What Player would you "Blow it up" For...

[Guest]

KAT

Kawhi

Lillard

Ant Davis

Pill popper Paul George

 

[Diesel]

4 hours ago, ViewsFromTheSquawk said:

Obvious answers include Klay Thompson,Kawhi Leonard,and KAT but I wanna throw in a younger guys name too. Stanley Johnson is a guy id personally love to have here. That's just me tho 

You'd blow it all up for Stanley Johnson?

I like Johnson and Kawhi also.. but I wouldn't start over from scratch just to get them..

 

[Diesel]

3 hours ago, MrYellow said:

I always saw KD liking that iso-system.

He was even a Scott Brooks supporter as their coach 

I don't know if it were the system or Westbrook himself.   He said something to the effect that" I said my peace to Westbrook, obsviously the relationship won't ever be the same again, I hope he respects my decision. " To me, that suggestions that he got some stuff off his chest before he moved on. 

 

[Diesel]

5 hours ago, RandomFan said:

Oh I'm 100% convinced that's the reason Durant left. You hear all the comments from Durant about how he wanted to be in a more ball sharing offense. There have been so many comments from him over the last few years, saying similar things like OKC was an unbeatable team when they shared the ball,(which wasn't very often.)

That's why I don't criticize Durant for going to GSW. I don't see his primary goal for going there as chasing a ring. I think he genuinely wanted to play in a place where they share the ball - and GSW led the NBA in amount of passes last season. It's just a cherry on top for him that they are also championship caliber.

Another media type said it best: the Westbrook and Durant dynamic wasn't a case of two people that didn't like each other, they actually did like each other. But you can like a person and still not want to play basketball with that person because they don't play the style you want too.

Lame ass thread???

 

[Trout7]

Can't think of anyone.

[Vol4ever]

Nobody besides Lebron.  

[MrYellow]

7 hours ago, RandomFan said:

Mmmhhhmmm. That must be why Durant said this.

And also this.

 

Ex post statements are worth what they are.

[ViewsFromTheSquawk]

4 hours ago, Diesel said:

You'd blow it all up for Stanley Johnson?

I like Johnson and Kawhi also.. but I wouldn't start over from scratch just to get them..

 

It depends on what you define as blow it up? Does that mean have one losing season and you automatically get them with the guys we already have? Or we must trade for them with our guys we have in order to get him. 

[MrYellow]

4 hours ago, Diesel said:

I don't know if it were the system or Westbrook himself.   He said something to the effect that" I said my peace to Westbrook, obsviously the relationship won't ever be the same again, I hope he respects my decision. " To me, that suggestions that he got some stuff off his chest before he moved on. 

 

Yeah but that's like a normal consequence when your real leader (Westbrook) is not your "technical" leader (KD).

[RandomFan]

6 hours ago, MrYellow said:

Ex post statements are worth what they are.

You were proven incorrect, but instead of simply conceding the point and moving on you decided to try hand-waving it away and hoping nobody noticed? For one thing, ex post facto arguments have their place when used properly, such as contrasting present and past situations as is done in my previous post. Especially considering doing so was the sole reason for the conversation Durant was involved in!

Second, one of the only two arguments I presented was an ex ante facto, not ex post facto, so get your facto's straight. <See what I did there?>

10 hours ago, Diesel said:

Lame ass thread???

 

Still a lame ass thread!   @Diesel a.k.a. =

Edited July 16, 2016 by RandomFan

[Diesel]

Some named that don't make lists...

1.  Mike Conley Jr.   (Highest paid player in the NBA). 

2.  Melo.

3.  Chris Paul

4.  LaMarcus Aldridge

5.  Porzingas (I think i saw his name once). 

6. Ben Simmons  - He's supposed to be the Future.

Just thought it was interesting that nobody would sell the farm for these guys. 

 

[ViewsFromTheSquawk]

3 hours ago, Diesel said:

Some named that don't make lists...

1.  Mike Conley Jr.   (Highest paid player in the NBA). 

2.  Melo.

3.  Chris Paul

4.  LaMarcus Aldridge

5.  Porzingas (I think i saw his name once). 

6. Ben Simmons  - He's supposed to be the Future.

Just thought it was interesting that nobody would sell the farm for these guys. 

