fight. Ludicrous. There's always some team at the top. Circumstances and hard work brought us a dominant Warriors squad. So yes, I'll enjoy this ride to the fullest until it ends - and end it will. If KD decides to go elsewhere, so be it. If he decides to stay for another year, that would be even better. Either way, this current Warriors run won't last forever. You will eventually get your wish as the Warriors return back to the pack. They'll hopefully continue to challenge for championships, but this particular era of Warriors basketball will never be duplicated. I suggest you appreciate it while you can.

The amount of mental gymnastics you're doing to tell yourself that having 5 all-stars isn't a bit overpowered is baffling.

Um, I don't deny that the Warrior's roster is overpowering. That's how they're winning championships. What I'm saying is that there's nothing unfair about it. Dominant teams have come and gone with regularity over the decades. It's the Warriors turn on top for a period. Enjoy it.

[likashing]

I'd rather have one ring that we really worked hard to earn than 3 because we're overpowered.

Solid gold.

[Jester_]

Every year is a fair fight. Every team is playing under the same rules. It's bizarre to me how the line over which a team becomes "too good" or "unfair" always seems to be set right where LeBron's team is. If LeBron teams up with players to form a super-team, it's cool. What a player!!! If he goes to the finals 7 or 8 straight years - "what dominance!" But when the Warriors put together an even better team, built mostly through the draft, its somehow not a fair fight. Ludicrous. There's always some team at the top. Circumstances and hard work brought us a dominant Warriors squad. So yes, I'll enjoy this ride to the fullest until it ends - and end it will. If KD decides to go elsewhere, so be it. If he decides to stay for another year, that would be even better. Either way, this current Warriors run won't last forever. You will eventually get your wish as the Warriors return back to the pack. They'll hopefully continue to challenge for championships, but this particular era of Warriors basketball will never be duplicated. I suggest you appreciate it while you can.

The amount of mental gymnastics you're doing to tell yourself that having 5 all-stars isn't a bit overpowered is baffling.

Um, I don't deny that the Warrior's roster is overpowering. That's how they're winning championships. What I'm saying is that there's nothing unfair about it. Dominant teams have come and gone with regularity over the decades. It's the Warriors turn on top for a period. Enjoy it.

I feel like you're arguing a point I'm not making. My point is it's boring to watch an overpowered team whale away at inferior competition. Obviously what the Warriors have done is incredible, and Lacob is the best owner in the league. But it was a lot more fun before KD showed up.

The 'We Believe' series against the Mavs was 10x more fun and rewarding than any of the series we've played in the last 4 years. Even the Denver/Spurs series of the Jackass years were more fun. The difference now is rather than playoffs being about "oh god, I hope we win" it's become "oh god, I hope we don't lose".

I think most of y'all would give up the last 2 championship in a heartbeat to get the 73-win one. Did roflstomping them with KD the next year really feel like redemption? Of course not - now compare that to the kind of redemption the Spurs got on the Heat.

I wish we never got KD, and we stomped them the next year properly. That would've felt so much better and you know it.

I want KD to go to the Lakers. Then I want AD to go to the Lakers. And then I want to meet them in the WCF and beat them.

[xdrta+]

I think most of y'all would give up the last 2 championship in a heartbeat to get the 73-win one.

Well, we could take a vote. I vote no.

[Money_]

2015, after a 40 year drought, was way more satisfying than a we believe upset in the first round. No comparison.

2017's redemption was also.

2018 was just back to back dominance.
Not as satisfying as the previous two but definitely cementing this team's legacy as one of the best teams ever to play the game.

What I like about 2019, if the Dubs take it. 2019 will be "now sit down and stfu" Dynasty

[Mylie10]

You also can't compare winning the first one, beating the Mavs in 08, etc. to winning the last two contextually. Because those first ones are something emotionally you cannot match based on the losing prior to getting it done.

