Author Topic: Did OKC make a mistake not trading Durant at the 2015-2016 trade deadline?  (Read 5574 times)

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Offline Tr1boy

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Thoughts

Offline Csfan1984

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They choked in Western Finals so no because getting that far you take that chance. And had they won the WCF KD probably stays in OKC.

Offline BitterJim

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They choked in Western Finals so no because getting that far you take that chance. And had they won the WCF KD probably stays in OKC.

Yup. They were SOOOOO close to making the NBA finals that trading him would have been a huge mistake.  It didn't work out, but they had a legitimate shot at a championship and I don't blame them for going for it
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Offline Rakulp

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Rather easy to say yes, since they got nothing in return for him when he walked...but had they tried to do that, the entire team would have imploded.  I believe Westbrook would have even demanded a trade, no matter how "smart" of a business move it would have been for them.

Now, they build around Westbrook.  I wonder how the OKC fans view Durant, especially when he joins the "enemy"?

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Offline Tr1boy

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They choked in Western Finals so no because getting that far you take that chance. And had they won the WCF KD probably stays in OKC.

Yup. They were SOOOOO close to making the NBA finals that trading him would have been a huge mistake.  It didn't work out, but they had a legitimate shot at a championship and I don't blame them for going for it

Yes but Durant gave no indication or security to OKC that he wanted to resign. Unlike Derozan who said publicly multiple times he plans to resign with Toronto

The only way Durant stays with OKC is , if they won it all.  Chances were ok but not great

I wonder if Durant was available what Danny would have done. Who knows Durant could be a Celtic today and for the long term , while Smart, Jaylen Brown , 16, 23 picks plus 2017 nets pick (potential top 5) could be in the hands of OKC

Offline Moranis

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No.  Wouldn't have gotten a ton for him given his impending free agency and likely would have cost them Westbrook (who they then would have had to trade and wouldn't have gotten a ton for him).
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Offline Tr1boy

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No.  Wouldn't have gotten a ton for him given his impending free agency and likely would have cost them Westbrook (who they then would have had to trade and wouldn't have gotten a ton for him).

RW signed an extension. I doubt he would have left either way

Offline freshinthehouse

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They choked in Western Finals so no because getting that far you take that chance. And had they won the WCF KD probably stays in OKC.

Yup. They were SOOOOO close to making the NBA finals that trading him would have been a huge mistake.  It didn't work out, but they had a legitimate shot at a championship and I don't blame them for going for it

What these two said.

Offline BitterJim

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They choked in Western Finals so no because getting that far you take that chance. And had they won the WCF KD probably stays in OKC.

Yup. They were SOOOOO close to making the NBA finals that trading him would have been a huge mistake.  It didn't work out, but they had a legitimate shot at a championship and I don't blame them for going for it

Yes but Durant gave no indication or security to OKC that he wanted to resign. Unlike Derozan who said publicly multiple times he plans to resign with Toronto

The only way Durant stays with OKC is , if they won it all.  Chances were ok but not great

I wonder if Durant was available what Danny would have done. Who knows Durant could be a Celtic today and for the long term , while Smart, Jaylen Brown , 16, 23 picks plus 2017 nets pick (potential top 5) could be in the hands of OKC

I completely disagree with that.  Just making the finals would probably have been enough to make him stay.  I don't think the issue was losing to GSW so much as losing 3 straight to close out the series.

As for having any indication that he would stay, I don't think it matters. He's a top NBA player and they were a team with a shot at the NBA Finals or even a Championship.  You don't give that up because a player *might* leave in FA. Could you imagine the s**tstorm if the Lakers had traded Shaq halfway through the 2004 season? It's a similar situation.

I don't know if that package would have been enough, since at the trade deadline the 2016 pick wasn't a surefire top 3, and the 2017 one was a big question mark.  That's probably around what it would have taken, though, had he been available, and it would have been a tough choice for Danny
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Offline Donoghus

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Absolutely not.

OKC certainly believed they had a very strong chance of resigning him, they were a small market team contending in the West, & they wouldn't have had nearly as much leverage in the trade market with Durant who was an impending FA as they would've liked.

OKC was an epic choke job away from going to the NBA Finals. 


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Offline Moranis

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No.  Wouldn't have gotten a ton for him given his impending free agency and likely would have cost them Westbrook (who they then would have had to trade and wouldn't have gotten a ton for him).

RW signed an extension. I doubt he would have left either way
If OKC would have traded Durant at the trade deadline, I think it would have angered Westbrook to the point he wouldn't have stayed.
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Offline ImShakHeIsShaq

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You have to trade anybody at anytime if you thought about trading KD at that time. How many players leave after being so close like LBJ and KD? To me, these teams did about as much as one can to get them to the chip but they still left, it's hard to get there. If Danny/organization gets us to the top, we lose and the star still leaves I can't blame them because what more could they have done? Cavs and OKC were in bad luck moments that any team would have lost in.
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Offline Tr1boy

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Absolutely not.

OKC certainly believed they had a very strong chance of resigning him, they were a small market team contending in the West, & they wouldn't have had nearly as much leverage in the trade market with Durant who was an impending FA as they would've liked.

OKC was an epic choke job away from going to the NBA Finals.

No they didnt. He didnt provide assurance he wanted to stay

Unless they believed "false"

« Last Edit: August 10, 2016, 11:11:58 AM by triboy16f »

Offline Tr1boy

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You have to trade anybody at anytime if you thought about trading KD at that time. How many players leave after being so close like LBJ and KD? To me, these teams did about as much as one can to get them to the chip but they still left, it's hard to get there. If Danny/organization gets us to the top, we lose and the star still leaves I can't blame them because what more could they have done? Cavs and OKC were in bad luck moments that any team would have lost in.

Having a chance to win a title... Ok.  But what was exactly okc chance last season , after missing durant for a good chunk of the year?

And now what?

Okc is not a place where FA are dying to play for. Imo worst than Boston.  Unless they can steal a trade or two, they will end up being an average team for the long term

From what I have seen , IMO teams shouldnt risk losing their top asset  for nothing, unless assurance is provided that the player wants to stay long term

Offline Donoghus

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Absolutely not.

OKC certainly believed they had a very strong chance of resigning him, they were a small market team contending in the West, & they wouldn't have had nearly as much leverage in the trade market with Durant who was an impending FA as they would've liked.

OKC was an epic choke job away from going to the NBA Finals.

No they didnt. He didnt provide genuine assurance he wanted to stay

Unless they believed "false"

If OKC didn't think they could resign him, they would've moved him last summer or at the trading deadline.   That's just about certain.

According to your logic, OKC met with him over 4th of July weekend not thinking they would be able to resign him?  Ummmm.... okay.   ::)

Then why the heck did they even meet with him according to this logic?


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