CSN Monte Poole: if Durants leaves the Thunder it'll be for the Warriors

[Ilikesports17]

The only thing that worries me is Durant having a connection to Curry due to both having strong Christian faiths. I could see that being very attractive to Durant to share a team with another major Christian athlete.

On the other hand, Bradley is supposed to be a pretty faithful Christian athlete himself, so hopefully that's a draw for him, too.

And let's just take a moment and realize what a good guy Avery Bradley is. He's a consummate professional, and he's the perfect representation of what it is to be a Celtic. Here's a story that's been shared on here before regarding what type of person AB really is. I'd really like for him to retire a Celtic, that way I'd never have to root against him - http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2016/02/boston_celtics_avery_bradley_j.html

Lol our answer to Steph is always AB on and off the court.

[LGC88]

Yeah, what passes for journalism nowadays is downright criminal. Of course a bay area source says he's going to GS. Next week the NY media will insist he's going to the Knicks even though they are not even on his list.

TP

If we try to be objective here :
- GS doesn't make much sense for him. Not sure it makes this team better. They already are too great. If they need anything is some solid backup bigs on defense.
- Spurs is not a good situation for him with Aldridge and Leonard. And what will happen to this team after Duncan and Pop leave? Not reassuring for KD
- NY, well they are almost a joke. Rose, Melo, Porzingis is a fake big 3. I don't think they'll make the playoff this year. No coherence, no coach. Far from being ready as a team.
- Miami is not a good situation for any top talent. The roster is changing each year. You never know if Wade will be washed up or not. Not a stable situation long term.

I strongly believe it's in his best interested to stay in OKC. He's a loyal guy anyway. He's doing this meeting just in case Presti doesn't have a convincing long term plan for the next 5 years.

If Presti doesn't deliver (which I seriously doubt), then Boston is the only destination that makes sense for him, humanly and sportively.

[Croc Hunter]

Not sure Durrant is a West coast kinda guy.

Westbrook is though, reckon there's more chance he bolts that way than Durant.

[manl_lui]

That would be awful for his legacy.  What value is there for him, or Nike, if he joins a team to help under armour's guy win his 2nd title?  It would damage his rep.

I actually never even thought of that, do you think Nike/UA actually has some sort of clause where you can play with other superstars endorsed by a major competitor?

[clover]

That would be awful for his legacy.  What value is there for him, or Nike, if he joins a team to help under armour's guy win his 2nd title?  It would damage his rep.

I actually never even thought of that, do you think Nike/UA actually has some sort of clause where you can play with other superstars endorsed by a major competitor?

Even if a player eventually lands a no-trade clause, he doesn't have any control over other players his team might bring in to join him. So an NBA player simply isn't in a position to make any such contractual promises. That doesn't mean he couldn't consider the current circumstances in that light when making a FA decision, however.

[Celtics4ever]

Quote
That would be awful for his legacy.  What value is there for him, or Nike, if he joins a team to help under armour's guy win his 2nd title?  It would damage his rep.

On some level I agree it would be awful but winning fixes most things and being able to flash an NBA ring helps ease the pain of a damaged legacy.   It depends what he wants.

GS doesn't make much sense for him. Not sure it makes this team better. They already are too great. If they need anything is some solid backup bigs on defense

He'd help any team and GS tends to feed the hotend, this is borderline delusional.

Spurs is not a good situation for him with Aldridge and Leonard. And what will happen to this team after Duncan and Pop leave? Not reassuring for KD

They play smart and spread the ball.  I think they would be a way better option than us and if you do not your decieving yourself. He could sign a one or two year and try to craml  out a ring before Pop leaves.

NY, well they are almost a joke. Rose, Melo, Porzingis is a fake big 3. I don't think they'll make the playoff this year. No coherence, no coach. Far from being ready as a team.
 Miami is not a good situation for any top talent. The roster is changing each year. You never know if Wade will be washed up or not. Not a stable situation long term

Agree

I strongly believe it's in his best interested to stay in OKC. He's a loyal guy anyway. He's doing this meeting just in case Presti doesn't have a convincing long term plan for the next 5 years.

I think so as well.   But one never knows if he mandated the Ibaka trade or if it was done to please him.   It could backfire if the latter and he did not like it.    But playing alongside Westbrook is better than anything we can offer.

[Sketch5]

The only thing that worries me is Durant having a connection to Curry due to both having strong Christian faiths. I could see that being very attractive to Durant to share a team with another major Christian athlete.

On the other hand, Bradley is supposed to be a pretty faithful Christian athlete himself, so hopefully that's a draw for him, too.

And let's just take a moment and realize what a good guy Avery Bradley is. He's a consummate professional, and he's the perfect representation of what it is to be a Celtic. Here's a story that's been shared on here before regarding what type of person AB really is. I'd really like for him to retire a Celtic, that way I'd never have to root against him - http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2016/02/boston_celtics_avery_bradley_j.html

From what I hear AB and KD are friends and when OKC came to Boston this year they had an extra day. AB and KD went to a church service together. If thats all true thats a pretty good ace in the pocket for DA to have in the meetings.

[CoachBo]

It's a lovely fantasy, that Durant would join the Celtics.

But it's not happening. We don't have anything resembling the team to put around him at the moment. Not even close.

And Al Horford's and some vet min guys won't move that needle.

Durant resigns with OKC.

[LGC88]

GS doesn't make much sense for him. Not sure it makes this team better. They already are too great. If they need anything is some solid backup bigs on defense

He'd help any team and GS tends to feed the hotend, this is borderline delusional.

