Kevin Durant to the Warriors

[Willis McGahee's Dentist 61]

What a coward. Nearly beat them in the west finals and doesn't have the guts to try to redeem himself so he is taking the easy way out by jumping on the bandwagon. No respect for any rings he wins.

 

This would be like Magic signing with the Celtics after the 84 finals, Isiah signing with the Lakers after the 88 finals, Jordan signing with the Pistons after the 90 East finals, Reggie signing with the Knicks are the 94 East Finals, and Ewing signing with the Bulls after the 93 East finals.

This guy gets it.

[penultimatestraw 473]

 

I'll ask again. WTF does that mean?

[cyclone24 1,814]

Now knowing all the facts I don't have any problem with him leaving. He doesn't particularly like playing with Westbrook and he knows Westbrook was leaving after next year anyway. Ibaka is already gone. So for him to have a chance to go to a team like Golden State he couldn't wait until next year to do it because Curry is going to need a boatload of money.

[Cruzer 1,992]

I mean, it's all personal opinion, but I really think that anyone saying it's bad for the NBA is just wrong. NBA will have higher ratings, will become more of a globally recognized and watched sport, and all other franchises will be forced to be smarter and more ambitious. People, whether they like to admit it or not, like to see dominance in sports. The Warriors truly have the potential to become the most dominant team in any sport we have seen in the modern era. Do you really think people AREN'T going to watch them?

KD put himself in this situation by saying the things he did about LeBron when he left for Miami... Now that he's done the same, it a slap in the face to OKC, his fans and NBA people in general for being such a poosay ass hypocrite. Like I said, don't try and sell this "My Next Chapter" bullshiat. Nobody is buying this "evolution as a player and as a man" and "greatest potential for my contribution and personal growth" horse shiat. Man up, own it, say you're chasing a focking ring and taking the easy bandwagon route - people might have more respect for you.

 

As far as fanfare and ratings - sure, people are going to watch. NBA and basketball people that is. Unlike the NFL and football - basketball isn't an "event" type sport where even housewives and people who know nothing about the game tune in. But ratings will go up a little bit - least early on.

[Reality 2,710]

KD put himself in this situation by saying the things he did about LeBron when he left for Miami... Now that he's done the same, it a slap in the face to OKC, his fans and NBA people in general for being such a poosay ass hypocrite. Like I said, don't try and sell this "My Next Chapter" bullshiat. Nobody is buying this "evolution as a player and as a man" and "greatest potential for my contribution and personal growth" horse shiat. Man up, own it, say you're chasing a focking ring and taking the easy bandwagon route and people might have more respect for you.

 

As far as fanfare and ratings - sure, people are going to watch. NBA and basketball people that is. Unlike the NFL and football - basketball isn't an "event" type sport where even housewives and people who know nothing about the game tune in. But ratings will go up a little bit - least early on.

 

Calling the dude a pvssy or a coward.. People need to grow the fock up, it's sports...

 

Don't understand people getting worked up, I really don't.. Didn't have a problem with LeBron and don't have a problem with KD. These dudes both put in plenty of time, 8 & 9 years respectively. They can do whatever they want and I say more power to them, all great teams possessed multiple HoF players so , this is no nothing new.

 

Also, the quoted tweet from 6 years ago when the dude was 21 years old, I repeat, 21 years old.... Yea, things change, as they do for everybody.

[Cruzer 1,992]

 

Calling the dude a pvssy or a coward.. People need to grow the fock up, it's sports...

 

Don't understand people getting worked up, I really don't.. Didn't have a problem with LeBron and don't have a problem with KD. These dudes both put in plenty of time, 8 & 9 years respectively. They can do whatever they want and I say more power to them, all great teams possessed multiple HoF players so , this is no nothing new.

 

Also, the quoted tweet from 6 years ago when the dude was 21 years old, I repeat, 21 years old.... Yea, things change, as they do for everybody.

[penultimatestraw 473]

 

Calling the dude a pvssy or a coward.. People need to grow the fock up, it's sports...

 

Don't understand people getting worked up, I really don't.. Didn't have a problem with LeBron and don't have a problem with KD. These dudes both put in plenty of time, 8 & 9 years respectively. They can do whatever they want and I say more power to them, all great teams possessed multiple HoF players so , this is no nothing new.

