There has never been a more mind****ed ATG player than Kevin Durant

[Phoenix]

There's defintely 'levels to this' comparing Lebron to Heat and KD to Warriors. Beyond what has already been said, the Heat inspite of the 'not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4' schtick weren't as dominant as they were projected to be. Basically 'talented' their way to the 2011 finals only to lose to the less talented but more composed Mavs, needed an epic game 6 from Lebron against Boston in 2012 to avoid elimination, a miracle 3 from Ray Allen to come back against the Spurs in 2013, and then got curb-stomped by the Spurs in 2014. Yeah they won 2 titles, but they were a bounce here or there away from not winning any of those titles. Wade was pretty much 'peak Wade' for 2011 only, then began a slow decline and was never a natural fit with Lebron, and Bosh was probably 65% of what he was in Toronto. In short that Heat team coming together, collusion or whatever, didn't competitively distance themselves from the rest of the league.

KD's move, and we know all the context behind the level of team the Warriors were when he joined, created a much bigger gap between themselves and the rest of the league than perhaps any point in modern history. They wre challenged once by the Rockets in 2018 but as we've come to see James Harden will always find a way to come up small when it matters most, and injury took them out in 2019 ultimately. Otherwise? That Warriors squad would have probably made 5 or 6 finals at worst with KD there and won at least 4 rings depending on how they worked around Klay being out. Steph, KD, and Dray would have still been a hell of a trio.

Had the Celtics not come together as they did in 2007, it would have been a very interesting end to that decade. You have to imagine the Cavs would have returned to the finals and we would have gotten the Kobe-Lebron finals the basketball universe wanted.

[SouBeachTalents]

There's defintely 'levels to this' comparing Lebron to Heat and KD to Warriors. Beyond what has already been said, the Heat inspite of the 'not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4' schtick weren't as dominant as they were projected to be. Basically 'talented' their way to the 2011 finals only to lose to the less talented but more composed Mavs, needed an epic game 6 from Lebron against Boston in 2012 to avoid elimination, a miracle 3 from Ray Allen to come back against the Spurs in 2013, and then got curb-stomped by the Spurs in 2014. Yeah they won 2 titles, but they were a bounce here or there away from not winning any of those titles. Wade was pretty much 'peak Wade' for 2011 only, then began a slow decline and was never a natural fit with Lebron, and Bosh was probably 65% of what he was in Toronto. In short that Heat team coming together, collusion or whatever, didn't competitively distance themselves from the rest of the league.

KD's move, and we know all the context behind the level of team the Warriors were when he joined, created a much bigger gap between themselves and the rest of the league than perhaps any point in modern history. They wre challenged once by the Rockets in 2018 but as we've come to see James Harden will always find a way to come up small when it matters most, and injury took them out in 2019 ultimately. Otherwise? That Warriors squad would have probably made 5 or 6 finals at worst with KD there and won at least 4 rings depending on how they worked around Klay being out. Steph, KD, and Dray would have still been a hell of a trio.

Had the Celtics not come together as they did in 2007, it would have been a very interesting end to that decade. You have to imagine the Cavs would have returned to the finals and we would have gotten the Kobe-Lebron finals the basketball universe wanted.

Let's be real, even by 2012 Wade was CLEARLY no longer on Curry's level, and it's frankly an insult for anyone to try to insinuate that he was. And by the 2013 playoffs no one short of 3ball would try to make such an argument

But the LeBron comparison is so tired. For anyone who thinks the Durant situation wasn't a completely unique circumstance, just look at the factual record. Before he got there, the Warriors

Won 67 games and the championship
Won 73 games and lost in the final minute of Game 7 of the Finals
Had the b2b MVP, including the first unanimous one in league history
Had two other All-NBA players
Defeated him h2h where he choked with a chance to win the series

Then while he was there
Went 31-1 in games he didn't play and the other superstar did
Wheeled off 6 straight playoff wins after losing him to injury, including a sweep in the conference finals

Then after he left
Won the championship again, and to add insult to injury, beat the team that swept him in the first round

Nobody's disputing Durant's an all time talent, he's by any measure at minimum one of the 20 best players to ever live. But it's extremely clear at this point the Warriors frankly never needed him, and despite having talented teams of his own he's yet to lead one of them to a title.

[warriorfan]

Let's be real, even by 2012 Wade was CLEARLY no longer on Curry's level, and it's frankly an insult for anyone to try to insinuate that he was. And by the 2013 playoffs no one short of 3ball would try to make such an argument

But the LeBron comparison is so tired. For anyone who thinks the Durant situation wasn't a completely unique circumstance, just look at the factual record. Before he got there, the Warriors

Won 67 games and the championship
Won 73 games and lost in the final minute of Game 7 of the Finals
Had the b2b MVP, including the first unanimous one in league history
Had two other All-NBA players
Defeated him h2h where he choked with a chance to win the series

Then while he was there
Went 31-1 in games he didn't play and the other superstar did
Wheeled off 6 straight playoff wins after losing him to injury, including a sweep in the conference finals

Then after he left
Won the championship again, and to add insult to injury, beat the team that swept him in the first round

Nobody's disputing Durant's an all time talent, he's by any measure at minimum one of the 20 best players to ever live. But it's extremely clear at this point the Warriors frankly never needed him, and despite having talented teams of his own he's yet to lead one of them to a title.

