Can someone convince me KD will leave OKC?

[Ilikesports17]

KD has seemed to become our latest C's blog obsession.

I understand it too:
He will be an FA, and Spears says hell give us a meeting
We have cap room to get another max guy and a top 5 pick to use in a trade to get another  if he doesnt like the FA crop
IT has established himself as a 2nd/3rd tier star
Brad established himself as a stud coach (something KD doesnt have in OKC)
Cs Management is gaining a lot of praise
Team is young and already rather good (could be 3 seed and even make ECF if all goes well)
Celtics have great tradition and KD seems to kinda care about that stuff
Lebron aging, East path is much easier.
However, I cant think of a particularly good reason for him to leave OKC

If he signs a one year deal he will get to max his money next FA, he will get to leave with Russ or stay with Russ, he will give OKC another year to win a chip, OKC is really good as is. I mean after GSW-SAS they are maybe the best team in the league. With OKC hes gone to a championship, he plays with an MVP candidate and has some talent around him with Ibaka and Kanter.

Why leave? someone convince me KD wont sign a one-year in OKC then go the 30 mil max wherever he wants next year.

[celticsclay]

KD has seemed to become our latest C's blog obsession.

I understand it too:
He will be an FA, and Spears says hell give us a meeting
We have cap room to get another max guy and a top 5 pick to use in a trade to get another  if he doesnt like the FA crop
IT has established himself as a 2nd/3rd tier star
Brad established himself as a stud coach (something KD doesnt have in OKC)
Cs Management is gaining a lot of praise
Team is young and already rather good (could be 3 seed and even make ECF if all goes well)
Celtics have great tradition and KD seems to kinda care about that stuff
Lebron aging, East path is much easier.
However, I cant think of a particularly good reason for him to leave OKC

If he signs a one year deal he will get to max his money next FA, he will get to leave with Russ or stay with Russ, he will give OKC another year to win a chip, OKC is really good as is. I mean after GSW-SAS they are maybe the best team in the league. With OKC hes gone to a championship, he plays with an MVP candidate and has some talent around him with Ibaka and Kanter.

Why leave? someone convince me KD wont sign a one-year in OKC then go the 30 mil max wherever he wants next year.

Well for the reasons you stated him staying in OKC is the most likely. Some possible reasons he wouldn't

1) He feels like OKC has maxed out their potential as a team in the West. Warriors show no signs of slowing down and the Spurs seem to be well oiled machine with younger players (Leonard, Green, possibly Bogs) offsetting the departure and decline of the older players (duncan, parker, manu). If you really feel you have gone as far as you can with your current team "just one more year" when you have a limited prime remaining may not be very appealing.

2) He doesn't like playing under Donovan. I haven't really heard anything on this, but a lot of people thought Brooks was pretty clueless  and they actually seem to be playing worse this year under him despite having everyone back and a few players that should still be improving.

3) He just wants a change.

[CelticSooner]

If he signs a one year deal he will get to max his money next FA, he will get to leave with Russ or stay with Russ, he will give OKC another year to win a chip, OKC is really good as is. I mean after GSW-SAS they are maybe the best team in the league. With OKC hes gone to a championship, he plays with an MVP candidate and has some talent around him with Ibaka and Kanter.

Why leave? someone convince me KD wont sign a one-year in OKC then go the 30 mil max wherever he wants next year.

Well you pretty much listed the biggest reason why he wouldn't. If he does leave this year this tho is there any better landing spot than Boston right now? Don't expect it to happen but it could.

[Denis998]

3 people in or within the organization have died. Ownership in the midst of a corruption investigation, including the suicide of the one implicated, who knows what happens with ownership. Dysfunctional GM, no team past KD, Ibaka, and Wes. Giving Kanter a max contract. Hiring a rookie coach. You can go on and on

[celticsclay]

If he signs a one year deal he will get to max his money next FA, he will get to leave with Russ or stay with Russ, he will give OKC another year to win a chip, OKC is really good as is. I mean after GSW-SAS they are maybe the best team in the league. With OKC hes gone to a championship, he plays with an MVP candidate and has some talent around him with Ibaka and Kanter.

Why leave? someone convince me KD wont sign a one-year in OKC then go the 30 mil max wherever he wants next year.

Well you pretty much listed the biggest reason why he wouldn't. If he does leave this year this tho is there any better landing spot than Boston right now? Don't expect it to happen but it could.

with his injury history the last few years there at least has to be some sort of risk of signing only a year deal? Or does he still get the max coming off a torn achilles hypothetically?

[Tr1boy]

is the sign and trade rule still ok?