Spurs is not a good situation for him with Aldridge and Leonard. And what will happen to this team after Duncan and Pop leave? Not reassuring for KD

They play smart and spread the ball.  I think they would be a way better option than us and if you do not your decieving yourself. He could sign a one or two year and try to craml  out a ring before Pop leaves.

I'm very disapointed with the Spurs. Since Aldrige arrived, they tend to play a lot of iso on him and Khawi. I don't see how KD fitting in.

If KD land in GS, then Barnes is gone.
I don't think losing Barnes defence can be compensated by KD.
There offense is already great. They won't be the best on defence anymore.
Therefore I don't see KD as an upgrade in GS.

[RJ87]

That would be awful for his legacy.  What value is there for him, or Nike, if he joins a team to help under armour's guy win his 2nd title?  It would damage his rep.

Actually a very interesting point you bring up, re: Nike and UA. Windhorst mentioned this recently on the last True Hoop podcast.

It's a huge point, actually.  The exec in charge of Nike's global basketball business recently stepped down, because sales were failing:

Sales of basketball sneakers at Foot Locker fell by a mid-single digit percentage during the quarter. Despite strong interest in Under Armour's (UA) Stephen Curry basketball sneakers, Nike's LeBron and Kevin Durant lines "proved the most challenging" said Foot Locker. The company's chief, Richard Johnson, said Nike was starting to "reset the price relationship" on its signature basketball sneakers. In other words, Nike may be lowering some prices on LeBron and Durant styles in order to spur sales.

They are paying Durant a lot of money and need to rely on him to boost sales.   Him joining Golden State to be the sidekick to Under Armour's darling is just going to ensure that Steph and Under Armour stay competitive and relevant.   That doesn't help Nike at all.

Nike's issue are mostly about their price points. The KD8 and Lebron 13 were both in the $200-$220 range, while the Curry 2 topped out at $120 - even the kid's sizing was high at $130/$160 for Nike and $99 for Curry's. Leaving aesthetics out, UA offers comparable technology. Nike just overvalued themselves on the market and it backfired.

As far as this report, I still don't see any legitimate reason for him to leave OKC. I expect him to take a 1+1 deal to stay.

[dannyboy35]

If he goes to gs it is soooo much worse than Lebron ditching the cavs. The Warriors were the best team by a good margin. They just got beat by a more mentally tough team in a series. It was theirs. Draymond really blew it for them. KD goes there, I know he'll be my least favorite nba player. I think a lot of people will feel the same. I think he leaves for gs if I had to guess though. I don't think he's the anti- Lebron that some people make him out to be. Either that of its back to okc just because I think they'd have the next closest shot.

[PaulAllen]

Thunder 90%
Warriors 8%
Spurs 1.9%
Everyone else 0.1%

[Endless Paradise]

GS doesn't make much sense for him. Not sure it makes this team better. They already are too great. If they need anything is some solid backup bigs on defense

He'd help any team and GS tends to feed the hotend, this is borderline delusional.

Spurs is not a good situation for him with Aldridge and Leonard. And what will happen to this team after Duncan and Pop leave? Not reassuring for KD

They play smart and spread the ball.  I think they would be a way better option than us and if you do not your decieving yourself. He could sign a one or two year and try to craml  out a ring before Pop leaves.

I'm very disapointed with the Spurs. Since Aldrige arrived, they tend to play a lot of iso on him and Khawi. I don't see how KD fitting in.

If KD land in GS, then Barnes is gone.
I don't think losing Barnes defence can be compensated by KD.
There offense is already great. They won't be the best on defence anymore.
Therefore I don't see KD as an upgrade in GS.

KD is better than Barnes on both ends of the floor. Ludicrously better on offense, considerably better on defense. Didn't you watch KD in the conference finals? His defensive play as a smallball 4, combined with Adams' rapid growth as a player, was partly why the Thunder felt comfortable trading Ibaka. He routinely shut down Draymond and was the most effective Thunder player at guarding Steph. He's way more versatile and physically gifted than Barnes.

[fubar089]

Durant definitely has some beta in him in my opinion and a move like this wouldn't entirely shock me.

I question whether he has the stones to play in a city like Boston(and all the pressure tha comes with it)as the supposed alpha male.

[chiken Green]

IF the Guy doesn't come to Boston then who cares where he goes and who Cares about his "Legacy"
Truth of the matter when they were winning He was under Westbrook's shadow - Westbrook was arguably the engine that made that team go. and When They lost it was Westbrook who took all the blame..   He didn't mind that in fact he endorsed it because not so deep down it's obvious that he doesn't care about Legacy crap.

Going to G'state after g'state lost to the Champs makes more sense then you guys want to admit too.. They Lost to the Cav's because they Cavs stuffed GS's offense.. They Turned the Splash Brothers into the Drip Brothers.. They roughed up Curry (this is twice now) and basically turned him into a lessor Version of our IT....   So whatever if they won 73 game.. Who cares that they had the #1 offense.. They were beaten by the better team, 3 straight games... When that happens you need to upgrade, I dont care who you are..

And Finally the Cav's - the defending Champs... It is not a secret that Lebrat wants to form a Super Team..  Rumors of Chris Paul and Mello have been floating around the league for a while now..  I believe he may do something, maybe not with those players but someone else..  It would make sense that Durant end up on a team that can compete with whoever Lebrat throws together.

Claiming that a man with no Rings will have his legacy tarnished is foolish.. A man with no Rings has nothing to be Tarnished.

If Durant comes here that's fine.. IF not - Screw him.. Lets just continuing Growing our team so we can one day be apart of that conversation.. and in the meantime continue watching the Godzilla vs KingKong Drama..