[Scoots1994]

The Warriors the way they were in 15 are never coming back. Where are you going to get a great defensive center who sets the best screens in the NBA for a vet min deal? Where are you going to get a replacements for Barnes? Let alone Barbosa, Speights, Lee, and Holiday who were all under-rated for their contribution.

Add to that that that team was doing something new, now teams have adjusted. There is no going back to "the good old days".

Just appreciate the greatness of KD, and what it does for the Warriors.

[Jester_]

You also can't compare winning the first one, beating the Mavs in 08, etc. to winning the last two contextually. Because those first ones are something emotionally you cannot match based on the losing prior to getting it done.

That's my point though. Yes, the losing played a role, but wins are emotional when they're earned. Even our players looked bored last year - Klay even admitted it.

The greatest series we've had in this run IMO is when we beat OKC. The joy I felt after that was far more than any of these rings - and I think if you're being honest with yourself you'd agree. Seeing Klay go off in Game 6 and pulling out that win is probably my single greatest basketball memory.

Compare the footage of Jordan's last championship, when he'd already ransacked the league for the past decade, to ours last year. It's a night and day difference. There's no joy in winning if it's easy.

[likashing]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickmurray/2018/09/17/can-the-golden-state-warriors-afford-a-300m-payroll/#ccc8e6424fd3

Just found this article... Forbes writer thinks they can afford a payroll of $300m. Much better read than those "oh the repeater tax they can't handle it".

I like the idea of doing streaming for local broadcast revenue, cutting off the middle man aka CSN. I for one will be willing to subsidize the luxury tax by paying $200 or more a year for local broadcast streaming. Still cheaper than the TV packages and I know the money will directly help keep the Big 4.

Currently, league pass is $200 but local games get blacked out.

Like I said, it will be about the Big 4 whether they want to keep playing together. The Warriors will pay $300m a year and they can divvy it up any way they want.

[wco81]

First of all, I don't think there's a problem with the team's willingness to pay KD whatever he wants.

If they had to choose, my guess is they'll pay KD before they pay Klay or Draymond.

So it's a matter of whether KD is interested in staying through the prime of the other stars. If they win this year, it'll be harder for any of them to walk since they have a chance at making history by winning again on top of a three peat.

That doesn't mean the owners can get away with trying to lowball them in order to make history.

KD makes more money from his Nike deal so I don't think money is as big of a factor for him, other than ego reasons.

Second, I would doubt the Warriors can do their own streaming without the NBA objecting and the networks complaining. Can you imagine, if significant number of fans choose to watch via Warriors streaming network instead of ABC or TNT?

In any event, Warriors fans aren't going to be able to cut the cord and still watch Warriors games (legally) because a significant number of them will be on TNT and ESPN. So you're going to have to subscribe to cable regardless.

And if NBC Sports Bay Area signs a new deal where they pay over double the current rate for rights to have games on NBCS BA, you can bet our cable fees will go up. My Comcast bill has a separate line item for regional sports channel.

So you're going to pay to get the TNT, ESPN and the NBCS BA games, which is probably going to be okay with most fans since it's a lot cheaper than going to the games.


If you really want to help the team pay for the players, go to more games, buy jerseys, etc. Also go to other events at Chase, since they get a cut of that money.


But whether KD stays or not, more titles are far from guaranteed. I think we've seen the best of these players. They can play at a high level for few more years but now that they make so much money, the rest of the roster is very thin.

That means they have to play more minutes with the reserve players, exposing themselves to injury. They've managed alright with Steph missing a lot of games including the start of the playoffs last year and with KD being out the last month to month and a half the year before.

You can tell though that as these guys age and play into June, they don't have as much time to recover and they're spending the offseason doing a lot of traveling for promotional reasons. For instance, saw Draymond in some video taken in Japan but IIRC, he went to Greece too.

So how much time has he had in the 3 months between winning the Finals and the start of training camp to train?

It'll be interesting to see the metrics compared to previous seasons, if there's slippage. The media talks about them being "bored" so they're not winning as easily as in previous seasons. But if the league closes the gap with the Warriors, it may be because they're getting better relative to the Warriors, not because the Warriors stars are bored and not playing as hard.

