ATL - Season Resumes page 87

[Chuck Diesel]

As outlined in Ethan Strauss's book, Durant thought he was pulling a Lebron by finding the type of basketball situation that would enable him to win multiple titles in an upgraded market. He clearly never imagined the difference in perception two Heat titles in four Finals would hold compared to 2/3 with the Warriors. That was an obvious miscalculation, but back to back rings/Finals MVPS are still back to back rings/Finals MVPS. Durant is sensitive to levels that would make 2016 Alex Lasry/2013 Jim Paschke blush & probably needs decades of therapy, but he's one of the all time greats & anyone who says otherwise is a simpleton &/or loser. He's probably reading this. Whatup KD.

[FlagsFlyForever]

Nobody was mad when Rodman joined Jordan's Bulls. Nobody discredits reigning MVP Moses Malone for joining the NBA Finalist 76ers. Nobody blinked an eye when perennial all star LaMarcus Aldridge joined the perennial contender Spurs a year after they eliminated his Blazers in the playoffs. Or when Ray Allen joined LeBron's Heat after they eliminated his Celtics. Nobody ever complained about the countless other similar Durant-like instances. Players don't get criticized for joining good teams or teams that beat them in the playoffs or teams that had the best record in the league. It doesn't happen except that one season with Durant. And of course nobody praised Durant for leaving a dream situation in Golden State to go to mediocre Brooklyn.

Let's just call the Kevin Durant hate what it is. Durant's signing made the Warriors the prohibitive favorite and fans didn't enjoy it. Durant is the easy scapegoat and the media ran with their narrative. People are actually mad at the players for refusing to smooth the salary cap when the massive TV deal kicked in which allowed one of the best teams in the league to sign one of the best players in the league. They hate the situation. They take their frustration out on Durant but this isn't about Durant. Durant signing with Golden State was the product of a very unique situation that couldn't happen any other season. Any player would've done the same thing in his shoes but he happened to be the best free agent that year.

I'm not old enough to know anything about Moses Malone, but everyone else you listed is not even a close comparison. Ray Allen was a role player at that point in his career (a great one), Rodman a great role player, and Aldridge a fringe all star. You comparing them to Durant, a top 3 player in the league at that point, seems kind of silly. Some of what you say I agree with in the second paragraph. I understand he is very sensitive and lashed out after people went after him, but he has done a lot for people to hate him other than going to GS. He seemed to be quiet in OKC, but once he started talking so much in GS he was super easy to hate.

Does the logic work both ways? Should Giannis get praised if he leaves the Bucks for a terrible team? How is it logical to only apply this criticism to top 3 players? Sure Durant made a bigger impact than Rodman but Rodman was a key piece of those Bulls teams and they certainly wouldn't have won three straight without Rodman. Curry was arguably a top three player. Should he get criticized because he took the easy path when he resigned with Golden State? Does Durant signing with Golden State hurt Curry's legacy at all because his championships were easier?

[jschligs]

Are people still pretending they don't understand why Durant got hate for going to GS?....... Sure you can not agree with it but acting like you don't understand the rationale for the hate is the equivalent of sticking your head in the sand

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I completely understand it, I wish he didn't. I think the small variables make it worse in fans eyes: GSW being 73-9 the season before, KD being a top 3 player, OKC blowing 3-1 to GSW the year before.

What makes me dislike his move on top of all that, and I know it's the media's fault too for egging him on, is how soft he was through it all. That being said I love watching him play and it was his choice. He just has to suffer through the irrational and rational hate that he has received. He knew that would happen the minute he left OKC but he thought it'd be rainbows and butterflies.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Are people still pretending they don't understand why Durant got hate for going to GS?....... Sure you can not agree with it but acting like you don't understand the rationale for the hate is the equivalent of sticking your head in the sand

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I completely understand it, I wish he didn't. I think the small variables make it worse in fans eyes: GSW being 73-9 the season before, KD being a top 3 player, OKC blowing 3-1 to GSW the year before.

What makes me dislike his move on top of all that, and I know it's the media's fault too for egging him on, is how soft he was through it all. That being said I love watching him play and it was his choice. He just has to suffer through the irrational and rational hate that he has received. He knew that would happen the minute he left OKC but he thought it'd be rainbows and butterflies.

