This reminds me having fun in a video game, but then learning about a cheat code. Sure it, sounds really cool at first, but it just makes the game too easy and no longer any fun.
Sure it is. Celeb attendance at Lakers games has been way down other than Kobe's last game, and if it weren't for his farewell tour, would have been nonexistent. Stubhub seats near the court are easy to come by for less than face now. Wait until the coming year. Sure, Nicholson and Leo (lifelong LA resident and Lakers fan) may not move to the Clippers, but the annual crop of hot young next thing actors and actresses who move in from Kansas and West Virginia have no loyalty to the Lakers, and couldn't give less of a shit about their history. Their agents at CAA and WME will tell them a Clips game is the place to be seen, and they will go.(Insert Kobe 5 rings GIF)Yeah, the bolded is not happening. One, that is not the way the city is wired,...
He is basically a figurehead at this point. He has almost nothing to do with day to day running the team. But I expect a call from him helps in recruiting.Jerry West continues to be amazing. How many good players over the years were available, he wanted, and didn't get? He was helped for years by being in LA, but there are other great markets too.
The Dubs almost lost the finals two years ago to a crippled Cavs squad and did lose this year when pushed around, exposing a weakness. IMO Barnes' misfires cost them at least a game (of course lots of things contribute to a loss, but Barnes had some wide open misses that could have salted away one of the losses), and now they've upgraded to the nth degree.
I agree with some posters that they'll be even weaker in the post and it'll be interesting to see how that's addressed - not sure on how ready draft picks are. Warriors will continue to be fun to watch - at least the starting unit, as the second unit presumably becomes a little less so.
Their fans have a model to look at to know what to expect. The post-Webber/Vlade/Peja/Bibby-era Sacramento Kings.One interesting subplot to keep an eye on here: Is OKC even a viable NBA market again? Assume for a second that they lose Westbrook, too. Then what?
Crawford is coming back. No idea what Doc is doing tho. Bringing rivers and Johnson back makes no sense.(Insert Kobe 5 rings GIF)Yeah, the bolded is not happening. One, that is not the way the city is wired, two, the Clips might have to get past the second round once in their history to approach that point. They aren't doing that anytime soon, not with losing Crawford and committing long term to Doc's horrible nepotism and "personnel management".
The Lakers do have to feel even sillier these days with the Mozgof signing, seeing how Bogut is now available. Bogut could give them everything they want from Mozgof - veteran leadership, a rim protector, and P&R center who knows and understands the Kerr/Walton system - for half the price and commitment.
I wonder how much Lacob's ability to sell Bay Area business connections to KD helped in the pitch.
We have a different view of the Clips prospects going forward. It will be interesting to see where the two teams are in the summer of 18, when the Clippers' big three are all FAs (if DJ ops out) and we know how the Lakers' young guys w/ Walton pan out.Sure it is. Celeb attendance at Lakers games has been way down other than Kobe's last game, and if it weren't for his farewell tour, would have been nonexistent. Stubhub seats near the court are easy to come by for less than face now. Wait until the coming year. Sure, Nicholson and Leo (lifelong LA resident and Lakers fan) may not move to the Clippers, but the annual crop of hot young next thing actors and actresses who move in from Kansas and West Virginia have no loyalty to the Lakers, and couldn't give less of a shit about their history. Their agents at CAA and WME will tell them a Clips game is the place to be seen, and they will go.
They can be picked up at five, be seen at the Warriors game and be back in bed (or whatever) by midnight. I'd rather do that.Sure it is. Celeb attendance at Lakers games has been way down other than Kobe's last game, and if it weren't for his farewell tour, would have been nonexistent. Stubhub seats near the court are easy to come by for less than face now. Wait until the coming year. Sure, Nicholson and Leo (lifelong LA resident and Lakers fan) may not move to the Clippers, but the annual crop of hot young next thing actors and actresses who move in from Kansas and West Virginia have no loyalty to the Lakers, and couldn't give less of a shit about their history. Their agents at CAA and WME will tell them a Clips game is the place to be seen, and they will go.
I'm excited to watch the first half of Warrior games and then go to bed early due to it being a blowout.This reminds me having fun in a video game, but then learning about a cheat code. Sure it, sounds really cool at first, but it just makes the game too easy and no longer any fun.
I want to watch great basketball, and this means that the Warriors games will be even more watchable than they were this year. This past season, with a top-heavy league, we had the best regular season I can recall. I'd rather it be the Celtics that are dominant, this means next season we get to see 82 times that the opponents are up for taking their best shot against the Warriors, and as a neutral I'll be rooting for the Warriors to meet that challenge.
