I'm still not sold on the fact that we can't trade for Cousins, which would just give us one more potential star to trade for to attract Durant. Plus, I'm worried about giving up significant assets for Butler when our frontcourt is much more in need of an upgrade and the position that Butler plays (the swing 2-3 position) is probably our strongest position at the moment.
Of course, if only Butler is available then I still think you go for him, just as long as you don't overpay too much, i.e. Crowder + Smart + Brooklyn pick + other picks. Even if we would get Durant AND Butler, I still don't think we're a legitimate contender until we upgrade our 5 spot.
Interesting article on RealGM about how Griffin and Paul just don't work together. Personally I think they're pretty much the only team that could beat GSW in a 7 game series in the West.
http://basketball.realgm.com/analysis/241720/Ordinary-Together-MVPs-Apart
I'd much prefer Griffin over Cousins. I'm biased though because I hate Cousins. I even worry that getting Cousins here would turn Durant away from becoming a Celtic since their recent on court incident.
I would say Danny's #1 targets will be Cousins and Griffin with the BRK 16' pick, and then Butler with the remaining assets in our pool.
It would be pretty sweet if he could nab two of those guys by dumping everything we have in a colossal off-season. eg...
#1 or #2 pick for Griffin and then
2017 Nets pick swap+2018 Nets pick+ Rozier+Hunter+Smart for Butler
etc
leaves us with
IT
Butler
Crowder
Griffin
Random center
with AB, Olynyk off the bench
Each to their own. I would take Cousins over Blake Griffin, and I wouldn't have to stop to think about it.
Cousins is superior to Blake Griffin in just about every single aspect of the game except athleticism - and if the argument is about Cousins being a head case, then...Griffin is certainly no better.
Punching out a fellow staff member AND breaking his hand (and missing significant games) because of it is far, far, far more bonehead then anything Cousins has ever done. That's just on an entirely new level of stupidity.
Likewise for anybody who argues Cousins hasn't won games - neither did Blake Griffin until Chris Paul came along...and the Clippers didn't actually get any worse really once they lost Griffin to the injury either.
But still, we all have the rights to our opinion!
Well Crim, these discussions never seem to change either side's mind, but to me there's a huge difference between getting drunk and doing something stupid vs being a habitual whiner who's team mates/coaches/broadcast announcers despise and detest.
There is no comparison in their on court behavior and attitude and Griffin has the superior mental edge/toughness factor in this regard.
Griffin's numbers in the playoffs last season were phenomenal.
25.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1 block, 1 steal.
And those numbers are sharing the paint with DJ and sharing the scoring with CP3 and Reddick, vs the Spurs and the Rockets.
Blake Griffin is arguably a top 5 player in the NBA when healthy.
I want no part of Cousins because of his attitude, but regardless, I don't think you're giving Blake enough credit for his on court results/credentials and if we somehow stole him from the Clippers with a Brooklyn pick, we should all be rejoicing.