Comparatively, I thought KD was let off the hook compared to Lebron.

[Ron Swanson]

I view both KD and Lebron as incredibly insecure narcissists who've used free agency as a cop out to take the easiest road possible to their championships in order to inflate their "legacy" and worldwide perception. That doesn't mean that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed watching them play over their careers and respect their ability as two of the greatest basketball players ever.

[MikeIsGood]

Who the hell put ESPN's best Mavs lineup together?

G: Derek Harper
G: Jason Terry
G: Rolando Blackman
F: Mark Aguirre
F: Dirk Nowitzki

Jason Terry over 2x all-star (which was too few) Michael Finley? And if he's included because he got a ring and Finley didn't, then why isn't Kidd (4x all-star with Dallas - split beginning/end of career) on the list ahead of Harper?

They outright state this in their 'toughest cuts', but they cut the wrong two guys.

ETA: They also included Draymond Green over Rick Barry and Chris Mullin on the Warriors. Lord. Maybe I'm missing what they're going for - they clearly aren't looking for the best players.

[Nowak008]

Sure Ethan Strauss mentioned on a podcast that the Warriors would've been able to get him regardless. Different team obviously but the Warriors were likely always gonna get him.

Where did Strauss get this info from Joe Lacob?

Hey, man. I started the west wing today. I like it so far.

Drugbust got me on it a bunch of years ago - it's so great. It's nice to watch a romantic version of politics. It's so removed from today's reality that a Godzilla movie feels more realistic.

Toby is the best.

[jschligs]

Who the hell put ESPN's best Mavs lineup together?

G: Derek Harper
G: Jason Terry
G: Rolando Blackman
F: Mark Aguirre
F: Dirk Nowitzki

Jason Terry over 2x all-star (which was too few) Michael Finley? And if he's included because he got a ring and Finley didn't, then why isn't Kidd (4x all-star with Dallas - split beginning/end of career) on the list ahead of Harper?

They outright state this in their 'toughest cuts', but they cut the wrong two guys.

ETA: They also included Draymond Green over Rick Barry and Chris Mullin on the Warriors. Lord. Maybe I'm missing what they're going for - they clearly aren't looking for the best players.

Idk but did you see that Bucks line up? Would terrorize the league.

Oscar
Sidney
Ray
Giannis
Kareem

[German Athens]

Idk but did you see that Bucks line up? Would terrorize the league.

Oscar
Sidney
Ray
Giannis
Kareem

Yeah, I think that bucks team would compete with the best of any other team. Boston and Miami probably the toughest competition in the East, right?

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Idk but did you see that Bucks line up? Would terrorize the league.

Oscar
Sidney
Ray
Giannis
Kareem

Yeah, I think that bucks team would compete with the best of any other team. Boston and Miami probably the toughest competition in the East, right?

IDK, there is some tough competition:

Lakers
Magic
Kobe
Lebron
Kareem
Shaq

Warriors
Curry
Klay/Kerr/Barry (I'm indifferent)
KD
Giannis
Wilt

[KidA24]

Idk but did you see that Bucks line up? Would terrorize the league.

Oscar
Sidney
Ray
Giannis
Kareem

Yeah, I think that bucks team would compete with the best of any other team. Boston and Miami probably the toughest competition in the East, right?

Philly.
Washington.
Chicago.

[jschligs]

Idk but did you see that Bucks line up? Would terrorize the league.

Oscar
Sidney
Ray
Giannis
Kareem

Yeah, I think that bucks team would compete with the best of any other team. Boston and Miami probably the toughest competition in the East, right?

IDK, there is some tough competition:

Lakers
Magic
Kobe
Lebron
Kareem
Shaq

Warriors
Curry
Klay/Kerr/Barry (I'm indifferent)
KD
Giannis
Wilt

Haha I see what you did there! For real though, I think that Lakers team would be the top.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Idk but did you see that Bucks line up? Would terrorize the league.

Oscar
Sidney
Ray
Giannis
Kareem

Yeah, I think that bucks team would compete with the best of any other team. Boston and Miami probably the toughest competition in the East, right?

76ers: AI, Dr.J, Barkley, Wilt, Malone, (HM: Embiid)

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Wizards probably contenders in a normal year:
Wall
Beal
Jordan
Etan Thomas
Bradley

ETA: I guess they would actually be good: Malone, JHoward, Unseld, Arenas

[ReasonablySober]

They made some pretty, uh, interesting position decisions. Like Mourning at PF on the heat? How's the go?

