[ESPN] Rockets not trading Dwight, planning all-out Durant pursuit this summer

It would be nice but I would like the Rockets' chances of getting Durant a lot more if they played this season like they were hellbent on building on the success of last season, instead of shuffling along like they're totally fine with only making the conference finals.

They might have the talent but the culture seems dubious, and I think that's going to mean a lot to a championship-starved guy like Durant.

 

It is the case. They are pretty close with Westbrook and Ibaka and hang together quite often.
and so Durant should lose money to come to play with Harden when his other bff would still be in OKC? Instead of signing 1+1 and opt out for 10 more million PER? Why is that? To play next to 31 yo Dwight? To go from a team top 3 to a team barely in the playoffs with a bottom 5 defence?
And if you are so sure that Westbrook won't stay past next season, how are you so sure that Harden won't leave in two seasons?

And let's not even start about the lure of GSW.

But whatever. Morrey knows better. I trust him but I am extremely pessimistic about this plan and I think it has minuscule chance to work.

 

That's not true at all.

He's a lot closer off the court to JH.

 

He is friends with Russ but he's closer to James.

They still talk and text all the time even during the season.

 

Sure GS is the best place for him and his legacy. Of course Durant could just sign a 1 year deal with OKC and go into free agency next season alongside Westbrook so both can feel out what they want to do and if Westbrook really wants to go to the Lakers, Durant can go to the Warriors. Either way, without Durant in the picture, there are tons of free agents this summer than can make us a top 3 seed in the west again.

But, saying Durant to Houston is .1% is ridiculous.

 

Well here's hoping Morey can pull it off.

Although I think it's more probable that Durant goes to LA, they pick up Simmons in the draft, Wetbrook and Harden follow when they become RFA and Lakers become a super team again.

 

You sure about that? Harden would just give the ball up to Durant, just like that? And follow his lead? Creators never follow. Harden has a brand image too.

 

How do you know that?

 

right. We are able as fans to rank now Durant's friendships in the league.
He is 10% better friend with Harden than with Ibaka and Westbrook wow

 

Why would he waste another year of his career in OKC just to hang out with Westbrook for one more season? it's pretty clear that team isn't going to go anywhere in the post-season because it's just Westbrook and Durant as effectively the whole team. The lure of a guy like Morey who is always working to improve the team would be pretty attractive to a star who has spent his entire career with a team that destroyed their chances at winning due to terrible decisions by the FO influenced by an owner too cheap to pay the luxury when it counted.

When it comes to Westbrook, the reason he's leaving OKC is because he's a big market type player, there's no way he signs a deal to waste the rest of his prime in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma. No chance whatsoever. He's for sure heading to a large market like LA, Chicago, or NY.

 

This sounds very familiar. History repeats itself here over and over.

 

Honestly Westbrook to the Lakers or Knicks seems inevitable at this point.

I think there is a chance Durant resigns with OKC but it all depends on how deep they go into the playoffs and how they lose. I predict they don't have a chance against the Spurs or Warriors but meh, that's why they play the games.

When they get dropped by either team in the 2nd round then Durant will really weigh his options.

 

And Harden is even more of a big market player than Westbrook who is even more lured by the LA lights..dating a "star".
Why would he waste one more year in OKC? Maybe because OKC has better defence, and more better cast around him than Houston?
Because he looks at Houston and sees one almost broken up old C (who he doesn't even like that much from all the trashtalking) and a team just one game over 0.500 barely in the playoffs?

 

Id nut

 

Don't forget, Durant played his college ball at Texas, he chose to come to our state once already

 

Well without durant okc doesn't make the playoffs

 

A few things

1. Yes, Harden is more of a big market player.....and he didn't stay in OKC.

2. I very much disagree that OKC has a better cast around Durant than Houston would.....and I'm pretty sure Durant would disagree with that too. OKC is basically just the Westbrook and Durant show.

 

really? Last year?
Because right now Utah playing most of the year without Gobert, Favors and Burks and Sacramento with their craziness are in the playoff race. And we are only a few games ahead of them.
OKC would make the playoffs this year even without Durant.

 

The Warriors were on their way before Kerr... Even Scalabrine recently was talking about it ..... Kerr is fine, but put him somewhere else and meh. He wasn't all that great in Phoenix.

 

I'm not sure they would and they'd certainly be worse than a healthy Rockets team. It wouldn't really be close.

It's sad how we forget just how good Durant really is just because he's on a team where there are only 2 real players.