He's very relatable; I would be doing the same in his situation.
Although, to be fair, I don't think that my tendencies in that regard would serve me well as a professional athlete.
Kevin Durant Sweepstakes
- Thread starter Ed Hillel
- Start date
Although, to be fair, I don't think that my tendencies in that regard would serve me well as a professional athlete.
KD (if that is KD) appears to be very measured and mature on twitter compared with Donald Trump.
I’ve been mostly pro-trade but the more drama is added to the situation the less inclined I am toward dealing. The talent is undeniable but the current composition of the team brings a lot of joy and if they brought in KD and did not win a title it would be a legit tragedy.
If you are saying this is how it plays out if Boston trades for Durant, I cannot argue with it. I don't know what will happen going forward but its certainly plausible. If you are saying this is one scenario, that implies that there are others where Durant plays out his contract with little drama, regardless of results etc. etc. There is certainly risk associated with this sort of deal.
That said, the concerns about KD influencing Tatum may be moot. Tatum has already been teammates with Durant and they seem to have a relationship. My guess is if KD is a "bad influence" on Tatum, he's already had a great opportunity. On the other hand, I see a ton of basketball upside for Tatum in getting an up close look at Durant's process day in and out. I would argue that on a net basis, Durant's presence is more likely to be net positive (basketball minus drama) but again I don't see KD as the team killer some here do though he definitely skews in that direction.
Ime probably has the most downside from a bad KD experience. If Udoka is as straightforward as media reporting says, one might assume that any Durant deal would be predicated on an unofficial, theoretical discussion between the two camps of how a union might look. That guarantees nothing of course but it sets the basis for how things should work. Udoka doesn't present as easily intimidated and KD seems strong willed as well so presumably Stevens is considering how that might play out.
The main takeaway from this thread is that the Celtics front office hasn't earned the trust of some here to not screw the team up. That's fair, even if most of the evidence to date is that they are taking great care in their process.
Good post.
I snipped the last paragraph not just because it's accurate, but because it's indicative of a level of second-guessing that's frankly endemic here and most other places. We've had threads that go on for months or years about why they didn't keep or trade some guy (or play some guy--I see you Malcolm). Everybody thinks that the front office and coaches are idiots, even when they're winning titles. Hell I spent months defending Tito to people during the 2007 season, and that team was a wagon. Belichick lost his fastball 25 years ago, etc.
To your point, anyone wondering whether Durant will have a deleterious effect on Tatum doesn't have a healthy enough respect for Tatum. Guy is laser focused, improves every day, and probably would drag his team to the conference finals if he had to dodge fans on court during the game. And I say this as someone who is generally happy with the team as is, not as a pro-trade position.
It should come down to two factors, the cost and whether Brown intends to walk in two years or not. Everything else is noise.
This is a better link. I don’t believe that he’d retire lol, but he does seem to be willing to push every pressure point that ensures he gets dealt.
View: https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1559219210651373568?s=20&t=95S_3snKlZKtqLDUmJBAww
I'm impressed by his bravado here. This is how you shoot your way out of town. Klutch planting stories last year during Simmons-gate about how Tyrese Maxey was a flight risk didn't scare anyone. Durant not only has publicly demanded a trade, but he has already called for the heads of the whole basketball ops and threatened retirement. Dude does not fuck around.
I gotta be honest, a month or so ago, I did not think he’d do what was needed to get dealt. Stein is absolutely not the type to throw bullshit at the wall either. I only show this last tweet because it’s almost exactly what Windy said the other day, about the growing expectation around the league.
View: https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1559242391139352577?s=20&t=wsxFbPqMCuakezrpnWcBKw
I completely understand why anyone wouldn’t do it, but KD going hard like this is exactly how the Celtics get him for the rumored package.
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Does it really it matter what "one NBA executive believes," unless that executive is employed by the Nets?
So what happens if he retires? Brooklyn still retains his rights but his money is off the books and he isn't around the team? And are those rights still tradeable? Something like that?
The whole situation sucks for Brooklyn, but KD being away from the team and not getting paid while they continue to look for the right deal to trade his rights might not be the worst scenario. I think a malingering KD who is still one the team creating a daily ruckus, not playing, and still getting paid would be worse.
Edit: I don't think he is going to retire.
The whole situation sucks for Brooklyn, but KD being away from the team and not getting paid while they continue to look for the right deal to trade his rights might not be the worst scenario. I think a malingering KD who is still one the team creating a daily ruckus, not playing, and still getting paid would be worse.
Edit: I don't think he is going to retire.
What exactly could Durant do to that would qualify as a "ruckus"? The first time he becomes a problem Brooklyn will just send him home and/or suspend him. Beyond that he'll just be making a fool of himself and risk entering Antonio Brown territory.