 

Also, the quoted tweet from 6 years ago when the dude was 21 years old, I repeat, 21 years old.... Yea, things change, as they do for everybody.

Agree almost completely. As a hometown son, Lebron had a little more incentive to remain in Cleveland, and he was far dooshier when he left for Miami. Durant would be crazy not to play for a historically good team, while exiting the tornado belt for a decent place to live.

[Reality 2,710]

 

Well said.

[Cruzer 1,992]

 

Well said.

Thanks.

[tanatastic 2,061]

Agree almost completely. As a hometown son, Lebron had a little more incentive to remain in Cleveland, and he was far dooshier when he left for Miami. Durant would be crazy not to play for a historically good team, while exiting the tornado belt for a decent place to live.

This has to be a big factor as well, location. Once these guys are rich is must kind of stink to be somewhere crappy. Granted, when you are rich you can always find the nice part of any major town and live is a dope pad. But still, being hood adjacent in a mansion near oakland is like half these atheletes dreams. They get to fulfill their 90s rap fantasies while avoiding the actual black people and staying in the rich neighborhoods.

[penultimatestraw 473]

This has to be a big factor as well, location. Once these guys are rich is must kind of stink to be somewhere crappy. Granted, when you are rich you can always find the nice part of any major town and live is a dope pad. But still, being hood adjacent in a mansion near oakland is like half these atheletes dreams. They get to fulfill their 90s rap fantasies while avoiding the actual black people and staying in the rich neighborhoods.

Yeah, OKC is supposed to be a nice city, but "nice" isn't enough for most young multi-millionaire athletes.

[Cruzer 1,992]

Yeah, OKC is supposed to be a nice city, but "nice" isn't enough for most young multi-millionaire athletes.

In an interesting twist, if you remember, the OKC Thunder never happen at all if not for Hurricane Katrina... That city has a phenomenal fan base - I feel really bad for them.

[CantTouchThis 23]

In an interesting twist, if you remember, the OKC Thunder never happen at all if not for Hurricane Katrina... That city has a phenomenal fan base - I feel really bad for them.

 

KD was the biggest reason OKC happened. The GM wrote a really, really nice letter saying as much, and thanking KD for everything. It was really classy, and OKC still has a really good core of players.

 

I saw another point some dude made on how OKC might just have a really bad front office, or just have really bad luck. They could easily have James Harden, Russell Westrook, Kevin Durant, and Serge Ibaka right now. They let Harden go, then got rid of Ibaka(even though I think this trade highly favored OKC), and then Durant walks away. If you're Westbrook, what exactly will make you want to stay? You had 2 elite players, one all-star level player, that all were either shipped away or left. I get that it's his team now, but still, he has lost all his best teammates. Chemistry is everything in the NBA, and OKC just can't seem to hold on to it's best players.

 

As much as I want to see Russ just obliterate everyone next year in an OKC uniform, I think you have to ship him and rebuild. Kanter/Adams/Ola are a GREAT, young core to build upon, plus if Waiters can actually play like he belongs in the NBA more consistently, there is another piece.

 

I really think, if Russ stays put, OKC is a 3 or 4 seed next season. I think their size and athleticism will give both the Spurs and the Warriors problems again next year. How cool would that be? Westbrook going bananas all season and leading OKC to a championship?

[Cruzer 1,992]

 

KD was the biggest reason OKC happened.

Maybe 2nd - not the 1st. Katrina was - well that and the fan base.

[CantTouchThis 23]

Maybe 2nd - not the 1st. Katrina was - well that and the fan base.

 

I knew a girl named Katrina once. Nice gal. For some reason she always wore those on-purpose torn up jeans that I still don't get why they exist.

[Cruzer 1,992]

 

I knew a girl named Katrina once. Nice gal. For some reason she always wore those on-purpose torn up jeans that I still don't get why they exist.

I never got the torn jean thing either... I'm just guessing, but wouldn't they just rip to total shreds after you wash them?

[CantTouchThis 23]

I never got the torn jean thing either... I'm just guessing, but wouldn't they just rip to total shreds after you wash them?

