Sure sounds like KD is leaving

[xdrta+]

I've seldom seen so much nonsense in such a short space. Because he got hurt, which you think is their fault, in spite of all evidence to the contrary, It's their duty to offer him a 5 yr max? If he opts in, they're bound to pay him $31MM not to play next year, that's what their duty is. Beyond that, it's whatever two sides agree on. No one is obligated to do anything. And, no, it won't change the NBA landscape, whatever that means. He's not the first player to get hurt, you know.

David Aldridge cites league sources as saying several teams including Warriors will still try to max him out because even at 80%, he'd be a 20-25 PPG scorer.

Sure, that's possible, but if the Warriors offer that it won't be out of any sense of duty, it will be because they think it's the best way to build their team. And he might not take it. They were going to offer that much before and most everyone said he wasn't going to take it. If he gets another max offer he could still be gone. Everyone's going to do what they think is best for themselves, as usual.

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

We don't need KD in the regular season; we just need him in the playoffs.
I don't think the Raptors are a great team but there is a chance that no playoff team next year will be as good as this year's Raptors. The other teams also have salary cap problems and players that might leave and Chris Paul getting older. Maybe the Warriors can compete without KD in a down year.

I wouldn't say that's true unless the Warriors can get a guy who would give them 25 minutes and hit the corner 3 at least at 37-38% clip, rebound a little and of course defend.

Unfortunately guys with proven record to do the above would be more than what the Warriors could fit under the cap.

Because otherwise, Curry and Klay will get blitzed all season long and they may need to play more minutes, for the team to try to get 50-55 wins.

As they age, they're going to need more help, not come back into games to find the second unit put them in a deeper hole than when they went to the bench.

Of course Kerr is going to use load management at all costs anyways.

49 wins should be good enough. 8th seed is not much worse than 1st seed. The problem with the 8th seed is that then KD needs to face the team we need to beat in the first round and that gives him less time to get healthy than playing the difficult to beat team in the conference finals.

The Cousins money, (taxpayer mid level exception) would need to be used wisely. Without Durant there needs to be a realible 3rd shooter. On the other hand the Warriors might still be tempted to use the money at the center position.

I think I want an upgrade on Quin Cook and would try to use the money there. Steph could play some off guard and Klay some small forward while playing along side the upgrade on Quin Cook.

[Sleepy51]

Man he could actually sue the team for malpractice if that were case, let alone him wanting to re-sign.

[KevinMcreynolds]

I changed my mind, I'm on board with bringing him back on a max. We'll have no cap room and be in the luxury tax the next 4 seasons anyways.

[Sleepy51]

I changed my mind, I'm on board with bringing him back on a max. We'll have no cap room and be in the luxury tax the next 4 seasons anyways.

Welcome to the fact based universe lolp

[KevinMcreynolds]

Either way we're going to have Steph/Klay/Dray/Looney and a bunch of d-leaguers, might as well take a chance on KD. Our only other hope to improve is to hit the jackpot with a late 1st.

[wco81]

Apparently the Warriors were going to offer him a 5 year deal with promise to grant him any trade requests.

That kind of tells you they didn't think he was going to stay.

[Sleepy51]

Apparently the Warriors were going to offer him a 5 year deal with promise to grant him any trade requests.

That kind of tells you they didn't think he was going to stay.

Are you sure they were taking about trade requests involving KD and not “others” ;D

[Samurai]

Either way we're going to have Steph/Klay/Dray/Looney and a bunch of d-leaguers, might as well take a chance on KD. Our only other hope to improve is to hit the jackpot with a late 1st.

Don't dismiss the G-leaguers. Our 2-way guys this year, Lee and Derrickson, looked pretty decent (better than Evans anyway) and could be rotation players next year if we can re-sign them. Still hoping that Evans can significantly improve; he was drafted because the scouting reports indicated that he was a (very) poor man's version of Iguodala (high bbIQ, good defense, not a true PG but can play it in a pinch, not a good outside shooter, not a shot creator). Given Andre's age, we really need Evans to be able to step up into that role.

Maybe this injury will convince KD to sign the max with us - he has seen the care given to Cousins during his Achilles rehab and we have his medical history so he doesn't have to start from scratch with a new training team.

Will still need a center. Would love to re-sign Looney for his role, but we need a 7-footer. Preferably one that can rebound and not foul out in 5 minutes, so wasn't thinking about Jones.