Not that one report alone, but when Windhorst and a couple of Nets writers are also saying Durant will hold out, I think it’s clear KD is willing to play hardball.
Sure. And him retiring is idle speculation.
There's no way he's retiring BTW. That idea makes me laugh.
I don’t think anyone believes he will retire. It’s more that he is willing to create whatever level of trouble to ensure he gets dealt.
Teams always end up trading the players in these scenarios, even if it takes awhile.
I think claiming an injury and just being an asshole to people probably qualifies as a ruckus that might not rise to the level of a suspension. But who knows? With Kyrie and Ben around, KD's idea of a ruckus might not draw much attention from the team.
Edit: KD may be an expert petty asshole, but I'm not sure he is a professional ruckus-er. Or malingerer, for that matter.
Love & respect Jimmy, but where are all the posts questioning the front office on this thread?
PBS has pretty much-received accolades around the Cellar since Day 1 when he drop-kicked Kemba
100% of the folks agree that Durant has otherworldly court talent.
Most people just aren't excited to lose what the Nets want (JB/Smart/picks) at KD's age & sensitive nature. It appears Brad isn't excited about the Nets demands either, or else KD would be in Green since Boston has the players, picks & salaries to land KD.
Yeah, sorry, I wasn't directing that comment at you, as if you believed he would retire. I'm just saying that, since this is speculation from an NBA exec, it gives us no additional information in regards to Durant's willingness to cause trouble. That much was already clear, and this report doesn't really move the needle at all.
The Nets may want Smart, but no way they get him. It’ll all depend if KD pulling all his shit will get the Nets to lower their demands a bit. I think it will, but obviously we’re all just speculating.
I feel like I recall a ton of handwringing over having to give up a 1st to move from 1 bad contract to an even worse bad contract or something.
Generally I think he's been more generally appreciated since then, with the potential exception of pickswapgate.
Yeah that maybe came out wrong. Let me explain.
To date, PBS has gotten nothing but deference here and frankly anywhere else that matters, because even with a hot takez culture on radio and the twittervers it's damn nigh impossible to find a bad move that he has made. Couple of shockingly minor quibbles, but no. Nobody is down on Brad.
Belichick, Henry, Bloom, Bloom's many predecessors, Tito Francona--ridden hard and second guessed despite their successes (jury is out on Bloom of course), here and elsewhere. The former two on the list brought us 10 championships in our lives here and still get the Dangerfield treatment sometimes. It's a thing that we at SoSH do, but so does everyone else. That's what I meant.
Whatever Brad does, yeah or nay on Durant, will be questioned. That's fine, because it's a huge decision. But the implication that this ownership, Brad, and Ime aren't considering everything, communicating with players, and having a general pulse of the ramifications of this potential move is laughable imo. And it's in keeping with an overall philosophy that somehow we as sports fans know more about this shit than the guys in the room.
"Omg has anyone talked to Jaylen" and "what if KD wants Tatum's seat on the team plane" belongs with "why did Belichick order the code red" on Tom Brady or Malcolm Butler or whomever. Seems presumptuous that the experts aren't experts, I guess. If Brad pulls or doesn't pull the trigger, ima assume he did it for reasons.
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Seems more generally positive than I recalled after the first few posts.
https://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?threads/kemba-walker-2021-first-round-pick-to-okc-for-al-horford-moses-brown.33838/
A little embarrassed I wasted so much time thinking about Moses Brown...
it was pretty well-liked by the Board
Brad has received an "A grade" for the vast majority of his moves.
I'm not sure a first-year GM/President has received this much love before
https://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?threads/kemba-walker-2021-first-round-pick-to-okc-for-al-horford-moses-brown.33838/
Durant is running a fairly well-established playbook for getting off a team you don't want to play for, really....ask for trade; meet wtih owners/GM/coach; suggest you'll skip camp; threaten to hold out and/or retire; etc. He's trying to put pressure on a situation where the Nets do not otherwise have any reason to push things with other teams---they have set a high price and can wait. So he has to do this stuff to try and change their perception of the "alternative" scenario where they keep him to something low enough they'll accept an offer someone else has or will make.
I bet he succeeds at this---it's fine for Tsai to want to stand firm, but ultimately there is little angle for him in having KD hold out given they don't have their own picks and every day he is a distraction keeps them from moving into the rebuild/reload they will need. If i were guessing when it'll be right around start of training camp which is...what, mid-September?
I bet he succeeds at this---it's fine for Tsai to want to stand firm, but ultimately there is little angle for him in having KD hold out given they don't have their own picks and every day he is a distraction keeps them from moving into the rebuild/reload they will need. If i were guessing when it'll be right around start of training camp which is...what, mid-September?