 

I guess not. I had an old g/f(not Katrina, I'm not down with the swirl), that had like 20 pairs and they would wash just fine. Or maybe she had 20 pairs because they couldn't be washed. Hmmm. I guess I never actually saw her do laundry(maybe that's why it didn't work out ).

[SUXBNME 1,340]

Anyone heard the rumor that Cousins will be traded to the Cavs yet?

No idea how serious it actually is, but if true...wow.

[KSB2424 3,083]

 

Calling the dude a pvssy or a coward.. People need to grow the fock up, it's sports...

 

Don't understand people getting worked up, I really don't.. Didn't have a problem with LeBron and don't have a problem with KD. These dudes both put in plenty of time, 8 & 9 years respectively. They can do whatever they want and I say more power to them, all great teams possessed multiple HoF players so , this is no nothing new.

 

Also, the quoted tweet from 6 years ago when the dude was 21 years old, I repeat, 21 years old.... Yea, things change, as they do for everybody.

1. Nobody is 'worked up'. It's sports and people have opinions.

 

2. It's not that KD left in free agency. It's that he went to the ONLY team in the league where everyone would roll their eyes because. A. Its OKC's rival in the West and B. The team that he failed to put away. It'd be like MJ leaving for the Pistons in 1990. Ugh.

 

Sorry, it reeks of riding coat tails. Charles Barkley said it best. In the NBA there are bus drivers and bus riders. KD just got up from the captains chair and walked to the back of the bus for a ride. Sorta sad to watch for such a tremdous talent.

[Reality 2,710]

1. Nobody is 'worked up'. It's sports and people have opinions.

 

2. It's not that KD left in free agency. It's that he went to the ONLY team in the league where everyone would roll their eyes because. A. Its OKC's rival in the West and B. The team that he failed to put away. It'd be like MJ leaving for the Pistons in 1990. Ugh.

 

Sorry, it reeks of riding coat tails. Charles Barkley said it best. In the NBA there are bus drivers and bus riders. KD just got up from the captains chair and walked to the back of the bus for a ride. Sorta sad to watch for such a tremdous talent.

Is it sad to watch? I guess we'll find out after they actually play basketball games.

 

If you were ok with the LeBron decision, you can't possibly have a problem with this. It's beyond hypocritical if you do.

[cyclone24 1,814]

Barkley of all people said that? At least KD went when his contract was up...not demand a trade that fleeced philly.

 

Heres the thing...the way the caps working its funneling the superstars to just a few teams. Curry will get a bank load NEXT year..so if he was going to move he had to do it thjs year.

 

OKC mgmnt is a bit of a trainwreck...so why not go to a far better run organization.

[KSB2424 3,083]

Barkley of all people said that? At least KD went when his contract was up...not demand a trade that fleeced philly.

 

Heres the thing...the way the caps working its funneling the superstars to just a few teams. Curry will get a bank load NEXT year..so if he was going to move he had to do it thjs year.

 

OKC mgmnt is a bit of a trainwreck...so why not go to a far better run organization.

Again, KD can do whatever he wants. That doesn't mean I have to respect him. Because he lost that with me. If Lebron would have went to the Celtics and joined KG-PP-Ray Allen that would have been similar. An already championship team with three greats already. That's simply riding coat tails. I would have lost respect then too. Miami was a borderline playoff team before Lebron got there.

 

If the Warriors win it all next year.....so what? IF KD went to the Celtics....joined Horford and Thomas and Stevens and took them, drive the bus, to a championship he'd go down in NBA lore as a great.

 

Now he'll be a glorified Robert Horry.

[Cruzer 1,992]

Again, it's not that KD exercised his right to use FA, it's the patronizing hypocrisy that he did it with that irks a lot of people (least me)... I wish him well and I hope his ring(s) are everything he imagined - bcoz his image is forever changed and will be viewed as a punk ass bandwagoner the rest of his career.

[Reality 2,710]

Again, KD can do whatever he wants. That doesn't mean I have to respect him. Because he lost that with me. If Lebron would have went to the Celtics and joined KG-PP-Ray Allen that would have been similar. An already championship team with three greats already. That's simply riding coat tails. I would have lost respect then too. Miami was a borderline playoff team before Lebron got there.

