NBA

[whiskeyriver]

Jul 5, 2016 11:48:36 GMT -6 jeffrx said:

The KD move is ridiculous. I mean, good for the Warriors, but to me Durant is really selling out in order to win. He's not earning any respect with this move. Any championship will be meaningless to me as far as Durant with the Warriors and I suspect many NBA fans feel the same.

That's just so ridiculous. "They're too good with him, so it doesn't really count." 

[whiskeyriver]

Jul 5, 2016 13:28:06 GMT -6 devastitis said:

Jul 5, 2016 13:09:33 GMT -6 exophobe said:

Don't forget that Lebron did the exact same thing like five years ago. People seem to have gotten over it.

its different when joining a middling team (Heat) that Lebron dominated every year, then to join a team that just won 73 games and beat Durant's team just barely. That's a pure sell out move to win a title in the absolute easiest way possible. He choked away the WCF to join the team that he choked against, instead of taking one last crack at it with Westbrook to prove he is one of the best players in the league. Now he's playing third fiddle in GSW.

How? How is it different? This is patently illogical to me. It makes a difference because it's the team that beat him? How? He can't go to the team that gives him the best chance at a championship? He has to suffer in purgatory? Why?

[whiskeyriver]

Jul 5, 2016 13:38:02 GMT -6 jeffrx said:

Jul 5, 2016 13:09:33 GMT -6 exophobe said:

Don't forget that Lebron did the exact same thing like five years ago. People seem to have gotten over it.

They got over it because he went back to Cleveland.  Many people still had a problem with him up to that point.  For me, any other team would have been OK for Durant to join, but not the Warriors.  I'll never be OK with this because it's too easy for him and he failed to accept a true basketball challenge, opting instead to join a team already at championship caliber.  It's even worse than Lebron and the Heat IMO because at least the Heat were not already on top the year before Lebron joined.  

I just can't get on board with this backwards logic. "Too easy." Really? He had to suffer? He can't choose to go to the team that gives him the best chance? Why? Where is that the rule? This all just seems like sour grapes.

[devastitis]

Jul 5, 2016 23:26:09 GMT -6 whiskeyriver said:

Jul 5, 2016 13:38:02 GMT -6 jeffrx said:

They got over it because he went back to Cleveland.  Many people still had a problem with him up to that point.  For me, any other team would have been OK for Durant to join, but not the Warriors.  I'll never be OK with this because it's too easy for him and he failed to accept a true basketball challenge, opting instead to join a team already at championship caliber.  It's even worse than Lebron and the Heat IMO because at least the Heat were not already on top the year before Lebron joined.  

I just can't get on board with this backwards logic. "Too easy." Really? He had to suffer? He can't choose to go to the team that gives him the best chance? Why? Where is that the rule? This all just seems like sour grapes.

He chose the easiest path to a title and that's his choice, but it's still a huge cop out move for him.  If he wanted any type of legacy, it wasn't to go to a team that already established themselves as the top team in the NBA without him.  Especially when he choked so hard against them in the WCF.  But maybe that's not what he cares about anymore.  Even still it's a sell out move since he did exactly what he completely denounced when Lebron made his move to Miami.




At least Lebron went to Miami to start his own dynasty with a team that barely cracked the playoffs, and brought 2 titles and 4 NBA Finals with them. Then went back to Cleveland to a team that was a lottery team every year, and immediately took them to back to back NBA Finals and almost singlehandedly beat the Warriors in the first meeting, and dominated to help win the second.

But the Warriors aren't my team, so I see where the "sour grapes" comment can come from.  Especially since the Warriors fans made all the excuses as to why they lost the NBA Finals to Lebron/Cavs, and that was pretty sour grape-y as well.

[nate001]

Jul 6, 2016 0:45:19 GMT -6 devastitis said:

Jul 5, 2016 23:26:09 GMT -6 whiskeyriver said:

I just can't get on board with this backwards logic. "Too easy." Really? He had to suffer? He can't choose to go to the team that gives him the best chance? Why? Where is that the rule? This all just seems like sour grapes.