 

I thought about LA but he's the same age as Sap. And I'd swap multiple 1st for CP3 but I wouldn't technically blow it up 

[AHF]

When I think about this question, I think if you are going down the road of blowing it up and getting rid of every player on the team and the coach to bring in one player as your starting block you need to go one of two ways:

(1)  You land a star who is so respected and charismatic that he will be able to recruit other stars to join.  You have to get this if you are going with someone like Paul George because otherwise by the time  you build a team around him through normal FA or the draft, you won't be a contender.

or

(2)  A really young star who you can build around conventionally.

There aren't many people in either category but the question starts by ruling out arguably the 3 strongest candidates for category #1.  What other vets are good enough to do this?  Not sure I'd trust any of them to be able to do it.  I like Kawhi Leonard on skills and at 24 years old but not sure he has the personality.  I'm not sure George hits either category out of the park - he is very good but who runs to play with him?  Not sure either are transcendent enough to pull a LeBron in Miami type of team building off.  Russell Westbrook might be the best candidate but ballhogs like him and AI and Kobe, etc. are not a cornerstone that I like.

For category 2, I embrace KAT and Anthony Davis.  Not because of the UK connection, although it doesn't hurt, but because both seem like low-ego, hardworking and ultra talented versatile big men that could fit in on any team. 

 

****************

 

On the tangent of KD, I have no doubt he said all those things about wanting more ball movement but why he chose GS to me has to be primarily about ring chasing.  If he wanted to set his own legacy with other guys in a ball movement offense there were plenty of other options who could have had room for him this summer, including Atlanta.  He didn't give much consideration to those other options and went for the team that just set the record for most wins in a season.  I'm labeling him a ring chaser.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, AHF said:

When I think about this question, I think if you are going down the road of blowing it up and getting rid of every player on the team and the coach to bring in one player as your starting block you need to go one of two ways:

(1)  You land a star who is so respected and charismatic that he will be able to recruit other stars to join.  You have to get this if you are going with someone like Paul George because otherwise by the time  you build a team around him through normal FA or the draft, you won't be a contender.

or

(2)  A really young star who you can build around conventionally.

There aren't many people in either category but the question starts by ruling out arguably the 3 strongest candidates for category #1.  What other vets are good enough to do this?  Not sure I'd trust any of them to be able to do it.  I like Kawhi Leonard on skills and at 24 years old but not sure he has the personality.  I'm not sure George hits either category out of the park - he is very good but who runs to play with him?  Not sure either are transcendent enough to pull a LeBron in Miami type of team building off.  Russell Westbrook might be the best candidate but ballhogs like him and AI and Kobe, etc. are not a cornerstone that I like.

For category 2, I embrace KAT and Anthony Davis.  Not because of the UK connection, although it doesn't hurt, but because both seem like low-ego, hardworking and ultra talented versatile big men that could fit in on any team. 

 

****************

 

On the tangent of KD, I have no doubt he said all those things about wanting more ball movement but why he chose GS to me has to be primarily about ring chasing.  If he wanted to set his own legacy with other guys in a ball movement offense there were plenty of other options who could have had room for him this summer, including Atlanta.  He didn't give much consideration to those other options and went for the team that just set the record for most wins in a season.  I'm labeling him a ring chaser.

Agreed! Honestly KD was a guy that I thought was loyal and would make his own legacy and I play in okc and one uniform (well 2 sonics) his whole career like Magic, Bird, Reggie Miller and Kobe.

 

He sold out!

[Diesel]

3 hours ago, Spud2Nique said:

Agreed! Honestly KD was a guy that I thought was loyal and would make his own legacy and I play in okc and one uniform (well 2 sonics) his whole career like Magic, Bird, Reggie Miller and Kobe.

 

He sold out!

I think KD was in a good position but he had too much to contend with in OKC.  IF OKC really wanted to do something, they should have tried to trade Westbrook and maybe he would have stayed.  Them being seconds away from the finals and not making it is really a testiment that Westbrook and KD couldn't get it done.   They pulled a Michaelson. 