 

If the Warriors win it all next year.....so what? IF KD went to the Celtics....joined Horford and Thomas and Stevens and took them, drive the bus, to a championship he'd go down in NBA lore as a great.

 

Now he'll be a glorified Robert Horry.

Conspiring with other free agents to build a super team is different from one FA choosing to sign with a team already built to win championships? You can't be ok with one and not the other, it's beyond hypocritical.

[Willis McGahee's Dentist 61]

Conspiring with other free agents to build a super team is different from one FA choosing to sign with a team already built to win championships? You can't be ok with one and not the other, it's beyond hypocritical.

Lebron's "decision" was lame. But at least it was outside pieces that would take time to mold. There was a bit of a challenge there. The Warriors were within 4 points of being two time defending champs. They are already the favorites without Durant. Like Larry Bird said, he couldn't imagine joining forces with Magic Johnson back in the 80's. You wanted to beat the best, not quit your team and join them.

[MDC 5,900]

Lebron's decision and Durant's were pretty much equally lame IMO.

 

Durant's is arguably worse since he joined the team that just beat him in game 7 of the WCF. He quit on being able to get past the Warriors and joined them instead.

 

But LeBron ripped his own team's heart out on live TV and then bragged about bringing 5-6 championships to Miami. That was a far doosh oer publicity stunt.

 

It's a wash.

[cyclone24 1,814]

I think if you take the emotion out of him leaving which I'm aware is impossible to do with sports because our emotional ties are massive with our teams are Sports in our cities. But if the company you were working for wasn't run by management all that well and the best people were starting to leave and you knew the other best person was going to leave next year and you look across the street and say hey this company called Golden State runs things really well and are going to pay me a lot of money and they are at the top of their profession. You would probably go in a heartbeat.

[drobeski 3,061]

What's the big deal ? LeBron had to leave Cleveland and join a super team to win his.

[Willis McGahee's Dentist 61]

What's the big deal ? LeBron had to leave Cleveland and join a super team to win his.

You're so darn cute when you try to talk about sports.

[drobeski 3,061]

You're so darn cute when you try to talk about sports.

am I wrong ? Cuter than frosted tips ?

[Reality 2,710]

Lebron's "decision" was lame. But at least it was outside pieces that would take time to mold. There was a bit of a challenge there. The Warriors were within 4 points of being two time defending champs. They are already the favorites without Durant. Like Larry Bird said, he couldn't imagine joining forces with Magic Johnson back in the 80's. You wanted to beat the best, not quit your team and join them.

 

Love Larry Legend but, he should stop talking. He was surrounded by HoF players his entire career. It's very easy for him to say he wouldn't want to join forces with anybody else.

[cyclone24 1,814]

 

Love Larry Legend but, he should stop talking. He was surrounded by HoF players his entire career. It's very easy for him to say he wouldn't want to join forces with anybody else.

And like larry wouldn't have taken Kevin Durant if he wanted to come to Indiana.

[Fumbleweed 426]

Since I have lived in Oklahoma now for 20 years, I will sort of offer up the hometown perspective on this.

 

Durant was beloved in this state. In a way that few athletes will ever experience. The Oladipo trade had already made the team better than last year's team. They were primed for a title.

 

I'm not angry that Durant left. I am sad about it, though. It's hard for a smaller market team to win a title, and the Thunder got so close. Like Cruzer said, the fans here are fantastic. Best in the league. OKC is a nice city, too. Not spectacular, but nicer than one might think who hasn't been here. In the end, the NBA is trending towards dominant big market teams again. Is that good for the league? Depends on your perspective. I just wish the Thunder could have closed out the Warriors at home. Would have made all of this a moot point. That was a painful loss knowing what the implications might be.

[cyclone24 1,814]

Since I have lived in Oklahoma now for 20 years, I will sort of offer up the hometown perspective on this.

 

Durant was beloved in this state. In a way that few athletes will ever experience. The Oladipo trade had already made the team better than last year's team. They were primed for a title.

