Make your case - the Kevin Durant pursuit

[jayjaysee]

- our uniforms are sweet.

Wow. I never thought of Utah.

I just assumed they wouldn't try with all the contracts they have to give out in coming seasons and small market money lala... But wow that is actually my favorite option. That starting five is insane and top end bench talent to mix lineups up with Burks, Exum, Hood, Lyles.

I like Utah players more than most Utah fans, but that feels like the best team in the league by a decent margin to me :/

--

Is there even a pitch for Dallas?

Is Rick enough? :? We won a championship recently? Dirk should still be really good for two years probably and will probably sign for the minimum at least one of the years to help bring in any FA willing to play here.. Ughm.. Hurricane Harbor is a lot of fun.. Right in the middle of Russ and James so you can see them anytime you want?

[DowNY]

Knicks:
- We're in the East & with the addition of you , we'd be instantly top 3
- Your big bro Carmelo is here, your lil bro in Rose is here. Family atmosphere.
- You can choose to roll at SG or stay at SF
- the triangle/horny system benefits a player of your talents
- the Fans here will cherish your decision to join us. Very prideful & energetic fanbase. Won't leave arena early like Miami fans when the team is down. We've lived through way worse.
- brand exposure. I know you see the contract Lebron got from Nike.
- take on the challenge of shutting the media up
- even after signing, we'll be able to snag another player with $10M in cap left. (Noah himself may take hometown discount to join.)
- even more cap next year & depending on Porzingis' improvement, you, KP & Melo can tempt Curry, Westbrook, CP3 or others to join the action.
- You win here, you're automatically a legend. even the bench warmer will get his jersey retired & honored for years
- You can dethrone Lebron directly in the East to get to the finals.
- What happens if Russell leaves next year? Wasted another season?
- Easier to get to the Finals on the East vs. the West. Once you're in the finals, anything can happen.
- Phil Jackson. Trust the process.

[Hawk Eye]

Atlanta: We host Dragon Con every year

[FrontPageNews]

Cavs

You'll play with Lebron

[penbeast0]

Come home to Washington! Scott Brooks is here! We are mediocre without you, basically John Wall and some solid roleplayers but with you, Wall, and some hometown support, you can give the Cavs a run for their money. (Of course, if you did sign, it might mean another 5-10 years of Ernie Grunfeld as GM but we can live with that.)




At least give us a meeting (pathetic whimper) . . .

[Carlos_Danger]

Indiana Pacers:

-We can dump Monta Ellis to a bad team with cap space along with a future pick and pay you the absolute max.

-Like the Thunder, Spurs, and Warriors we can offer you the chance to play alongside an elite star player in Paul George.

-Like the Spurs and Warriors, you can play alongside an elite star player who is a great defender and can take the load off your back by guarding the other team's best wing/backcourt player.

-UNLIKE the Thunder, Spurs, and Warriors, you face only a single conference roadblock if you join us - the Cavaliers.

-UNLIKE the Thunder, Spurs, and Warriors we still have future flexibility if we sign you. After dumping Ellis this year, next summer when you opt out of the 1+1 you sign with us to sign for the new max when the cap balloons to $110 million or so we will have only $55 million committed with only Jeff Teague being an important free agent. If he works out this year, we resign him, if not, the best PGs available will want to play for us and with YOU.

-When you sign with us, NOT ONLY to we become arguably the best starting 5 in the East, rivaled only by Cleveland, EVERY one of you is STILL under 30. No worries about your supporting cast getting too old while you're in your prime. Only OKC can also offer this, and OKC with you will have MULTIPLE in-conference contenders, while with us you have only one - the Cavs.

The starting Five:

C - Miles Turner (20)
PF - Thad Young (28)
SF/SG - Kevin Durant (27)
SF/SG - Paul George (26)
PG - Jeff Teague (28)

-We offer a sick small ball line-up to counter the Warriors "death" line with a super young and athletic Center in Turner, and Paul George moving to power forward while Thad Young takes the bench:

C - Miles Turner (OR sometimes Thad Young who is a career 32% 3-point shooter if we want to sacrifice D for 5 deep threats)
PF - Paul George (37% from 3 in 2015-16)
SF - Kevin Durant (39% from 3 in 2015-16)
SG - CJ Miles (37% from 3 in 2015-16)
PG - Jeff Teague (40% from 3 in 2015-16)

-Indiana is not just a basketball state, it THE basketball state, and Indiana has NO title since joining the NBA. Winning here will be as sweet for the city and state as the Cavs title was for them.