He chose the easiest path to a title and that's his choice, but it's still a huge cop out move for him.  If he wanted any type of legacy, it wasn't to go to a team that already established themselves as the top team in the NBA without him.  Especially when he choked so hard against them in the WCF.  But maybe that's not what he cares about anymore.  Even still it's a sell out move since he did exactly what he completely denounced when Lebron made his move to Miami.




At least Lebron went to Miami to start his own dynasty with a team that barely cracked the playoffs, and brought 2 titles and 4 NBA Finals with them. Then went back to Cleveland to a team that was a lottery team every year, and immediately took them to back to back NBA Finals and almost singlehandedly beat the Warriors in the first meeting, and dominated to help win the second.

But the Warriors aren't my team, so I see where the "sour grapes" comment can come from.  Especially since the Warriors fans made all the excuses as to why they lost the NBA Finals to Lebron/Cavs, and that was pretty sour grape-y as well.

I disagree that KD took the "easy way to a title".  It's still harder than hell to win in the NBA.  There are just so many good teams (particularly in the west) and bad luck, injury, or any number of other things can screw up a title run.  I can't begrudge KD for going to the Warriors because he wants to win.  Due to the current collective bargaining agreement, KD was (more or less) going to get the same max contract from any team he chose.  If the money is the equal, why not go to the team that gives you the best chance to win?  


I also reject the notion that he should have stayed out of some sense of loyalty to the Thunder.  What does he owe them?  Let's not forget, this is the same team that held the city of Seattle ransom and then moved.  Where was the loyalty then?  This is also the same team that traded Harden for pennies on the dollar (though some could argue that Harden never would have worked in their system, he needed to be the primary option, they got Steven Adams in return, etc, etc) a few years ago.  Anytime the loyalty card is drawn with reference to players, I'm skeptical.  Owners (with some exceptions) show little to no loyalty.  Why should players?

I think the people of OKC have a right to be disappointed, but not angry.  This is the future of the NBA.  If Michael or Magic or Bird or Bill Russell were playing in the current system, don't you think they would do something similar?  


I guess at the end of the day, I'm just excited to see what KD will do on the Warriors.  It will be a helluva a team to watch. 

[whiskeyriver]

Jul 6, 2016 7:51:29 GMT -6 nate001 said:

Jul 6, 2016 0:45:19 GMT -6 devastitis said:

He chose the easiest path to a title and that's his choice, but it's still a huge cop out move for him.  If he wanted any type of legacy, it wasn't to go to a team that already established themselves as the top team in the NBA without him.  Especially when he choked so hard against them in the WCF.  But maybe that's not what he cares about anymore.  Even still it's a sell out move since he did exactly what he completely denounced when Lebron made his move to Miami.




At least Lebron went to Miami to start his own dynasty with a team that barely cracked the playoffs, and brought 2 titles and 4 NBA Finals with them. Then went back to Cleveland to a team that was a lottery team every year, and immediately took them to back to back NBA Finals and almost singlehandedly beat the Warriors in the first meeting, and dominated to help win the second.

But the Warriors aren't my team, so I see where the "sour grapes" comment can come from.  Especially since the Warriors fans made all the excuses as to why they lost the NBA Finals to Lebron/Cavs, and that was pretty sour grape-y as well.

I disagree that KD took the "easy way to a title".  It's still harder than hell to win in the NBA.  There are just so many good teams (particularly in the west) and bad luck, injury, or any number of other things can screw up a title run.  I can't begrudge KD for going to the Warriors because he wants to win.  Due to the current collective bargaining agreement, KD was (more or less) going to get the same max contract from any team he chose.  If the money is the equal, why not go to the team that gives you the best chance to win?  


