Yao Ming's career ended because of a broken foot, therefore we should never sign anyone with a foot injury again.
But harden is far more effecient than Westbrook they both turn it over at about the same rate and both are not good defenders. I think that means more than who's better between harden and durant which we all know is durant. KD is maybe the best player in the game. Steph is great and so if lebron but I have to think that if you swapped curry out with KD he would do the same stuff curry does it just might look differnt. Lebron maybe not because in reality harden actually plays more like lebron than KD does but the cavs would still be very good. Atleast we will prob get a meeting with KD and that's better than all but prob 5 other teams so we do actually have a chance. Maybe not a good one but that atleast means KD has thought about playing here.
DD, it sounds like you are trying to protect your heart by not letting it get broken yet again. Durant is a once in a generation type player; that said he is not coming here and we should not spend much time on the thought of him coming here. We should not waste any opportunities to sign other players while waiting on something that will not transpire like we have in seasons past. Let's learn from it and move on. Let Durant sign somewhere then move Harden for Blake G. and start over. DMo is key player but not in the same league as Durant. Leadership can come from other players beside the stars --> Scola & Shane
So how much of the coaching search do y'all think is about baiting KD to come here? Maybe let me ask it another way, if you were to divide up how morey values a HC, how much value would it be in being a FA attractor and how much would it be in being a good HC fit for the team? 30% someone who can attract KD 70% someone who can coach this team Not asking what it should be, asking what y'all think Morey's strategy is here.
I obviously can't tell you what Morey's thinking, but here's how I think he should be approaching it: 100% someone who can coach this team. We'd automatically become a more attractive free agent destination if we had a great coach. Aside from that, I doubt Durant's really considering many other factors when it comes to the coach. He's probably not actually friends with any head coach out there, so the only thing he should be looking for in this regard is whether or not the coach is championship caliber.
Actually as someone that had season tickets during Durant's year at UT, I am a big KD fan. I just see something a little different in him post injury, he is not nearly as aggressive at going to the hole, his foot speed laterally seems much worse, and his defense has declined - all signs of a guy that is nursing an injury. He missed about a year and a half with foot problems and had one rebuilt, that is scary for us after Yao Ming. I have been a huge KD fan, but: A. I don't think he is coming here and B. While he is great on offense I worry that he might not fit in with the current Harden. That being said, if he shows interest....of course you offer him that contract and hope for the best. DD
I agree completely.....I'm just trying to figure out why we're hearing about some candidates being interviewed but not others that would be more ideal. It could be a number of reasons none of us can be aware of. But it does make me wonder how much of the search is influenced by trying to get "x" player here. If it is I'd be sorely disappointed.....
Ya but you won't know who he thinks is a championship caliber coach until you can ask him. Pure conjecture on my part but think that may be part of the reason why we haven't hired a coach yet.
I still can't keep all the salary/salary cap implications straight. For example, the author JR quotes mentions how OKC is in a better position because they will have KD's bird rights and can go over the cap to sign him. Which is true... but still puts them over the cap, and if they aren't winning the championship now, they need to add more, better players, and how do they do that if they are over the cap? Plus I can't keep straight the multi-year with opt-out after year one option. So its sounds like he can sign that somewhat less lucrative 4 year deal with another team, but with a 1 year opt out, and then opt out after one year and be a 10 year vet then, with the salary cap jumping again. And will that new team then have bird rights? Basically, what is the apples to apples 5 year total take-home pay, and if done after taxes, too (OK has a 5.25% tax rate), even better.
Wow - after reading the cap implications, I can't imaging KD signing anywhere other than OKC - and more than likely a one year deal with a PO for the 2nd. 227m over 6 years - is impossible to turn down. DD
Yep, the big problem for the Thunder is this, they just cannot upgrade the roster, they can trade Ibaka, but he's declining and expiring next season so yeah, he'll have a limited market anyway. As for the money i'm not sure this is that big of a deal if he stays there...now i have no desire to do the math, but i'm not that sure he will make more money this way: - sign a 1 year deal this summer -> sign x4 next season and expire when he'll be 33 ...than this way: - sign a 3+1 this summer and expire when he'll be 30 -> sign x4 and expire at 34
Wow, that's a lot of cash left on the table to leave a contender. So what teams will have the capspace for him this summer and next summer under a 1 year option?
Ibaka on a $12,500,000 mill expiring contract will probably easily get a first rounder + more Dmo almost got is a lottery pick and had 1/4 of season left on his contract
The fact that he's an expiring is not a positive, Ibaka (aside the fact that for the Thunder fans themselfs he's declining) will not resign for a lottery team, maybe not even for a small market team (we don't know this, but contenders and/or big markets will have interest in him)...anyway he'll be a free agent, so if you trade for him you just get a rental, this will for sure take away a lot of options. Add to that the next season the cap will jump to 110/115 (if i'm not wrong), if he's going to ask the max, we're talking about a ridiculous contract for a role player which has already reached his peak and for some people is already declining (some Thunder fans also say that he's probably few years older than what we know).