I'm sure KD would want that. And at least OKC would like compensation if they lose KD

[apc]

I think his decision will have a lot to do with their playoff run.
western conference finals and he stays.

[max215]

I think his decision will have a lot to do with their playoff run.
western conference finals and he stays.

I'm rooting for a first or second round out. If they get bounced by the Spurs in the second round, which is probably the most likely outcome, I think he'll seriously consider migrating east.

[MJohnnyboy]

I think his decision will have a lot to do with their playoff run.
western conference finals and he stays.

I'm rooting for a first or second round out. If they get bounced by the Spurs in the second round, which is probably the most likely outcome, I think he'll seriously consider migrating east.

Especially if OKC gets crushed. If the Thunder get swept or lose in 5 (I think that's a possibility), I think the likelihood of Durant leaving skyrockets.

[BitterJim]

is the sign and trade rule still ok?

I'm sure KD would want that. And at least OKC would like compensation if they lose KD

The contract a player can get in a sign and trade is the same as what they can get from being signed with capspace, so there is no incentive for KD or for the Celtics to work out a S&T.  OKC would obviously prefer getting compensation, but, unless he signs with a team that has used their capspace already, there's a 0% chance of a S&T happening

[Ilikesports17]

My current takeaway:
I think there is enough frustration on KDs end that a poor playoff performance could push him to legitimately consider other offers.

Basically we must all root for the Spurs to sweep OKC in round 2.

Problem is, I could easily see OKC winning that series.

[slightly biased bias fan]

I still think KD will never win a title at OKC, simply because of ownership but in saying that I think he will at least stay another year.

He and his agent will still listen to pitches from other teams but there is a major chance that if Spurs win it this year, you will see a mass retirement of Duncan, Ginobili and maybe even Pop. Clippers could shake it up by trading one of their three stars and Golden State could lose some major role players like Barnes or Livingston. As of right now our team has to show KD that he is better off coming to our team than playing next to Westbrook and Ibaka...which it isn't.

[celticsclay]

I still think KD will never win a title at OKC, simply because of ownership but in saying that I think he will at least stay another year.

He and his agent will still listen to pitches from other teams but there is a major chance that if Spurs win it this year, you will see a mass retirement of Duncan, Ginobili and maybe even Pop. Clippers could shake it up by trading one of their three stars and Golden State could lose some major role players like Barnes or Livingston. As of right now our team has to show KD that he is better off coming to our team than playing next to Westbrook and Ibaka...which it isn't.

I don't think losing Barne's is really that significant for them. He has been pretty invisible, if not regressing this season. I watch a ton of their games and it has almost gotten to the point that you don't notice if it is Rush or Barnes out there. He does a few nice drives for them, and is solid defensively, but he mostly is shooting wide open 3's. I actually think losing Livingston could hurt them more, but I don't really see why he would want to leave (where it would make sense for Barnes to leave a team he could show he was capable of being more than a 4th option on offense.

[slightly biased bias fan]

I still think KD will never win a title at OKC, simply because of ownership but in saying that I think he will at least stay another year.

He and his agent will still listen to pitches from other teams but there is a major chance that if Spurs win it this year, you will see a mass retirement of Duncan, Ginobili and maybe even Pop. Clippers could shake it up by trading one of their three stars and Golden State could lose some major role players like Barnes or Livingston. As of right now our team has to show KD that he is better off coming to our team than playing next to Westbrook and Ibaka...which it isn't.

I don't think losing Barne's is really that significant for them. He has been pretty invisible, if not regressing this season. I watch a ton of their games and it has almost gotten to the point that you don't notice if it is Rush or Barnes out there. He does a few nice drives for them, and is solid defensively, but he mostly is shooting wide open 3's. I actually think losing Livingston could hurt them more, but I don't really see why he would want to leave (where it would make sense for Barnes to leave a team he could show he was capable of being more than a 4th option on offense.

I get what you are saying but Barnes is very important for their 'death' small ball line up, there isn't really anyone else out there who can play the four and be so defensively strong to be able to guard 1-5 and knock down threes. He is mostly invisible on offence because there just isn't enough ball to go around with Steph, Draymond, Iggy, Livingston all very ball dominate.

[SparzWizard]

He hasn't been to an NBA Finals game since 2012. He has only won ONE NBA Finals game in his career.

Then you got the next four years being a playoff fodder. Followed by a coaching problem.

If I was a superstar, I would bolt OKC this season and go to another team. A team in another conference that can easily reach to the Finals. A team that also has young and talented potentials, great history, awesome fans, great front office, and last but not least, a respectable head coach. That team is the Boston Celtics.