Kevin Durant to Warriors (Two years, $54.3M)

Didn't Unrestricted Free Agency first get adopted in 1988? The league already had Bird Rights to get home team's advantages, starting in 1983.

 

These other teams can't really be called 'superteams' in light of recent events. This is unprecedented. A 73-9 team just added a player that may be better than anyone else on the roster. The closest hypothetical to this is if the 72-10 Bulls signed Karl Malone in 1997, and even that's not quite the same since Malone was pretty old and clearly not as good as Jordan. It's preposterous and wouldn't have happened. Next season just went from an interesting 4-team race with multiple storylines (potential rematches between teams that played 7-game series, interpersonal drama with Draymond vs. Adams/Lebron, Warriors out for revenge after falling short, etc...) to a boring ass season of just tracking the one superteam.

Sucks for fans and for the league overall, but it's the NBA's own fault for allowing this absurd scenario to occur.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Welcome to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DubNation?src=hash">#DubNation</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/KDTrey5">@KDTrey5</a>! <a href="https://t.co/c3yGsEUMfS">pic.twitter.com/c3yGsEUMfS</a></p>&mdash; GoldenStateWarriors (@warriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/warriors/status/751143859367899137">July 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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The Warriors won't get out of the second round.

 

The only thing "unprecedented" is the 73 win total. Would you take the GS quad over Wilt, Baylor and West? No, you wouldn't. When Wilt joined LA the other two players were considered the best at their positions in league history. And when Wilt and Moses switched they were the reigning MVP and better than anyone else on the roster, and arguably the best players on Earth.

 

Yes and no. In 88 you had to be in the league 7 years and have gone through 2 contracts. So yes it existed but it was still more restrictive than what we see today.

 

<iframe width="504" height="284" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BT4EF9I5-gk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">quite possibly the greatest photo i've ever captured. <a href="https://t.co/P2JDaRAjZZ">pic.twitter.com/P2JDaRAjZZ</a></p>&mdash; Julie Phayer (@juliephayer) <a href="https://twitter.com/juliephayer/status/751146619752419328">July 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Repped.

Bottom line is players have used their options to stack teams before, all the way back to the 60's, and stacked teams don't cause less interest.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congrats to the newest member of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DubNation?src=hash">#DubNation</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KDTrey5">@KDTrey5</a>…new journey, same goal! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JustUS?src=hash">#JustUS</a></p>&mdash; Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) <a href="https://twitter.com/StephenCurry30/status/751151408791973888">July 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Strength in Chokers

 

Durant:

It's been hectic. A lot of attention being in this position. I felt as comfortable as I've ever felt with these guys. ... A feeling I couldn't ignore. I feel great. I feel excited about this opportunity.

I didn't think they would be interested in me, having so much success before. ... I can tell they enjoy being around each other. Great vibe. Glad I'm here. Just ready to play ball.

I want to keep getting better. I want to learn from these guys. Whatever it is, just trying to grow & get better.

(How difficult was it to leave?) Difficult. Being in a place so long, it's hard. Went back & forth for 2-3 days. It was tough. This new journey, I'm excited & looking forward to. This next step in life, I want to get better every single day.

I felt this group, when they came to see me, everything was real. To see everyone walking in, they were all about business. They were family. Conversation was effortless. Great fit & best fit for me.

(Growth?) I was speaking on making a decision that I want to make. This was the best place for it.

(Message to those who vilify you?) Can't control that. I knew it was a part of this deal. I can't worry about outside noise.

(Conversation with Jerry West?) Talked about the Warriors and how I'd be a great fit and how I'd love the guys. It was about the team, the coaching staff.

(Decision yourself & when did you make it?) We sat down with pros & cons of every situation. Call to OKC was hardest thing I had to do in life. Tears were shed but ready for this journey. Unpopular decision but I can live with it.

(Response to those are saying you're taking the shortcut?) Nothing in this league is easy. There are no shortcuts. 82 games to play. This was the hardest road. I don't know anyone here, never been in this community. Steph said trust what we're saying. It's hard to trust someone I just met but went with my gut. Not an easy decision, being out of my comfort zone. I'm excited & pumped to get started.

(Feel guilty?) No. We live in this superhero comic book world, you're a villain or superhero. I know I haven't changed as a person. Fans in OKC and basketball fans around the world are upset but I made this on what I wanted to do. It's the best decision for me. I can't control how they feel. I have a short amount of time left to play basketball and want to enjoy every single day.

(When was this decision made?) 7:00 on July 4th. I've been in OKC for 8 years. Toughest day of my life but I figured it was time to try something new, a new challenge and no better place than here.