I agree with this, but then again I find the nba regular season to be rather boring anyway. Wake me up when the conference finals begin.As a soccer fan, this decision sort of feels like Real Madrid signing Bale or Barcelona picking up Luis Suarez -- incredible teams get better and widen the talent gap. It's fun to watch Barcelona play with Messi-Neymar-Suarez. They do things that no one else does.
But it's boring. Sure, they have off days, and it's fun in a sadistic way to watch them squirm under the pressure of expectations, but you skip nine matches of ten--just watch the YouTube highlights--because they are going to steamroll the competition.
So, good for Durant for getting paid. Good for Durant playing where he wants to play. Good for Durant chasing rings.
But this move is boring. Yes, it'll be fun to watch Golden State highlights. Yes, it'll be interesting to see how they handle the pressure of sky-high expectations. It's boring because they'll roll through the league without breaking a sweat, just like Barcelona in 90% of its games.
This is exactly what it's like. When I played games as a kid, I never understood why so many of my friends would stack their rosters with as many stars as possible (mostly madden). Where's the challenge? Sports isn't fun if it's not challenging.This reminds me having fun in a video game, but then learning about a cheat code. Sure it, sounds really cool at first, but it just makes the game too easy and no longer any fun.
Wow, I think you need to climb off of that soapbox. Has anyone thought that maybe, just maybe, he saw how FUN the Warriors were last year and that he would love to play like that? It is a game after all.The move says a lot about KD's mentality, none of it very impressive. This is a guy with the talent to be in the best-10-players-of-all-time conversation but, rather than trying to lead a team to a few titles and cementing his place in that discussion, he'd rather guarantee a title or two and be content with a place alongside Worthy, Pippen, etc in the best-second-or-third-fiddle of all time conversation. Basically, he sacrificed a shot at true greatness just to reduce the chance that he goes through his career without a ring. And he made that sacrifice at 27, in his prime and with a lot of basketball left to play, not at the tail end of his career when desperation for a ring typically sets in.
Good point. There are guys who really care about legacy and all that jazz (e.g. Kobe, MJ) but a lot of players just want to enjoy themselves, have success and couldn't care less where people in sports bars rank them in hypothetical all-time lists.Wow, I think you need to climb off of that soapbox. Has anyone thought that maybe, just maybe, he saw how FUN the Warriors were last year and that he would love to play like that? It is a game after all.
That Warriors team made my dad, who had probably watched 4 non-playoff non-Celtics games in the last 10 years stay up past midnight to watch them as much as he could. Can you imagine how a basketball junkie like KD felt while watching/talking about them?
So you think a guy who sacrifices money and the ego boost of being "the man" for the shot to join a team that puts him in the best position to win is not impressive? That is an interesting take for sure.The move says a lot about KD's mentality, none of it very impressive. This is a guy with the talent to be in the best-10-players-of-all-time conversation but, rather than trying to lead a team to a few titles and cementing his place in that discussion, he'd rather guarantee a title or two and be content with a place alongside Worthy, Pippen, etc in the best-second-or-third-fiddle of all time conversation. Basically, he sacrificed a shot at true greatness just to reduce the chance that he goes through his career without a ring. And he made that sacrifice at 27, in his prime and with a lot of basketball left to play, not at the tail end of his career when desperation for a ring typically sets in.
Yeah, dude! It's super awesome to have 3 of the best 15 players in the league on one team.Wow, I think you need to climb off of that soapbox. Has anyone thought that maybe, just maybe, he saw how FUN the Warriors were last year and that he would love to play like that? It is a game after all.
That Warriors team made my dad, who had probably watched 4 non-playoff non-Celtics games in the last 10 years stay up past midnight to watch them as much as he could. Can you imagine how a basketball junkie like KD felt while watching/talking about them?
The Generals.Yeah, dude! It's super awesome to have 3 of the best 15 players in the league on one team.
If your dad liked that, he should check out the globetrotters. They run circles around the admirals!
The money point is a red herring as the sacrifice is miniscule in the big picture. Otherwise, what you refer to as the "ego boost of being the man" can also be seen as a chance to establish himself among the all time greats of the game, by leading a team to a title or two. And he clearly decided that he didn't want any part of that scenario any more. If he wants to just crush everybody playing 4th fiddle to Steph, Klay, and Draymond and win a few rings, that is his choice to make. But of course he'll be judged negatively on that decision by a public that wants its most talented stars to aspire to greatness and challenge themselves to be the best. I don't see what's so interesting or unusual about that take.So you think a guy who sacrifices money and the ego boost of being "the man" for the shot to join a team that puts him in the best position to win is not impressive? That is an interesting take for sure.