[Swift21]

Apparently the Warriors were going to offer him a 5 year deal with promise to grant him any trade requests.

That kind of tells you they didn't think he was going to stay.

Here's this 5 year deal but feel free to ask for a trade at anytime.

[CS707]

Apparently the Warriors were going to offer him a 5 year deal with promise to grant him any trade requests.

That kind of tells you they didn't think he was going to stay.

It's actually a great strategy. Keep him for the short term and get something back for him if he decides he wants to move on in a year or two. Realistically a shorter term deal was probably best for the timeline of this team.

[CalGTR]

Apparently the Warriors were going to offer him a 5 year deal with promise to grant him any trade requests.

That kind of tells you they didn't think he was going to stay.

It's actually a great strategy. Keep him for the short term and get something back for him if he decides he wants to move on in a year or two. Realistically a shorter term deal was probably best for the timeline of this team.

It is a great idea, and I don't think it says anything much about whether KD was or was not planning on staying. They're likely just trying to cook up any way possible to convince him to stay. If it's only for a year or two, at least we'd be able to trade him. That works for the W's. In fact, it works way better than KD simply opting in to the last year of his current deal, or signing another short deal. For the W's, it gives us assets in return for KD leaving. For KD, it gives him a chance to chase another ring or two, gives him maximum cash and maximum security, and gives him maximum flexibility. In fact, it would open up the list of teams that would be available to KD because he wouldn't be restricted to teams under the cap. Actually, the idea sounds awesome for both sides.

[DAWill1128]

I like the idea of signing him to the biggest contract possible with trade optionality. He can rehab with the team and come back at the end of next season to take another shot at a Championship. If he wants to move onto another challenge after next season then we will oblige to his select group of destinations without him leaving any money on the table.

We only drop from a Championship team if we lose Durant for nothing. Durant could still pull us a group of solid vets, young players, picks.

[Swift21]

He posted on IG he had surgery and Kerr is at the podium saying he has no updates. Not on the same page at all.

[wco81]

Just got an alert, says KD confirmed ruptured Achilles and has already had surgery to repair it.

So it sounds like he went to NY rather than return with the team and he's going with his own doctors.

Could be an indication that he's not happy with the Warriors' medical/training staff.

That could be a reason for him to bail if some other team offers him a multiyear deal.

[CS707]

I’m reaching here but his medical information is HIPPA protected. Maybe there are some legal hurdles to clear before the team can officially comment.

[Cactus Jack]

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

Just for medical interest I would like to know how the 2 injuries connect to each other. I assume the doctors did not fail to diagnose a achilles injury earlier. I assume the earlier calf injury was a calf injury.

I vaguely remember when I tore ligaments as a kid that the doctor said that healed torn ligaments often end up tighter than the original ligaments and that they will need to be stretched after they heal. I wonder if KD's calf healed tighter than the original calf and then pulled too hard on the Achilles' tendon.

[CalGTR]

Just got an alert, says KD confirmed ruptured Achilles and has already had surgery to repair it.

So it sounds like he went to NY rather than return with the team and he's going with his own doctors.

Could be an indication that he's not happy with the Warriors' medical/training staff.

That could be a reason for him to bail if some other team offers him a multiyear deal.

KD has been with this doctor in NY for years - performed previous surgeries on KD. And, this doctor is at the very top of the heap when it comes to foot/ankle issues. This was always going to be the guy to perform the surgery. And, with an Achilles tear, it's important to get the surgery done as soon as possible. I'm very confident that the Warriors were all in favor of KD getting to NY to see this doc and to have his surgery which I'm sure they all assumed would be needed.

One can also note that KD is expressing ZERO remorse over having played the other night, and is expressing solidarity with his teammates. Jay Williams (friends with KD and was with him after the injury) stated that there is no rift between KD and the Warriors organization. I don't know what KD will decide going forward, but right now he's still a Warrior.

[wco81]

So more reading of the tea leaves but one theory is that he got the surgery in NY to rehab in that area. He has offices there and presumably, he’d be seeing that surgeon for several follow ups in the next year.

So rather than fly across the continent, he plans to rehab there, which would mean at least that he’s not going to trust the Warriors training and medical staff.

He may in fact blame them for misguiding him and ultimately the franchise.

His mother may have been strain8ng to be civil about the situation and the team. Of course his brother seemed to throw shade at the team a few months back.

This injury situation may have dredged up all the discontent from back in November again.