(How big a factor was relationships?) Meeting we had was important. Wanted to meet them face to face. They came in hand in hand and let me know how much I fit in. They make it work. It was natural, authentic & real and felt I needed to be a part of it.

(Igudoala/Ron Adams relationship?) Ron Adams was the only reason I came. (joking) Andre was huge. He said it'd be the most fun you'd have in your life. Guys love basketball, love the environment. Playing under Ron, he taught me so much in OKC.

(Adjustment to Warriors style of play?) However long it takes. I'm a vet. I know the game well. Listen as much as I can and be me. They told me to be myself. I know it'll take time but it'll all be worth it.

(Talk to Westbrook and that relationship?) I did talk to him. It's tough. Teammates for so long & great memories. I'm sure he wasn't happy but respected it. I wanted a new chapter. It was time for it and made this decision. I couldn't consider everyone's feelings. I focused on me. Hopefully he understands.

(Curry's world, what makes you comfortable playing with him?) He doesn't care about that stuff. He wants to play, wants to win. He's a PG. He wants to pass but we compliment each other. We can shoot, make plays. He's excited.

(Anything on your checklist you're looking forward to doing as a California resident?) We'll see. I got a busy summer ahead. Excited to be a part of this organization & play with these great players & unbelievable fans.

Kerr:

We lost in the Finals. We want to get better. We want to do better. You can't do any better than adding KD to the current crew. We're already talking about how we can put the pieces together. It's gonna be a lot of fun.

We're gonna miss the players moving on as the shift in the roster. Thanks to Bogut, Barnes, Barbosa, Rush & Ezeli. That's a lot of good people moving on who helped us win a championship and create what was here but this is the NBA. Players move on. It's all a part of the business but important to remember the relationships built and that doesn't change once they change uniforms.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Steve Kerr, asked how KD will fit in: “well, I haven’t made the decision yet, but he might start.&quot;</p>&mdash; David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) <a href="https://twitter.com/daldridgetnt/status/751152834452660224">July 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">GM Bob Myers was stunned Kevin Durant chose to become a Warrior: &quot;Until he called &amp; told me he was coming, I didn't think he was coming.&quot;</p>&mdash; Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrMichaelLee/status/751152721198284800">July 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Who's hugging KD, the owner?

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">GM Bob Myers after spending some time with KD: 'I knew who I thought he was . . . he was better.'</p>&mdash; Monte Poole (@MontePooleCSN) <a href="https://twitter.com/MontePooleCSN/status/751154007847018496">July 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kevin Durant on conversations with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Warriors?src=hash">#Warriors</a>: 'It was organic. It was authentic. It was real.'</p>&mdash; Monte Poole (@MontePooleCSN) <a href="https://twitter.com/MontePooleCSN/status/751153233637232644">July 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">KD on leaving OKC. &quot;It was tough. Those nine years, you can’t erase. That love doesn’t fade. Those memories don’t erase.&quot;</p>&mdash; Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrMichaelLee/status/751155093534285824">July 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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AGAIN (are you reading my posts?), I'm not comparing Barkley to MJ, Shaq or Duncan.

As does everyone else not named MJ. You realize the reason why those other players had more chances? They had better teams...

You're tieing the two together, without any factual proof of correlation/causation then what you feel.

Do I need some statistical study to prove that the reason the Bulls had 6 rings is because of MJ's supreme dominance. Of course not. But if I'm comparing Barkley to Dirk, or KG, or the like in that next tier, I think it helps to look at the facts.

He did not lay an egg. What KD did in game 6 is laying an egg. 10-31, lol. 7-16, 18 points, 23 rebounds is not laying an egg, even with the turnovers.

The Suns were 62-20 in 92/93. Barkley was at his peak, and was the MVP. The narrative that "no one" could beat MJ so any year where he was playing wasn't a great year to win is silly. The Suns were at their best in 92/93. The following year they got worse defensively (going from 9th in defensive rating in 92/93 to 16th, then to 19th). Barkley, as already noted, stepped up big time in 92/93.

They've had some moments where they stepped up, and plenty of moments where they didn't as well.

See, individual players don't win championships. MJ is the closest to that, and his teams were stacked.

KG in 07/08 put up 16 points, 6 boards, 4 assists and a turnover on 7 for 16 shooting in the ECF game 6 against Detroit. An 8.8 game score. Which if what Barkley did is laying an egg, this is taking a dump, lol. But the Celtics won that game. He had two games in the Finals with gamescores of 7.9 and 9.5.

I'll take Charles over Dirk defensively every day.
Rebounding is part of defense, too, by the way.

Except for those times when he did get it done, lol.

You realize one player doesn't win a ring, right? That not having a championship ring doesn't all of a sudden mean certain players just never stepped up?

Yes, Dirk is the more prolific offensive scorer. Agreed.