I also reject the notion that he should have stayed out of some sense of loyalty to the Thunder.  What does he owe them?  Let's not forget, this is the same team that held the city of Seattle ransom and then moved.  Where was the loyalty then?  This is also the same team that traded Harden for pennies on the dollar (though some could argue that Harden never would have worked in their system, he needed to be the primary option, they got Steven Adams in return, etc, etc) a few years ago.  Anytime the loyalty card is drawn with reference to players, I'm skeptical.  Owners (with some exceptions) show little to no loyalty.  Why should players?

I think the people of OKC have a right to be disappointed, but not angry.  This is the future of the NBA.  If Michael or Magic or Bird or Bill Russell were playing in the current system, don't you think they would do something similar?  


I guess at the end of the day, I'm just excited to see what KD will do on the Warriors.  It will be a helluva a team to watch. 

Exactly. Exactly.

And Dev, it wasn't sour grapes about losing. We lost, and we were pissed. Simple as that. Wouldn't you be, too? And he didn't "start his own dynasty." He did the same thing as KD, but rather going to a team that had already been slow-built from the ground up, he just collected a bunch of players and made a super team overnight. There's little difference in my mind. It's the team that beat him. So? Lebron just gathered superstars and built a super team overnight (with Pat Reilly's help, mind you...that whole deal wasn't just Lebron.) KD instead went to a team that was already super. Where's the difference? It's funny how winning erases bad tastes and memories. That Lebron's "decision" suddenly is forgotten and no big deal (it never was) because of a couple titles and a return to Cleveland. But KD seeking a title is a great crime unto the NBA. The logic is off.

[bentin]

KD didn't wear a purple gingham shirt and take ESPN hostage for a special to announce his decision. And LeBron going to Miami worked out fine for me.

[nate001]

Jul 6, 2016 8:31:51 GMT -6 bentin said:

KD didn't wear a purple gingham shirt and take ESPN hostage for a special to announce his decision. And LeBron going to Miami worked out fine for me.

This.  I think we can all agree it was a good thing there wasn't a Decision 2.0

[nate001]

Not a terrible free agent season for the Mavs bentin . Bogut's a gamer if he can stay healthy. Not sure Barnes is a max deal guy, but he'll take some scoring pressure off Dirk. Though with the cap rising like it is, my grandma's a max player and she's been dead for two years.  At least you avoided Dwight Howard!!

[bentin]

Jul 6, 2016 8:36:45 GMT -6 nate001 said:

Not a terrible free agent season for the Mavs bentin . Bogut's a gamer if he can stay healthy. Not sure Barnes is a max deal guy, but he'll take some scoring pressure off Dirk. Though with the cap rising like it is, my grandma's a max player and she's been dead for two years.  At least you avoided Dwight Howard!!

Yeah, we've actually found a few young guys. Hopefully Carlisle figures out how to play them. Glad to see Parsons go too. Overall, not a bad offseason and maybe one day we can get back into the draft.

[nate001]

Jul 6, 2016 8:39:15 GMT -6 bentin said:

Jul 6, 2016 8:36:45 GMT -6 nate001 said:

Not a terrible free agent season for the Mavs bentin . Bogut's a gamer if he can stay healthy. Not sure Barnes is a max deal guy, but he'll take some scoring pressure off Dirk. Though with the cap rising like it is, my grandma's a max player and she's been dead for two years.  At least you avoided Dwight Howard!!

Yeah, we've actually found a few young guys. Hopefully Carlisle figures out how to play them. Glad to see Parsons go too. Overall, not a bad offseason and maybe one day we can get back into the draft.

Parsons was douchey

[bentin]

Jul 6, 2016 8:43:42 GMT -6 nate001 said:

Jul 6, 2016 8:39:15 GMT -6 bentin said:

Yeah, we've actually found a few young guys. Hopefully Carlisle figures out how to play them. Glad to see Parsons go too. Overall, not a bad offseason and maybe one day we can get back into the draft.