[likashing]

Second, I would doubt the Warriors can do their own streaming without the NBA objecting and the networks complaining. Can you imagine, if significant number of fans choose to watch via Warriors streaming network instead of ABC or TNT?

In any event, Warriors fans aren't going to be able to cut the cord and still watch Warriors games (legally) because a significant number of them will be on TNT and ESPN. So you're going to have to subscribe to cable regardless.

Maybe not the Warriors taking over local TV (and/or streaming), but it is coming one way or another.

There are rumors of Comcast doing a la carte pick your channel packages, and/or streaming.

If the local broadcast stays with Comcast, they can just do a CSNBA + TNT/ESPN sports package. It is the same thing in the end.

In the long run, the 99% of the 100-200 TV channels are crap. Cable (satellite) has been selling packages where ppl only watch 5-10 of the 100-200 packaged channels. That is why people have been "cutting the cord". Before you know it, only the valuable contents will stay, the crap channels without good content will disappear.

[ILOVEIT]

I think he's either going to stay, or leave.

I'll take that bet!

[Scoots1994]

Second, I would doubt the Warriors can do their own streaming without the NBA objecting and the networks complaining. Can you imagine, if significant number of fans choose to watch via Warriors streaming network instead of ABC or TNT?

In any event, Warriors fans aren't going to be able to cut the cord and still watch Warriors games (legally) because a significant number of them will be on TNT and ESPN. So you're going to have to subscribe to cable regardless.

Maybe not the Warriors taking over local TV (and/or streaming), but it is coming one way or another.

There are rumors of Comcast doing a la carte pick your channel packages, and/or streaming.

If the local broadcast stays with Comcast, they can just do a CSNBA + TNT/ESPN sports package. It is the same thing in the end.

In the long run, the 99% of the 100-200 TV channels are crap. Cable (satellite) has been selling packages where ppl only watch 5-10 of the 100-200 packaged channels. That is why people have been "cutting the cord". Before you know it, only the valuable contents will stay, the crap channels without good content will disappear.

That and the fact that $10 to $20 of every subscribers monthly money go to sports channels of one kind or another, and I think that's low for the LA area.

The NBA will stream you your team's games for $99 out of area, so you can watch it in area with a VPN on your connection that lets you spoof your location.

[likashing]

Second, I would doubt the Warriors can do their own streaming without the NBA objecting and the networks complaining. Can you imagine, if significant number of fans choose to watch via Warriors streaming network instead of ABC or TNT?

In any event, Warriors fans aren't going to be able to cut the cord and still watch Warriors games (legally) because a significant number of them will be on TNT and ESPN. So you're going to have to subscribe to cable regardless.

Maybe not the Warriors taking over local TV (and/or streaming), but it is coming one way or another.

There are rumors of Comcast doing a la carte pick your channel packages, and/or streaming.

If the local broadcast stays with Comcast, they can just do a CSNBA + TNT/ESPN sports package. It is the same thing in the end.

In the long run, the 99% of the 100-200 TV channels are crap. Cable (satellite) has been selling packages where ppl only watch 5-10 of the 100-200 packaged channels. That is why people have been "cutting the cord". Before you know it, only the valuable contents will stay, the crap channels without good content will disappear.

That and the fact that $10 to $20 of every subscribers monthly money go to sports channels of one kind or another, and I think that's low for the LA area.

The NBA will stream you your team's games for $99 out of area, so you can watch it in area with a VPN on your connection that lets you spoof your location.

Well that’s what I have been doing. Actually taking another step further with the Indian league pass.

I try to go to games when I can but 7:30pm in Oakland doesn’t work for my schedule.

But ya I’d gladly chip in a Big 4 tax if it is what it takes.

[yesh]

Any cap experts know if a shot at kawhi would be viable if KD does up and leave?

[Scoots1994]

Any cap experts know if a shot at kawhi would be viable if KD does up and leave?

Generally, no.