-NO other East team that could pay you the max without blowing up their team can offer a roster as good as ours. 20 yrs old and promising Miles Turner + Paul George + 2 decently athletic role players in their 20s Teague and Young is far superior to over-the-hill and clearly declining Wade, Bosh in street clothes with blood clots, bad team-fit Dragic and whoever the Heat play at Center when Whiteside signs elsewhere since they CANNOT pay both of you. It's also superior to Boston's collection of "assets," NONE of which are an asset on the level of Turner or George, and none of which have yet generated anything of value in a trade. And certainly superior to the Knicks, as promising at Porzingis is, with busted up and inefficient Rose and past-his-prime and very soon to start the age decline Carmelo Anthony. Also the Garden is an overrated dump, much like it's overrated home town. Also all Knicks and Knicks fans are garbage people don't go there KNICKS BAD NEW YORK BAD.

[AkelaLoneWolf]

Raptors

1. Eastern Conference - Biggest advantage is easier path to the Finals over the West.

2. Playoff success - went to the ECF last year and went to 6 games with the Cavs. The only team in the Eastern conference to do so in the playoffs. While missing JV, who was a very important offensive contributor.

3. core is in their prime or going into their prime: 2 all star players in Lowry and Derozan. Emerging all-star in Valanciunas.

4. One of the deepest teams in the NBA. We still beat Miami despite JV being injured and Demar playing like crap.

5. We don't have to sacrifice our core. If we can get rid of Ross + DMC that's more than enough space to sign him to a max.

6. Raptors are ready to win NOW; they're not too old like Miami and not too young like Boston.

7. Toronto is a world class city; buddies with Drake etc...

8. Best fans in the NBA.

[Warriorfan]

GS

Make it a basketall decision.

1) GS has recently won the title and actually had key players improve to win 73 wins.
2) Coach of the year and Executive of the year on board and HOF exec West as well.
3) 3 all stars entering their prime locked up long term on value deals.
4) Join this team that avg 70 wins to win now and the future.
5) 2nd richest market, New Arena on its way 20 mil in cap to add more talent 2017 if you sign.

[Crossy2008]

Not sure how much this would matter to Durant, but Boston has an advantage of Durant getting his team. Not Westbrook's team, not Curry's team, not Paul's team, not Wade's team, and not Duncan's or Kawhi's team. If he goes to Boston it would be his team. Durant and the Celtics face Lebron and the Cavs, would be the story line before the game.

[sipclip]

I know you are getting pitches from all of these flashy big cities and they are selling you on joining other players to make a super team or how they can market you but now a days you can be marketed in any city. If you go to a team like the warriors or spurs you will hear a ton of noise from your critics saying that you are ring chasing. If you go to a team like Miami you will join a team with an aging core that gives you a very short window to compete for a title. If you come to the jazz you will join a young team that has everything except that go to guy to be the number option. Gordon Hayward is the perfect 2nd option to pair you with since he is unselfish but is also very capable of taking over games when needed. With Hayward you won't be fighting for shots the same way you are with Westbrook. Then you have 2 great young bigs in Favors and Gobert to do the dirty work in the paint defensively and offensively Favors has improved each year to the point that he is now an extremely effective low post scorer. At pg you have a savvy vet in George Hill that doesn't need to dominate the ball to be effective and is a great defender. Defensively a starting lineup of Hill, Hayward, Durant, Favors and Gobert is insanely long and will cause fits for everyone. Rest assured though you won't be a heavy minute starting lineup team with no bench. Off the bench you are loaded with wings in Exum, Burks, Hood and Mack to go along with Trey Lyles as a stretch big.

C- Gobert, Withey
Pf- Favors, Lyles, Bolomboy
Sf- Durant, Hood
Sg- Hayward, Burks
Pg- Hill, Exum, Mack

If you join this team you will not only be considered the favorite to win the championship this next year but for the next 5yrs as the young players around you continue to get better.

[GQ Hot Dog]

Golden State:

Make your case for why we should sign you KD...

[Cactus Jack]

KD,

Its time to come through for Seattle/Sonic fans! Leave the Thunder! Clay Bennett doesn't deserve you any longer. You owe it to us! Sign with the Warriors or Spurs & go win titles. It's time!

Thank you!

[jazzfan1971]

Sign in Utah. Make every single NBA fan in the world go, 'WTF?!?!?!?!' simultaneously. Sign a 1 plus 1 and get a good laugh and get a bigger max offer next season.

