Durant traded to Houston for Green, Brooks, #10 pick, and multiple 2nd rounders

Get this......the Thunder have evolved since Durant left in 2016, 9 years ago, winning it all with a totally new team.

• 6 years since Westbrook left. 13 years since Harden left.
• 
  
• Now the Rockets who try to emulate are going back to the Durant who has aged 10 years.
• And the Rockets have tried with Harden and Russell with mixed results yet no chip.
• Safe to say SGA is a better leader than the 3 of them, and JDub is going to be a force as well.

 

Congratulations on obliterating any credibility you may have had moving forward. I mean... wow. That quote right there is a signature worthy.

 

Is KD playing Summer League? /S

 

Good trade, fills the biggest area of need by far with this team. If Amen/Reed/Cam all get better next season and KD plays 60+ games and is healthy for playoffs, we are contenders.

My concern is relying on KD to be the primary shot creator/perimeter scorer at his age is a lot to ask. So for this trade to work we need to see improvements from those guys, or trade for another secondary ball handler/initiator. The window with KD is, at best, 2 years, but we still have plenty of assets to continue to make upgrades.

Just very happy we didn't give up Bari or Tari. Even if KD doesn't work out, hopefully most of the young nucleus will still be around as they hit their prime.

 

And I love it! This guy turned this franchise around, and if he wants someone, you go and get them.Yes his offense sucks but as a leader, he's at the top of the game.

As the trade sinks in, I'm realizing that we've become a full blown contender, and we still have all our prospects and future picks! From a laughingstock to a contender in 2 years, and in a time where the league is wide open...can't get much better than that.

 

Takes like this honestly make absolutely no sense. What would "blowing up in our face" even look like in this scenario?? We literally still have Amen, Alpi, Jabari, Tari, Reed, Cam, practically all of PHX's picks still AND Dallas' 2029 pick. KD could literally never suit up for this team, and it would STILL be a trade you do simply to get out from Jalen's contract. This team got MEASURABLY better overnight, didn't risk anything long term to do it, and are squarely in the mix to contend for a championship next year. And they still have the opportunity to get even better if certain situations shake loose around the league. How much more could you ask for in a deal? I simply don't understand it.

Also, regarding a declining FVV, I think we are going to see a very different version of him now that we have a bona fide alpha scorer. No longer will we have to rely on him jacking up 10 3's a night when things get tight, and Jalen isn't able to create shots for himself. KD is a walking bucket, and will have the ball in his hands when ISO is the right call.

 

I agree, if we expect him to be option A all game it won't happen, not at 37, in fact Ime should manage his playing time, 7 minutes a quarter or 28 per game, just to keep him fresh.....

DD

 

Don't overlook this component. It is key. Guys like Sheppard, Jabari and even Cam will get more opportunities to grow. And clearly Amen for sure.

 

Meaning something he will panic about and f**k up? Instead of letting CP3 make his adjustment to aging he burned it down.

Had he not forced through the Westbrook trade and let Morey do the job correctly we very well may have won a title, maybe 2. The last season of his "disaster" contract he was still playing elite ball leading the Suns to the finals while we won 17 games.

 

Suns fans are funny

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...-green-dillon-brooks-nba-draft-picks-analysis

 

As much as that was a colossal **** up, I have to give Tillman credit....he stepped away, and let the FO (and Patrick, who is always advocating for Stone and Ime) run things. I'm not a big Tillman fan, but I do know a little bit about their dynamic in ownership, and Tillman has acknowledged in closed door meetings that his dabbling was not helping the team accomplish their ultimate goals. Personal beliefs and politics aside, that's an owner I can fully support.

 

I’m on vacation in Paris and just saw this fantastic news! I’ve been too lazy to login recently, but I had to for this ****!!!

 

How we feeling in Phoenix? If yall haven’t checked out their locked-on yet it’s a fun watch. Spoiler : Shambles

 

Completely agree - and I firmly believe that the attention and spacing by Durant will give Sheppard and Jabari more opportunities to succeed. Jabari and Reed are going to get a lot more open looks, and in the case of Reed - he now has an elite release valve to pass too, and someone to screen with as well.

My initil gut reaction is "No, I wouldn't do it" - but I think my answer depends on the cost. If I can basically keep a lot of pieces and move Amen and other secondary pieces for Giannis, I actually may prefer that to gutting my team and keeping Amen. Also, how long will Giannis play? Does he take care of himself?

 

Yeah - if Phoenix is keeping Green, they need to play him 35 minutes a night. Why? Because there is still a chance he keeps improving and becomes a long term piece in Phoenix or plays well enough that he turns down his player option. There is ZERO upside to Beal for the Suns - not any at all.

 

I actually watched this yesterday and I’m ashamed to say that it made me laugh. Full on meltdown going on in Pheonix.

 

I don't think Giannis' style is conducive to aging gracefully. Durant will always have his wingspan and the all-time shooting stroke that survives injuries and age. Jokic will play forever since he barely moves vertically. Chris Paul can still play because of his vision and intelligence.

Giannis has always required being stronger and faster than his opponent. He doesn't have a graceful shot and needs to barrel into the lane to draw contact or dunk. That skillset will decline as he gets older. We saw it with Dwight Howard; I don't want to experience it again.

 

KD has already lead a team to a title - he was the best player on the Warriors and was the Finals MVP. He also was the best player in the world in the playoffs for the Nets when Harden and Kyrie were hurt, had they not gotten hurt, they would have almost for sure won the title.

Cody Williams, Cason Wallace, Johnny Davis, Zaiaire Williams, Jalen Smith, Cam Reddish, Mikail Bridges, Zach Collins, Thon Maker, Justise Winslow

Above are the last 10 players drafted with the #10 pick. Out of the group there is one very high level role player (Bridges) and a good rotation player (Wallace).

Every year is different - but #10 hasn't been so special the last decade.

The Rockets won 52 games with Green, so they don't need KD? That makes no sense, the Rockets lost in the first round, and Jalen Green - a lack of perimeter shooters and a lack of a number one option was a big reason why - and KD fits all of those needs.

I don't think trading for super teams is a smart strategy, and ideally a team drafts a superstar - but the Rockets have had the #2,#3,#4,#3 picks and zero super stars. The Rockets best bet to draft a star going forward is the Suns picks, and the Rockets kept all of those. KD didn't really cost them anything other than the #10 pick.

As for SGA - the Thunder were in the right place at the right time, they knew the Clippers had to have George and they extracted literally every possible asset from the Clippers.