They have a pick swap with Houston in 2023, which means KD holding out would likely result in their highest pick in the next few years or so.
Marks has probably thought about that, but Tsai is all about fixing the culture in BK for next season, as much as he can with Kyrie and Simmons still there lol.
I doubt Tsai would be willing to have a Kyrie/Simmons tank fest, and everything that comes with it.
Yeah, one pick isn't going to be the rebuild and the value KD would lose over that year may be more than the pick anyway....fair update to note that, but I don't think it really changes the Nets incentives overall: they either want KD to play or to deal him for a big package
Surprised this hasn’t been mentioned yet but it appears that KD and Tatum are working out together in LA now.
I can’t upload the picture but if you wanted to see, go look at Bred Hampton’s IG @bredhampton (no idea who he is or what he does but he works for the Celtics in some capacity)
I can’t upload the picture but if you wanted to see, go look at Bred Hampton’s IG @bredhampton (no idea who he is or what he does but he works for the Celtics in some capacity)
1) Clear proof that the trade is happening, probably tomorrow morning at the latest
2) Damn, KD is tall
In all seriousness, both KD and Tatum seem fine having their flicks up on the gram, right in the middle of all this trade talk. They know what sort of reaction this will get. Maybe they think its funny but you have to wonder about the mindset of certain other players...
Bred doesn’t work for the C’s (that I know of), but he is the most well known Boston photographer in the NBA/hip hop/social justice space. He’s awesome, and both Tatum and Brown use him as their personal photographer. He has access to a lot of players and scenes. Some of his photos (one of Terrance Clarke is haunting in its simplicity) are on the wall of my game room. If you’re into that stuff, he’s a great follow.
Edit: On KD stuff, Tatum was also just with Steph, Lebron and others at Draymond’s wedding. Derozan is also at these workouts so this isn’t a one on one thing. The reality is that he is a superstar, and these guys workout, hang, etc., all the time.
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Whatever reaction it gets is silly. NBA players today are having cross-team workouts all the time in the offseason, and KD/JT have some history together.
Edit: The L.A. wedding makes is completely sensible too.
So we are getting Steph, Lebron, AND KD?! Im still not sending out Smart.
ultimately it certainly seems KD needs to he traded. Hellenic flu seems on the horizon. Will any sides meet in the middle is the question
So not a planted story and just a writer teaming up with a random exec for clickbait.
View: https://twitter.com/kdtrey5/status/1559296095842275328
View: https://twitter.com/kdtrey5/status/1559296095842275328
Also, this reply to that tweet is funny.
View: https://twitter.com/betonline_ag/status/1559306582541840384
View: https://twitter.com/betonline_ag/status/1559306582541840384
Draymond's wedding and cross team workouts are fine and they happen all the time. You are saying that nobody should react to an IG post showing two non teammates at a practice and I completely agree. Unfortunately, context is the enemy of social media and people definitely took notice.
Perhaps it also didn't occur to Durant and Tatum that those pictures would raise some eyebrows. I would not bet on that, especially in the case of Durant who is always online it seems.
In any event, its a silly IG post so no more need to discuss - I don't think there is much to see here anyway but the optics are noteworthy imo. Clearly you don't agree.
Edit: follow bredhampton on IG if you don't already. The photos are pretty damn great as @Caspir notes
As a WA state resident I do a fist pump for KD haterdom!
Sadly, I do not have a twitter account and therefore had nothing to do with this.
Sadly, I do not have a twitter account and therefore had nothing to do with this.
Path of least resistance may be taking his talents to the Ocean State, then commuting the hour to the Garden for home games?
Or two of the best playersin the NBA see a benifit in working out together. These guys are loyal to themselves. That looks like the gym Durant was training at in the DOC he made while in OKC. Ironically that film featured him picking the brain of one of the great offensive players of all time.
https://uproxx.com/dimemag/kevin-durant-steve-nash-workouts-video-warriors/
If you're talking about JB, I hope that he is working on furthering his game and leveling up to JT. I love JB but he is out there doing Kanye shit and I just hope that doesn't interfere in his game.
Thanks for the follow recommendation. Bred's content is legit better than the Celtics.
That picture with Tatum is dope. I didn't see a ton of league dudes on Drey's stories but there were a lot of ballers. Probably invited (Drey with his promotion) but missing, Kevin Durant.
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Sentiment analysis is used to determine whether a given text contains negative, positive, or neutral emotions and is a form of text analytics that uses natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning. Another explanation could be less hate for Durant and more negative sentiment around trading a beloved star in Brown.