Lol. Horry and Grant didn't exactly shut Barkley down. Was it all Horace Grant's stellar defense when Barkley went 42 and 13, on 16-26 shooting in Game 2 of the Finals ?? Nonetheless a Bulls win...

He's not light years ahead of him. Dirk's had his moments, and Barkley's had his moments. Dirk has had plenty of the opposite moments. As has Barkley.

So you do, or don't think Curry will be viewed as a non-winner in his legacy? He's been the least clutch in the playoffs, almost, of all the guys we've talked about.

He has multiple clutch moments because he's been on better teams with better teammates and coaching. Generally that's what it comes down to.

And yes, Kobe DEFINITELY is in a tier above Barkley. But even with that, the difference between Kobe's teammates/organization and Barkley's is bigger than the difference between Kobe and Barkley as all-time greats. Kobe played with Shaq in his prime. Kobe played with a front-line of Gasol, Bynum and Odom all in their primes. And all while being coached by the "zen master". Barkley got KJ and Paul Westphal. And Hakeem/Clyde in their old age along with Barkley in his old age. And I like KJ, and Westphal. But its not comparable. Its just not.

I mean take that game 7 loss where Barkley DID NOT lay an egg with a 7-16 shooting performance, 18 points, 23 rebounds. Barkley, too, played through difficulty - he got two pain shots at halftime. But he also was stuck with stupidity. He had a coach (Westphal) who purposefully said give the ball to KJ every possession in the second half, no matter what!! And KJ finished with 46 points, but on 12-26 shooting, and team that was up 10 at half time lost focus and chemistry and that was that.

I'm not underrating that skill-set, I'm pointing out that Barkley had it at times, too. And he didn't at times, just as Dirk has also failed more than once to close important games.

I was tempted to just respond to this, because its clear we have a different view of history, and to just leave it at that.

Basically, your view of history is that Barkley joining the MJ Bulls in their prime, would result in zero rings... which is one of the most laughably absurd comments I've seen on this site.

The Bulls dominated during their first three championships offensively. They were first or second in offensive rating every year. They were 7th, 4th and 7th in defensive rating those three years. Still top 10... as we know you have to be great in all aspects, but it was NOT the main reason they won titles.

Equally important, Horace Grant wasn't exactly some kind of defensive mastermind out there. Better than Barkley? Yeah, probably... but not by that much, as their defensive ratings would back up. What's more, being in a better defensive scheme and system tends to pick up players defensively. It's how Curry works defensively, generally. It's why LaMarcus Aldridge, a career 102-109 defensive rating guy, was 99 this year with the Spurs.

So you're wrong about the main reason the Bulls won those titles, you're wrong about them being a dominant defensive team, and you're wrong abotu Horace Grant being some amazing defensive fit for that Bulls team.

And its laughable to think MJ Bulls changing out Horace Grant for Charles Barkley goes from 3 rings to 0. Freaking crazy comment.

Lol. The comparisons you are giving are night and day with what KD has done.

There's never been a team as stacked as GSW. There's never been a team with so many hall of famers, in their prime, starting. There's never been a team with historic all time shooters in place. Etc, etc, etc.

It's the NBA. You have to be on a stacked team to win a ring... there's never been a team THIS STACKED...

 

Spoiler

 

Those guys were past their prime. Wilt was 32, Baylor was 34, and West was 30. Wilt and Elgin in particular were nowhere near the players they once were, so it's irrelevant where their overall careers stand in league history. Wilt specifically was also disgruntled and felt like the Sixers organization hadn't done right by him - I doubt KD would say the same about the Thunder. The Warriors have 2 top 5 players who are in their absolute prime and 2 top 20 players who likely haven't even reached their primes.

Also, there were less than half the # of teams as there are today. Back then, even teams that were completely unremarkable from a historical perspective had 2-3 guys that could be considered stars, simply because there were less places for them to go. The Lakers' competition had just as much starpower as they did. The Warriors, on the other hand, have 4 players who would all likely be the best player on over half the teams in the league. Over half the league does not have a single player that would crack the Warriors' starting 5.

So, to answer your question, taking into account historical perspective and competitive balance, I would absolutely take the Warriors roster vs. the 2016 NBA vs. the Lakers roster vs. the 1968 NBA.

I'm still not laying any blame at the hand of the Warriors and/or KD. As a Longhorn and a fan of his since 2004, I am disappointed that KD doesn't want to be in the revered class of athletes that fight and claw toward a championship, but ultimately he made the choice he saw as best for himself.

This is the NBA's fault. I know I don't speak for everyone, but my interest level in the NBA just went from 8/10 (Rockets need to be more relevant for 9-10) to 3/10.