Parsons was douchey

He came from Houston. A team of douches.

[drewcandraw]

bentin you better hope the Mavs find some kiwi trainers for Bogut, cause his knees/back will need those specialists to keep him useful. That training staff got him to slim down and stay as healthy as he could. I don't think anyone liked Parsons in general, but he is on the same level as Gordon Hayward haha.

If Barnes can find his fire from 2 years ago in the playoffs, he may grow into the player I thought he was. If not hopefully the 30-35 minutes will boost his confidence enough to give the Mavs better production of say 15-7-2 or 20-6-4.

[devastitis]

Jul 6, 2016 7:51:29 GMT -6 nate001 said:

Jul 6, 2016 0:45:19 GMT -6 devastitis said:

He chose the easiest path to a title and that's his choice, but it's still a huge cop out move for him.  If he wanted any type of legacy, it wasn't to go to a team that already established themselves as the top team in the NBA without him.  Especially when he choked so hard against them in the WCF.  But maybe that's not what he cares about anymore.  Even still it's a sell out move since he did exactly what he completely denounced when Lebron made his move to Miami.




At least Lebron went to Miami to start his own dynasty with a team that barely cracked the playoffs, and brought 2 titles and 4 NBA Finals with them. Then went back to Cleveland to a team that was a lottery team every year, and immediately took them to back to back NBA Finals and almost singlehandedly beat the Warriors in the first meeting, and dominated to help win the second.

But the Warriors aren't my team, so I see where the "sour grapes" comment can come from.  Especially since the Warriors fans made all the excuses as to why they lost the NBA Finals to Lebron/Cavs, and that was pretty sour grape-y as well.

1. I disagree that KD took the "easy way to a title".  It's still harder than hell to win in the NBA.  There are just so many good teams (particularly in the west) and bad luck, injury, or any number of other things can screw up a title run.  I can't begrudge KD for going to the Warriors because he wants to win.  Due to the current collective bargaining agreement, KD was (more or less) going to get the same max contract from any team he chose.  If the money is the equal, why not go to the team that gives you the best chance to win?  

2. I also reject the notion that he should have stayed out of some sense of loyalty to the Thunder.  What does he owe them?  Let's not forget, this is the same team that held the city of Seattle ransom and then moved.  Where was the loyalty then?  This is also the same team that traded Harden for pennies on the dollar (though some could argue that Harden never would have worked in their system, he needed to be the primary option, they got Steven Adams in return, etc, etc) a few years ago.  Anytime the loyalty card is drawn with reference to players, I'm skeptical.  Owners (with some exceptions) show little to no loyalty.  Why should players?

3. I think the people of OKC have a right to be disappointed, but not angry.  This is the future of the NBA.  If Michael or Magic or Bird or Bill Russell were playing in the current system, don't you think they would do something similar?  

I guess at the end of the day, I'm just excited to see what KD will do on the Warriors.  It will be a helluva a team to watch. 

1.  He chose a team that just broke the NBA record, and have made the Finals in back to back years, and were a few minutes away from a two-peat.  There really is no easier way to the Finals than to join Golden State, besides joining Cleveland.  Sure they still have to play the game, and that there are injuries.  But all things equal, because you don't assume that they'll lose Klay or Curry for a season like you would assume the Knicks to lose Rose, there's no easier team to make it to the Finals than the Warriors.  So yes, this was the easy way out.

2.  He didn't owe it to OKC to stay in OKC.  But by leaving OKC and joining the best team in the league, a team that OKC very nearly beat, while still in his prime, he's basically saying I'm not good enough to beat them, so I'm not going to try.  If he wanted to "grow as a player" it wasn't to join GSW and immediately become the third best option.  He's getting his money, and he's setting himself up to get his rings.  But any type of legacy he wanted to make for himself went out the window.

