Or just wait til Golden State loses players to free agency. This summer, Barbosa, Speights, Ezeli, and Barnes are free agents. Next summer, Curry, Iggy, Bogut, and Livingston are free agents. Even with the cap set to skyrocket, there's no way the Warriors will retain all of those guys unless they're prepared to pay a luxury tax bill on the level of what the Cavs are at this season. Bottom line, this Warriors ballclub is the best one they will ever have in this era. And we don't even know yet what will happen in this series. The Thunder just knocked off a 67-win Spurs team. Why is it so hard to believe they can't beat the Warriors?
We won 41 games this year....You're telling me stable coaching, a new year, and replacing one or two role players doesn't give this team at least 4 more wins? that would be hard not to do..5th seed this year won 44 games. You don't need major changes to get there. Even the 4th seed won 12 more games than Houston....a new coach and some better shooters gets you there or close enough to compete for that spot. Fans need to realize Les is a business man first...Just because I say he's not rebuilding doesn't mean i agree with it...it just the way he's done business. He doesn't want to suck and lose money. If he didn't do it when he lacked a a franchise player, he sure isn't going to do it now...all he has to do is get in the playoffs with near 50 wins or more and fans will eat it up, as long as the drama doesn't continue.
What a joke. Anyone who thinks there is a remote possibility that Durant joins Houston has a severe misunderstanding of the NBA, The Rockets, Durant and just basketball I guess. Suggesting that to anyone that isn't a rockets fan will get you laughed out of the conversation.
^^^ this X 10000000 I think he's definitely staying now, as long as they're competitive vs GS....but i read this argument all the time and it doesn't make any sense....KD makes a HUGE difference, especially on a bubble team, maybe not so much if he went to GS because they're already pretty good...but here? And then you'll have a few vets trying to jump on the bandwagon, so that's only going to help.
I still fail to see how a team of Durant + Harden + Conley/Horford + scrub is obviously far superior better than a team of Durant + Westbrook + Ibaka + Kanter. Why would he want to leave a proven great team for an unknown with similar ceiling.
People who think Durant is just as likely to join the Rockets over OKC or any other team are deluding themselves. Howard may or may not be the sole cause of the Rockets chemistry problems this year. The selecting/hiring of a respected and admired person to be the head coach may very well be no problem. The adding of another max player besides Durant could very well be simple and easy. As well as the recruitment of great role players for small salaries. I'm sure in some fairy land all these possibilities are accomplished with a simple hand wave and Durant views the Rockets as the most desirable destination, ahead of OKC, Miami, Washington, San Antonio, Warriors and every other team in the nba. Anyone want to buy a bridge Im selling?
Of course kd makes a huge difference. But he wants to get by the warriors and spurs, not just make the playoffs
that argument has been used for more stars than just KD...my point is, people use that argument, as if the star would be out of their mind to come be part of a bubble team...but obviously he'd significantly improve the team.
Yep, I think you can make a case for Durant joining the Rockets over Miami who have their own FA to retain, Washington...lol, San Antonio and GSW. OKC is and has always been the big obstacle, whether he wants to leave OKC or not. These other teams I find it curious that people think teams like Washington would be a better option than Houston. For San Antonio and GSW well it will be a matter of if Durant is cool not having a legacy of his own. I mean to go to GSW and help Curry win a few more MVPs doesn't seem like Durant...but I don't know him better than you I will admit.
Yep, this core will be really good: Durant, Harden, Horford, Ariza, Beverley, D.Mo, Beasley, Capela... ...better than: Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, Adams, Roberson, Kanter, Waiters, Payton... ? I'd say yes, maybe even slightly? Ok, fair enough. And still, we'll also be in a better position than OKC to improve with trades and/or cap space next summer.
Imo we'll be better even just cause i think Harden and Durant fits better each other than KD/Wes and Horford is a better all around player than Ibaka. A Anyway we'll probably get Durant only if we also get Horford, without one of them i don't think we can get the other...just my two cents though.
Also, yeah, i kinda agree on D.Mo, not sure he'll be here after the draft night, i would love to be wrong cause i like him but...
I'm genuinely confused here... do you actually believe there is a high probability Durant joins the Rockets??? Over staying in OKC? Or over all the other available options open to him, like SPurs, Warriors, Heat, Wiz combine??? If you really think so? what % are you willing to bet it at?
Well, you can say that he will not go to the Warriors cause that will be a bit embarassing for him, just joining the best team ever...i don't see Durant doing that... The Heat, i had them as a front runner for Durant, but now...Whiteside may stay or not, nobody knows, Wade is old, Bosh is in a bad situation...also, if he goes to the Heat there's a good chance he'll labelled, "he's doing what Lebron did etc...", overall i don't see him in Miami at this point. Washington meh, it's in the eastern conference but Beal is injury prone (and imo also overrated), Wall is very good but not a superstar, the organization is not great, at all...i think that's just not a good enough situation for him. The Spurs on paper may be good, maybe better than us but, if Duncan retires they'll need a center, and they won't find a good one for a MLE, they'll have to pay at least in double figures, so, it's going to be really hard if not impossible for them to have enough space for Durant and have a decent roster around the starting five...i just don't see the Spurs having a 8 men rotation. And last but not least, Spurs with Duncan >>> Spurs without Duncan...we're talking about a fantastic player, one of the best ever, without him they'll not be as good as they were...and Ginobili may also retire. So yeah, i think overall you can easily say that the Rockets are in a better position than most of these teams, personally i'd say that IF he leaves the Thunder and Horford is ok in forming a big three, we are front runners.
Durant can have a legacy of his own in SA. He will be the alpha there as hes a better player than both Kawhi and Aldridge right now.
He will be the alpha there like he can be in any team except the Warriors, but the Spurs don't have a center if Duncan retires (and if he's doesn't he seems done anyway), and no money to pay a good center (Pau? Horford?) and Durant. Also, Parker is close to being done, and Manu may retire too...they need to bring in at least two/three pretty good players in different spots to stay on top, with only Durant they'll have a 8/9 man roster with a ****ty bench and one/two holes in the starting five, not the Spurs way to build imo.
The lottery is soon. I hope Boston doesnt get 1 or 2 pick because then it will be easy for them to get a star and then they will be a real candidate to sign Durant.
If we want to play hypotheticals, there are other teams that might make sense for Durant as well. For example, if the Pacers trade away George Hill for a future pick (should be pretty easy to do) they'll have practically the same amount of cap space as the Rockets and will be able to offer the same amount of $$ to Durant/Conley as the Rockets. A team of Mike Conley + Monta Ellis + Paul George + Kevin Durant + Myles Turner is no joke especially in the Eastern conference.