[rugbyrugger23]

Timberwolves:

1) Thibs will pull trigger on LaVine + Dunn for Butler before you arrive.
2) Sign your 1+1 and next offseason after a strong playoff run, hand pick your other max contract teammate free agent to join you. Which would produce a lineup where...
3. Karl Anthony Towns might be third or 4th best player, who just so happens to be developing NBA megastar.
4. Established coach.
5. Ex NBA player (KG) as new partial owner.
6. New practice facility and new money about to be dumped into the Target center featuring the KD dedicated wing (the house KD built).

C: Towns | Dieng
F: KD | Bjelica
F: Wiggins | KD | Bazz
G: Butler | Wiggins
G: Rubio | Jones

[Golabki]

Timberwolves:

1) Thibs will pull trigger on LaVine + Dunn for Butler before you arrive.
2) Sign your 1+1 and next offseason after a strong playoff run, hand pick your other max contract teammate free agent to join you. Which would produce a lineup where...
3. Karl Anthony Towns might be third or 4th best player, who just so happens to be developing NBA megastar.
4. Established coach.
5. Ex NBA player (KG) as new partial owner.
6. New practice facility and new money about to be dumped into the Target center featuring the KD dedicated wing (the house KD built).

C: Towns | Dieng
F: KD | Bjelica
F: Wiggins | KD | Bazz
G: Butler | Wiggins
G: Rubio | Jones

I don't believe LaVine and Dunn for Butler was ever really on the table. If it was an Thibs turned it down... that's grounds for immediate expulsion.

[Golabki]

The teams that really make sense are:
1. Warriors - arguably the best team this past year, and certainly the best team with KD added. Also, the failure to win a title this year, means KD is arguably the batman and curry's the robin.
2. Spurs - best organization in sport and the favorites to win a title if KD comes. you take on the Duncan mantel as the classy player in the league.
3. Celtics - good, young, in the east, have a ton of assets to continue to improve.

Miami, the NY and LA teams all can't be excluded, but I don't think any of them really make sense.

[Laimbeer]

KD, you just seem to have flattened out. Not sure you're truly a superstar or worth the max. We've got a really solid young team here and not sure if it's worth breaking up because we'd have to move salary. Unless you'll sign for less. Not sure you and Detroit are a fit. You've got a lot to prove.






















(Reverse psychology - our only prayer)

[nomansland]

You're not coming here anyway, so we're just going to spend our money on international scouting.

[SARGO127]

Knicks:
- We're in the East & with the addition of you , we'd be instantly top 3
- Your big bro Carmelo is here, your lil bro in Rose is here. Family atmosphere.
- You can choose to roll at SG or stay at SF
- the triangle/horny system benefits a player of your talents
- the Fans here will cherish your decision to join us. Very prideful & energetic fanbase. Won't leave arena early like Miami fans when the team is down. We've lived through way worse.
- brand exposure. I know you see the contract Lebron got from Nike.
- take on the challenge of shutting the media up
- even after signing, we'll be able to snag another player with $10M in cap left. (Noah himself may take hometown discount to join.)
- even more cap next year & depending on Porzingis' improvement, you, KP & Melo can tempt Curry, Westbrook, CP3 or others to join the action.
- You win here, you're automatically a legend. even the bench warmer will get his jersey retired & honored for years
- You can dethrone Lebron directly in the East to get to the finals.
- What happens if Russell leaves next year? Wasted another season?
- Easier to get to the Finals on the East vs. the West. Once you're in the finals, anything can happen.
- Phil Jackson. Trust the process.

Most importantly..if he could help deliver a title to NYC, he would instantly become a GOD and be immortalized.

[Chinook]

The best pitch the Spurs could offer Durant is that they have built-in ring-chasers who already have chemistry with the team. I absolutely expect Tim and Manu to come back for the minimum if KD comes over. I already mentioned this in another thread, but after running the numbers, it looks even better.

If Durant sacrifices $2 Million (or better yet just has that amount in unlikely to be earned incentives), the Spurs could realistically field the following roster:

PG: Parker, Miller (or some other ring-chaser) Murray
SG: Leonard, Manu, Simmons
SF: Durant, Green, Bertans
PF: Aldridge, Anderson, LJC
C: Duncan, Boban, Lorbek

And they can do so while also maintaining a decent amount of cap space for the following year. I know that asking Durant to give up money seems like a bad strategy, but I disagree. I think when you look at how many players would be willing to sacrifice to be part of that roster, it actually helps instill a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose.

AND if that's still not enough, then Durant could be encouraged to sign a one-and-one deal. So he could either leave or reup in 2017 (which would result in him getting more money than signing a straight four-year deal with any one in 2016 anyway). The added benefit to the Spurs, of course, is that even if Durant opted out and left in this scenario, they'd be in great shape cap-wise to make another move.