3.  Disagree that Jordan or Magic or Bird or Russell would have left.  Because if they would have left, they would have left.  Nothing in that system would have prevented it, except their own pride.  If anything, Jordan and Russell did what Lebron did in Miami, and is doing in Cleveland.  Tell the front court how to make themselves better, and use leverage to get what he wants.  Jordan got bounced from the playoffs every year he made it for a long period of time.  He could have joined any one of the teams that were knocking his team out of the playoffs and two-peating, and won titles with them.  But he didn't.  KD clearly didn't want the pressure of being the guy who teams build around.

Good for KD for picking the team that'll give him the best chance to win the title, but he is taking the easiest road to get there.

[northcoast]

Jul 6, 2016 8:21:38 GMT -6 whiskeyriver said:

" That Lebron's "decision" suddenly is forgotten and no big deal (it never was) because of a couple titles and a return to Cleveland. But KD seeking a title is a great crime unto the NBA. The logic is off."

No Cleveland fan has forgotten and  it will always be a HUGE deal.

[nate001]

Jul 6, 2016 11:34:50 GMT -6 devastitis said:

Jul 6, 2016 7:51:29 GMT -6 nate001 said:

1.  He chose a team that just broke the NBA record, and have made the Finals in back to back years, and were a few minutes away from a two-peat.  There really is no easier way to the Finals than to join Golden State, besides joining Cleveland.  Sure they still have to play the game, and that there are injuries.  But all things equal, because you don't assume that they'll lose Klay or Curry for a season like you would assume the Knicks to lose Rose, there's no easier team to make it to the Finals than the Warriors.  So yes, this was the easy way out.

2.  He didn't owe it to OKC to stay in OKC.  But by leaving OKC and joining the best team in the league, a team that OKC very nearly beat, while still in his prime, he's basically saying I'm not good enough to beat them, so I'm not going to try.  If he wanted to "grow as a player" it wasn't to join GSW and immediately become the third best option.  He's getting his money, and he's setting himself up to get his rings.  But any type of legacy he wanted to make for himself went out the window.

3.  Disagree that Jordan or Magic or Bird or Russell would have left.  Because if they would have left, they would have left.  Nothing in that system would have prevented it, except their own pride.  If anything, Jordan and Russell did what Lebron did in Miami, and is doing in Cleveland.  Tell the front court how to make themselves better, and use leverage to get what he wants.  Jordan got bounced from the playoffs every year he made it for a long period of time.  He could have joined any one of the teams that were knocking his team out of the playoffs and two-peating, and won titles with them.  But he didn't.  KD clearly didn't want the pressure of being the guy who teams build around.

Good for KD for picking the team that'll give him the best chance to win the title, but he is taking the easiest road to get there.

I don't disagree with any of those points dev, except maybe #3. I think free agent movement was more difficult in the 80's than it is today (certainly in the 60's), but that's picking nits.  My biggest issue is probably a semantic one.  By saying he took the easy way out, it sounds like a dubs title in '17 is preordained.  Did he go to the team with the best chance of winning?  Yes.  Will it be easy?  No.  

If you were to go back to 2012 (right after they lost in the Finals) and predict how many championships the Thunder would win, what would you say?  Two?  Three?  Then Harden was let go and injuries to Russ and KD seemed to happen with the worst possible timing.  I think KD realizes how fleeting these things are and want the best possible chance to win.

Thanks for the spirited discussion. 

[bentin]

Wait, what's wrong with the easy way out? Should I move my kid to Liberia so he has to really earn things?

KD took the same money and went to the place that had the highest probability of success, isn't that what we all do when taking a job? And most of us can expect a longer career than 20 years max (except you, Ray Allen.)

[devastitis]

Jul 6, 2016 11:54:22 GMT -6 nate001 said:

Jul 6, 2016 11:34:50 GMT -6 devastitis said:

1.  He chose a team that just broke the NBA record, and have made the Finals in back to back years, and were a few minutes away from a two-peat.  There really is no easier way to the Finals than to join Golden State, besides joining Cleveland.  Sure they still have to play the game, and that there are injuries.  But all things equal, because you don't assume that they'll lose Klay or Curry for a season like you would assume the Knicks to lose Rose, there's no easier team to make it to the Finals than the Warriors.  So yes, this was the easy way out.