You're correct: It's not interesting or unusual.But of course he'll be judged negatively on that decision by a public that wants its most talented stars to aspire to greatness and challenge themselves to be the best. I don't see what's so interesting or unusual about that take.
Sometimes the conventional wisdom is completely understandable and defensible.You're correct: It's not interesting or unusual.
Yes -- Horford makes the team much better in the front court, the Celtics' public profile got lots of favorable attention around the league, the collection of assets is still intact, including one more max slot for next year's bidding, and the team's current players are one year more mature and closer to their primes.Celts fans should be pleased with Horford and being in the conversation with Durant.
This completely undersells the unusual nature of Durant's situation - a bonafide generational talent superstar smack in the middle of his prime deciding to join the best team in the league where he won't be the first (and maybe not even second) option. To only "acknowledge" players who don't fit this category is still to acknowledge 99.9% of the league.Or he understands what follows Malone, Barkley et al and wants no part it -- "he never got it done."
There is an element of can't win for losing in this. We'll acknowledge players only when they go to a non-stacked team and win. Really?
Because he can do both of those in Golden State.Why do people keep saying "years?"
It's one year. He'll opt out, because everyone does, and we'll have the same circus next year. If the Celtics make noise this year, he'll consider them again. But he's going to go for the ring this year and the money next year and beyond. Seems pretty smart to me.
This is some Stephen A. bananas talk right here.The money point is a red herring as the sacrifice is miniscule in the big picture. Otherwise, what you refer to as the "ego boost of being the man" can also be seen as a chance to establish himself among the all time greats of the game, by leading a team to a title or two. And he clearly decided that he didn't want any part of that scenario any more. If he wants to just crush everybody playing 4th fiddle to Steph, Klay, and Draymond and win a few rings, that is his choice to make. But of course he'll be judged negatively on that decision by a public that wants its most talented stars to aspire to greatness and challenge themselves to be the best. I don't see what's so interesting or unusual about that take.
You trying to wipe out BBTL? We erect shrines to people who sublimate their egos, put team first -- and we don't give a damn how they get here or when in their careers. Or how richly they are paid.This completely undersells the unusual nature of Durant's situation - a bonafide generational talent superstar smack in the middle of his prime deciding to join the best team in the league where he won't be the first (and maybe not even second) option. To only "acknowledge" players who don't fit this category is still to acknowledge 99.9% of the league.
Nobody would have called Durant greedy for maxing out with OKC. But, yes, Durant is going to get skewered for this since people want to see him be the lead dog and do what LeBron just did. You're going to hear stuff like "Duncan and Kobe never did this" even though both of them were close to leaving their original teams.This is some Stephen A. bananas talk right here.
One of the three best players in the league is playing 4th fiddle on his team? That's absurd.
These players can't win. If he grabs the most money, he's greedy and doesn't care about winning.
If he goes to where he thinks gives him the best chance to win, he's a non-competitive turtle.
Bingo. I think Charles Barkley as a figure plays a big part in this. He's still one of the most prominent figures in the NBA and nobody cares/remembers how great a player he was because he didn't get a ring. We've reached a point where not getting a title is such a huge defining part of your legacy anyone would rather be hated for a little while then have to endure that stigma as a legacy.If and when Durant actually wins the title in GS, no one will no longer care. Everyone said the same about Lebron if he won titles in Miami. As soon as he won his first ring, it wasn't an issue anymore.
Durant playing 15 seasons and not winning any rings will hurt his legacy far more than him going to GS to win a ring or two. He could easily be the next Charles Barkley.
After 9 years in the league Durant has 17,000 or so points. He's more than 21,000 behind Kareem. He has and had no chance of passing Kareem.Little talked about footnote: Assuming he stays more than one year, Durant to GS almost assuredly ruins any chance of him retiring with the all-time scoring record. Say what you want about the move, but I don't think it was selfish.
Yeah, I think that's bullshit. He wants to win. If Cleveland had a salary slot available, he'd probably consider them, too.Wow, I think you need to climb off of that soapbox. Has anyone thought that maybe, just maybe, he saw how FUN the Warriors were last year and that he would love to play like that?