[1987_Lakers]

why the meltdown becos curry has 2 fraud rings now becos he called kd in the parking lot the moment he lost the finals? who else did that?

Ouch

[Cleverness]

https://twitter.com/iballright/statu...34831236472834

[Phoenix]

Let's be real, even by 2012 Wade was CLEARLY no longer on Curry's level, and it's frankly an insult for anyone to try to insinuate that he was. And by the 2013 playoffs no one short of 3ball would try to make such an argument

But the LeBron comparison is so tired. For anyone who thinks the Durant situation wasn't a completely unique circumstance, just look at the factual record. Before he got there, the Warriors

Won 67 games and the championship
Won 73 games and lost in the final minute of Game 7 of the Finals
Had the b2b MVP, including the first unanimous one in league history
Had two other All-NBA players
Defeated him h2h where he choked with a chance to win the series

Then while he was there
Went 31-1 in games he didn't play and the other superstar did
Wheeled off 6 straight playoff wins after losing him to injury, including a sweep in the conference finals

Then after he left
Won the championship again, and to add insult to injury, beat the team that swept him in the first round

Nobody's disputing Durant's an all time talent, he's by any measure at minimum one of the 20 best players to ever live. But it's extremely clear at this point the Warriors frankly never needed him, and despite having talented teams of his own he's yet to lead one of them to a title.

Yep. KD was pretty much the world's best insurance policy in 2017 and 2018.

[highwhey]

https://twitter.com/iballright/statu...34831236472834

[FireDavidKahn]

The Brooklyn Nets paid Kevin Durant to sit on the sidelines and rehab for an entire season on the understanding that he was in it for the long haul.

Instead, Durant demanded a trade after playing just 90 games for the Nets.

Durant was also the one who urged Brooklyn to sign Kyrie Irving, the man who pushed James Harden away and set the wheels in motion for this whole thing to fall apart.

KD also played a major role in pushing Brooklyn to sign a completely washed Deandre Jordan to a ridiculous $40 million contract.

The Nets did everything Durant asked for, and he repaid them by setting the team up for failure and then quitting on them.

[rmt]

Thats actually the only way in which he can save his legacy. Reverse his Brooklyn decision, admit the mistake he made and finish the job with GSW.

Wiggins, Poole and Wiseman for Durant is a good deal for all sides.

Why would GSW trade away their future when they've already proved that they can win with these young guys who will only get better?

What Durant needs to do is man up, take back his request to be traded and lead Brooklyn to a championship.

[Johnny32]

The Brooklyn Nets paid Kevin Durant to sit on the sidelines and rehab for an entire season on the understanding that he was in it for the long haul.

Instead, Durant demanded a trade after playing just 90 games for the Nets.

Durant was also the one who urged Brooklyn to sign Kyrie Irving, the man who pushed James Harden away and set the wheels in motion for this whole thing to fall apart.

KD also played a major role in pushing Brooklyn to sign a completely washed Deandre Jordan to a ridiculous $40 million contract.

The Nets did everything Durant asked for, and he repaid them by setting the team up for failure and then quitting on them.

kd and kyrie tried to be like their idle legoat and failed miserably.

[FireDavidKahn]

He might go back to the Warriors


Bleacher Report
@BleacherReport
Warriors have interest in trading for Kevin Durant, per
@MarcJSpears


Golden State could offer the best package for both sides: Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga & James Wiseman

[Johnny32]

He might go back to the Warriors


Bleacher Report
@BleacherReport
Warriors have interest in trading for Kevin Durant, per
@MarcJSpears


Golden State could offer the best package for both sides: Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga & James Wiseman

nets have reportedly been leaking fake teams having interest in kyrie to gain leverage. prob trying to do the same with kd. i don't believe for one second he'd report to training camp if the warriors traded for him and i doubt they do either.

[Axe]

That's so funny if ever he comes back to gs.

[sdot_thadon]

Why would GSW trade away their future when they've already proved that they can win with these young guys who will only get better?

What Durant needs to do is man up, take back his request to be traded and lead Brooklyn to a championship.

Because a LeBron and Kyrie duo scared them into grabbing him the 1st time around, history repeats they say.

[rmt]

He might go back to the Warriors


Bleacher Report
@BleacherReport
Warriors have interest in trading for Kevin Durant, per
@MarcJSpears


Golden State could offer the best package for both sides: Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga & James Wiseman

Designated Rookie rule allows only 1 per team to be traded. Wiggins cannot be traded to Nets because Nets already have Simmons with Designated Rookie rule (only 1 team's non-drafted player per team).

Then, could only use Klay's contract and GSW will never trade Klay.