[RandomFan]

5 hours ago, AHF said:

On the tangent of KD, I have no doubt he said all those things about wanting more ball movement but why he chose GS to me has to be primarily about ring chasing.  If he wanted to set his own legacy with other guys in a ball movement offense there were plenty of other options who could have had room for him this summer, including Atlanta.  He didn't give much consideration to those other options and went for the team that just set the record for most wins in a season.  I'm labeling him a ring chaser.

I disagree. Look at it this way - he was already on a title contender. Yes, he wanted to play a more ball-sharing type of b-ball, but he also wasn't going to leave a title contender to join a mediocre team just to accomplish that goal. However, GSW offered him the best of both worlds, i.e. - he gets to stay on a title contender while also adding the benefit of playing in the type of offense he wants to play in.

I still say it was less about ring chasing and more about wanting a ball sharing offense, while not taking a step backwards at a chance at a ring.

[AHF]

On 7/18/2016 at 10:39 PM, RandomFan said:

I disagree. Look at it this way - he was already on a title contender. Yes, he wanted to play a more ball-sharing type of b-ball, but he also wasn't going to leave a title contender to join a mediocre team just to accomplish that goal. However, GSW offered him the best of both worlds, i.e. - he gets to stay on a title contender while also adding the benefit of playing in the type of offense he wants to play in.

I still say it was less about ring chasing and more about wanting a ball sharing offense, while not taking a step backwards at a chance at a ring.

Good pitch but I'm not buying it.  He can't lead that team to a ring ever because that team is led by the two time reigning MVP.  Durant is now along for the ride to a championship and should play a big role but he has officially become player B on that team.  So he prioritized chasing a ring over the chance to be the guy who leads his team to win the ring.  Plus the Warrios were one of OKC's biggest rivals.  Jumping to the superior rival team and then claiming it was because he wanted a ball movement offense rings hollow to me.  I would buy it more if he had made a big deal out of it in 9 years in OKC but we never heard about it until he was signed and sealed for GS.

[RandomFan]

1 hour ago, AHF said:

Good pitch but I'm not buying it.  He can't lead that team to a ring ever because that team is led by the two time reigning MVP.  Durant is now along for the ride to a championship and should play a big role but he has officially become player B on that team.  So he prioritized chasing a ring over the chance to be the guy who leads his team to win the ring. 

You say that like it's a negative thing. But in fact it's the thing that actually motivated him to join the Warriors. He was tired of the two superstar method of trying to carry the team on their shoulders. That's the point I'm making. He wanted to be on a "team" where he was viewed as just another one of the cogs in the championship wheel, not the standout or the leader. He wanted to be on a "team" that shares the ball, shares the glory, shares the responsibility, and shares the championships.

Quote

When asked what was the key to landing Durant, one high-ranking Warriors executive said: “Jerry West … Everyone telling [Durant] he’d be on equal footing. No stars.”

The “Strength In Numbers” sales pitch worked as the Warriors’ immediately became next season’s championship favorite with Durant saying yes to their “brotherhood.”

Quote

 

The Warriors’ meeting with Durant lasted about two hours with the “main pitch” being winning championships together. Even so, Curry apparently felt it necessary to send Durant a message hours after the meeting Friday night to reassure him about his commitment to “Strength In Numbers” and unselfishness.

According to a person who saw the text messages, Curry told Durant in a text message that he could care less about who is the face of the franchise, who gets the most recognition or who sells the most shoes. The two-time NBA MVP also told Durant that if Durant won the MVP award again he would be in the front row of the press conference clapping for him. In closing, Curry’s message to Durant was that all he truly cared about was winning championships and he’d like to do that as his teammate.

 

 

Edited July 21, 2016 by RandomFan

[AHF]

Sooo he abdicated a position of leadership so he could join a team that was already good enough to win a ring without him so he could take on a less demanding role while still winning a ring.

I call that ring chasing:  joining a team that is good enough that you can glom  on to win a ring instead of earning one by building or leading a team.

[Sothron]

I would trade everyone on the roster for KAT. That kid is the big man for this generation of NBA play. If you guys get league pass or something like it you should seriously watch the TWolves just to see that kid play.