2.  He didn't owe it to OKC to stay in OKC.  But by leaving OKC and joining the best team in the league, a team that OKC very nearly beat, while still in his prime, he's basically saying I'm not good enough to beat them, so I'm not going to try.  If he wanted to "grow as a player" it wasn't to join GSW and immediately become the third best option.  He's getting his money, and he's setting himself up to get his rings.  But any type of legacy he wanted to make for himself went out the window.

3.  Disagree that Jordan or Magic or Bird or Russell would have left.  Because if they would have left, they would have left.  Nothing in that system would have prevented it, except their own pride.  If anything, Jordan and Russell did what Lebron did in Miami, and is doing in Cleveland.  Tell the front court how to make themselves better, and use leverage to get what he wants.  Jordan got bounced from the playoffs every year he made it for a long period of time.  He could have joined any one of the teams that were knocking his team out of the playoffs and two-peating, and won titles with them.  But he didn't.  KD clearly didn't want the pressure of being the guy who teams build around.

Good for KD for picking the team that'll give him the best chance to win the title, but he is taking the easiest road to get there.

I don't disagree with any of those points dev, except maybe #3. I think free agent movement was more difficult in the 80's than it is today (certainly in the 60's), but that's picking nits.  My biggest issue is probably a semantic one.  By saying he took the easy way out, it sounds like a dubs title in '17 is preordained.  Did he go to the team with the best chance of winning?  Yes.  Will it be easy?  No.  

If you were to go back to 2012 (right after they lost in the Finals) and predict how many championships the Thunder would win, what would you say?  Two?  Three?  Then Harden was let go and injuries to Russ and KD seemed to happen with the worst possible timing.  I think KD realizes how fleeting these things are and want the best possible chance to win.

Thanks for the spirited discussion. 

I didn't think the Thunder were going to win any because Lebron > KD, and it took one of the most insanely well oiled machines in San Antonio to beat Lebron and the Heat. Make some more Finals, yes, a couple more.

Analytics stated that last year had 4 of the best 30 teams to ever play. 1 played in the East, Cleveland, and 3 played in the West, GSW/OKC/San Antonio. GSW just took OKC's best player, and OKC will probably be without Westbrook as well. San Antonio the jury is still out on if they upgraded this offseason. Looking around the league, I don't see any teams that really upgraded much in the West either. So GSW doesn't have to face the stiff competition to get to the Finals that they faced last year.

If he had joined any other team, he'd eventually would have had to face either GSW or Cleveland. So by joining one of them, he's taking the easiest road to the Finals. And yes, they still have to play the games, but taking the easiest road is still taking the easy way out.

[exophobe]

Jul 6, 2016 11:50:22 GMT -6 northcoast said:

Jul 6, 2016 8:21:38 GMT -6 whiskeyriver said:

" That Lebron's "decision" suddenly is forgotten and no big deal (it never was) because of a couple titles and a return to Cleveland. But KD seeking a title is a great crime unto the NBA. The logic is off."

No Cleveland fan has forgotten and  it will always be a HUGE deal.

I guess I missed the sad-sacks in the middle of those championship celebrations.

[devastitis]

Jul 6, 2016 12:05:14 GMT -6 bentin said:

Wait, what's wrong with the easy way out? Should I move my kid to Liberia so he has to really earn things?

KD took the same money and went to the place that had the highest probability of success, isn't that what we all do when taking a job? And most of us can expect a longer career than 20 years max (except you, Ray Allen.)

he did what he did, and that was in his best interest. But some are arguing it wasn't the easy way out. And that I don't understand how such a conclusion can be made.