[DingleJerry]

Long story short on KD. If a massively dominant team gets built around you where you already were, you're a god and one of the best players ever. If you leave and join a team making it overwhelmingly dominant, then you're a POS and not very good. Can rip KD all you want but this is in the end our own/medias fault. Him and LBJ can't win, everyone sits here and obsesses on Ringzzz. Rip on these guys if the don't get ringzzz. So they do what they had to do to win them and then they get ripped on for that too. It's a hater's world. No doubt in my mind if Krause doesn't find Pippen and Bulls kept getting swept in the first round like they were before that MJ would've found a way out and to a better team that could win. But if MJ stays and never wins because his management sucks I guess he's not best player ever. If he leaves and say goes to San Antonio or Houston to pair with Robinson/Hakeem and wins 4-6 titles, I'm sure all here would be then saying he sucks right? Mind you, his ability to play the game has not changed in any of these scenarios.

Somehow one's basketball abilities are altered based on who their teammates are. It's like how Jim Kelly was a better QB if Norwood made that FG to beat the Giants.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Long story short on KD. If a massively dominant team gets built around you where you already were, you're a god and one of the best players ever. If you leave and join a team making it overwhelmingly dominant, then you're a POS and not very good. Can rip KD all you want but this is in the end our own/medias fault. Him and LBJ can't win, everyone sits here and obsesses on Ringzzz. Rip on these guys if the don't get ringzzz. So they do what they had to do to win them and then they get ripped on for that too. It's a hater's world. No doubt in my mind if Krause doesn't find Pippen and Bulls kept getting swept in the first round like they were before that MJ would've found a way out and to a better team that could win. But if MJ stays and never wins because his management sucks I guess he's not best player ever. If he leaves and say goes to San Antonio or Houston to pair with Robinson/Hakeem and wins 4-6 titles, I'm sure all here would be then saying he sucks right? Mind you, his ability to play the game has not changed in any of these scenarios.

Somehow one's basketball abilities are altered based on who their teammates are. It's like how Jim Kelly was a better QB if Norwood made that FG to beat the Giants.

Ha it does feel like there's some 'ringz are the only thing that matters, do everything to get them' KD does what gives him the best shot for a ring and the same people are like 'not like that you pussy'.

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[FlagsFlyForever]

Who the hell put ESPN's best Mavs lineup together?

G: Derek Harper
G: Jason Terry
G: Rolando Blackman
F: Mark Aguirre
F: Dirk Nowitzki

Jason Terry over 2x all-star (which was too few) Michael Finley? And if he's included because he got a ring and Finley didn't, then why isn't Kidd (4x all-star with Dallas - split beginning/end of career) on the list ahead of Harper?

They outright state this in their 'toughest cuts', but they cut the wrong two guys.

ETA: They also included Draymond Green over Rick Barry and Chris Mullin on the Warriors. Lord. Maybe I'm missing what they're going for - they clearly aren't looking for the best players.

Idk but did you see that Bucks line up? Would terrorize the league.

Oscar
Sidney
Ray
Giannis
Kareem

Is this with a three point line because that team can't shoot a lick. Probably need Cassell and Redd/Middleton to replace Oscar and Sid.

[BuckHole]

Are we going to laugh at this response in a year? ...Or will we still be responding?

[German Athens]

Yeah, I think that bucks team would compete with the best of any other team. Boston and Miami probably the toughest competition in the East, right?

IDK, there is some tough competition:

Lakers
Magic
Kobe
Lebron
Kareem
Shaq

Warriors
Curry
Klay/Kerr/Barry (I'm indifferent)
KD
Giannis
Wilt

Haha I see what you did there! For real though, I think that Lakers team would be the top.

Yeah, if we include the west, the lakers have easily the most loaded team, but I think they’d have a mess of a pecking order there. Kobe as a 4th option? I don’t think that would go so well.

I do think the bucks would have a pretty functional team in terms of pecking order comparatively.

Then the last question would be what version of players would you get of those who are on multiple teams? Do you get the peak form of that player, or do you get the peak of the player from when they were on that specific team? (LA Kareem vs MIL Kareem)