 

I'm not angry that Durant left. I am sad about it, though. It's hard for a smaller market team to win a title, and the Thunder got so close. Like Cruzer said, the fans here are fantastic. Best in the league. OKC is a nice city, too. Not spectacular, but nicer than one might think who hasn't been here. In the end, the NBA is trending towards dominant big market teams again. Is that good for the league? Depends on your perspective. I just wish the Thunder could have closed out the Warriors at home. Would have made all of this a moot point. That was a painful loss knowing what the implications might be.

Well and I told a buddy this before game 7 of that Warrior series that Oklahoma City could be 48 minutes away from going extinct or 48 minutes from building a dynasty. Sadly it was the first

[Willis McGahee's Dentist 61]

 

Love Larry Legend but, he should stop talking. He was surrounded by HoF players his entire career. It's very easy for him to say he wouldn't want to join forces with anybody else.

But as great as he was, Bird only has three rings. The same as Lebron. Why? Because he played at the same time as the awesome Lakers teams of the 80's. He still never thought of quitting the Celts to join Magic and the Lakers.

[Fumbleweed 426]

Well and I told a buddy this before game 7 of that Warrior series that Oklahoma City could be 48 minutes away from going extinct or 48 minutes from building a dynasty. Sadly it was the first

Exactly. It's why that series was so painful for Thunder fans. It changed the course of history.

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

Since I have lived in Oklahoma now for 20 years, I will sort of offer up the hometown perspective on this.

 

Durant was beloved in this state. In a way that few athletes will ever experience. The Oladipo trade had already made the team better than last year's team. They were primed for a title.

 

I'm not angry that Durant left. I am sad about it, though. It's hard for a smaller market team to win a title, and the Thunder got so close. Like Cruzer said, the fans here are fantastic. Best in the league. OKC is a nice city, too. Not spectacular, but nicer than one might think who hasn't been here. In the end, the NBA is trending towards dominant big market teams again. Is that good for the league? Depends on your perspective. I just wish the Thunder could have closed out the Warriors at home. Would have made all of this a moot point. That was a painful loss knowing what the implications might be.

I think its quite bad for the NBA.

 

To the extent I claim a team, I'm a grizzlies fan. I know that in all likelihood they will never win a title, because no big FA will ever come here. So unless they get extremely lucky and get to draft an all time great, they will never be much better than they are now. A low level playoff team.

 

It is not good for a league for half the teams in the league to be completely irrelevant on a long term basis.

[cyclone24 1,814]

I think its quite bad for the NBA.

 

To the extent I claim a team, I'm a grizzlies fan. I know that in all likelihood they will never win a title, because no big FA will ever come here. So unless they get extremely lucky and get to draft an all time great, they will never be much better than they are now. A low level playoff team.

 

It is not good for a league for half the teams in the league to be completely irrelevant on a long term basis.

I don't know it's July and everyone still talking about the NBA so I'm not sure how bad it is. And if KD resigned with Oklahoma City that still doesn't do a whole lot more for teams like Memphis New York New Orleans etc

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

I don't know it's July and everyone still talking about the NBA so I'm not sure how bad it is. And if KD resigned with Oklahoma City that still doesn't do a whole lot more for teams like Memphis New York New Orleans etc

 

My point is that parity is better. If the talent was spread around that would be good.

 

Or contract five or six teams and have super teams.

 

But having a few perennial super teams and a bunch of also rans is lame.

 

Baseball has a similar problem, although of late some of the perennial doormats have risen up (royals, pirates) and the usual powers suck (yankees, sox)

[cyclone24 1,814]

 

My point is that parity is better. If the talent was spread around that would be good.

 

Or contract five or six teams and have super teams.

 

But having a few perennial super teams and a bunch of also rans is lame.

 

Baseball has a similar problem, although of late some of the perennial doormats have risen up (royals, pirates) and the usual powers suck (yankees, sox)

Football is probably a better comparison. Baseball it's really hard to say who was going to make it I don't think a ton of people had Mets Royals last year. Even as good as the Royals have been the last couple years.

 

I agree with the parity though. Golden State will be a neat Story for about two months and then everyone will lose interest and start saying let's just start the finals already. That's not a good look