[bentin]

Good chance the Clippers and Grizz aren't both crippled this year. If healthy, the Clips would have been a good challenge to the Warriors this year. It's still a hell of a lot easier for LeBron to get to the finals than KD.

And again, if he was changing teams, why not go to the best one? I'd argue that he'd be a better fit with the Clippers, and have similar odds of reaching the finals, but he still chose well, there were a lot of bad decisions he could have made, like any Eastern team. But I'd say the Clippers, Warriors and Spurs were the only upgrades to his OKC team. Plus attracting anyone to that shitsville is a nearly impossible task.

[exophobe]

Also, that gives OKC that much more motivation to win, doesn't it? They don't have to struggle to figure out how they work, while the guy switching teams does. Just ask Andrew Luck and the Colts how much they wanted to take down the Broncos even though they let Manning go.

[northcoast]

Jul 6, 2016 12:26:37 GMT -6 exophobe said:

Jul 6, 2016 11:50:22 GMT -6 northcoast said:

" That Lebron's "decision" suddenly is forgotten and no big deal (it never was) because of a couple titles and a return to Cleveland. But KD seeking a title is a great crime unto the NBA. The logic is off."

No Cleveland fan has forgotten and  it will always be a HUGE deal.

I guess I missed the sad-sacks in the middle of those championship celebrations.

It has nothing to do with being a sad sack.

The fact that he left will always be with him, this town, and his legacy.   It's an immutable asterisk, you know like how every time some hack writes an article about Cleveland they mention the river burning in the 60's.

[jeffrx]

Jul 5, 2016 23:26:09 GMT -6 whiskeyriver said:

Jul 5, 2016 13:38:02 GMT -6 jeffrx said:

They got over it because he went back to Cleveland.  Many people still had a problem with him up to that point.  For me, any other team would have been OK for Durant to join, but not the Warriors.  I'll never be OK with this because it's too easy for him and he failed to accept a true basketball challenge, opting instead to join a team already at championship caliber.  It's even worse than Lebron and the Heat IMO because at least the Heat were not already on top the year before Lebron joined.  

I just can't get on board with this backwards logic. "Too easy." Really? He had to suffer? He can't choose to go to the team that gives him the best chance? Why? Where is that the rule? This all just seems like sour grapes.

It's just my opinion, nothing more.  There is no rule against it obviously.  I wouldn't say he had to suffer.  None of these guys are suffering.  I just like watching good, competitive basketball.  By going to GS, my opinion is that basketball just got less competitive, that's all.  I personally will not have respect for any championship that KD wins with GS.  You are free to have your own opinion, as we all are.  Any team but GS would have been acceptable to me.  If (and probably when) the Warriors win the title, it will be the title of Curry, Thompson, Green, and Igoudala because they build the legacy.  KD is a great addition for them, but it's a really bad move for him from a legacy standpoint.  Again, this is just my opinion. 

[devastitis]

Jul 6, 2016 12:27:21 GMT -6 bentin said:

Good chance the Clippers and Grizz aren't both crippled this year. If healthy, the Clips would have been a good challenge to the Warriors this year. It's still a hell of a lot easier for LeBron to get to the finals than KD.

And again, if he was changing teams, why not go to the best one? I'd argue that he'd be a better fit with the Clippers, and have similar odds of reaching the finals, but he still chose well, there were a lot of bad decisions he could have made, like any Eastern team. But I'd say the Clippers, Warriors and Spurs were the only upgrades to his OKC team. Plus attracting anyone to that shitsville is a nearly impossible task.

Grizz are a team to keep an eye on for sure. But they will have lingering issues from last year's injuries. They were saying how Gasol will be a health risk the rest of his career because of his injury and his size. It ended Yao's career, and no one was effective playing through it because it takes years to fully heal. Conley will probably be fine and Parsons will probably be fine, since he took the last couple months of the season off to rehabilitate. But Achilles and knee injuries are tricky.