If you're all about championships then there is no way you look at OKC and see a way to get better. Or to get good enough to compete with the likes of the top teams. So if he signs because he's buds with someone and likes the organization and wants that extra money then he ain't a killer, No Mamba mentality there. In fact it smells a little too Dwight-ish too me. I'm not drawing a parallel between PG and Dwight but that attitude reminds me a bit of DH and I'm not sure I would want that anyways. I hope that's not the case and he's just being respectful to OKC and making it seem like a hard decision.
I'll be furious if we end up paying max money to a pair of 33 year Olds... I also absolutely hate Paul.
Legendary post. Im dumbfounded for not enough love being shown to the quietER posters. I love this place, just want everyone to come together without needing to fit a narrative.
I see things a little differently in that I don’t see OKC being a bad team. I still think a core of Westbrook, Roberson, PG, Melo, Adams are a very strong starting 5 and can be a top defensive team with enough firepower to be top 10 on offense and a bench of Patterson, Ferguson, Abrines, Grant and Felton can be a good bench. They need one sixth man ring chaser off the bench to add some real punch. If they had a good coach like Pop, Bud, Stevens or Snyder, I think they could make serious noise in the playoffs and be a top 3 team with GSW and HOU as currently constructed. Now if we sign Lebron and trade for Kawhi while retaining Lonzo/Ingram, Hart, Randle and Lopez. I think we are right there as a top 5 team ready to win it all. (I’d prefer to retain Ingram but Lonzo is super useful with his defence and playmaking)
Okc would be looking at 150 mio salary plus 120 Mio. tax bill if they offer George the max. They seem ready to absorb the penalty which is amazing considering they shipped Harden because they were 4 mio. apart in total salary over 4 years. Once Melo comes off the books the salary comes back to normal but Anthony will cost them more than 70 mio. this year. I'm sure they had this calculated before but it is somehow crazy nonetheless. It is also inconsistent considering they were dirt cheap on Harden and are now spending huge bucks for a much worse team. Presti certainly is capable but not free of controversy.
i disagree that it implies george is some kind of wuss if he doesn't come to la. i also don't think he's stupid if he doesn't. he plays on a better team. he'll make the same money. he likes it there. we could have fixed this had we made a solid trade offer for him, but we were cocky. saying that if he doesn't come here, we didn't want him is sour grapes, imo. we want him. or we should. i felt the same as alcindor about dwight (and was right, he was a wuss), but this is not at all the same situation. if our interest in a player rests solely on their interest and ability to carry the franchise, we'll be holding our bag of cash for a long time. at some point, you have to get some all star caliber players in the door. not getting george would be a tremendous disappointment, given the circumstances.
...and then we land PG making our defense mechanism of saying this and that about him annoying and hilarious at the same time. Moment of truth in 7 days. That's one(1) freaking week. BTW I'm sticking by my prediction, we don't land him, we're striking out yet again. Sent from my E6533 using Tapatalk
When I said 'we' I meant 'not me'. I still firmly believe he's coming until proven otherwise. Sent from my E6533 using Tapatalk
270-300 million dollars OKC is going to pay for that team? With both PG and his agent being too dumb to compare both the competitive and fun value of the Lakers going forward vs that cash strapped Thunder team now with the highest salary and the highest penalty tax in history this season? With his invalid mother here in S. Cal and his wife and family wanting him to be in Los Angeles? All so he can play in an inferior system with Russell Westbrook?
Abeer I do think he would show weakness in staying with okc. The Lakers will offer him a superior solution in any respect. Here he will have the better facility, weather, city, owner, coach AND most likely a better team because that all but guarantees LeBron. That's simply a better team than Okc and certainly not a first round exit. When I hear how Roberson injury derailed their season... Lol. Roberson? Really? He is now the difference maker in playoff series? I also think the Lakers are a better bet to win a championship than okc. 16 beats 0...chances are we win #17 before okc wins its first. If you are about winning LA is the way to go. If you're about lifestyle LA is the way to go. Choosing okc because he is close to Westbrook would indicate that he is too comfortable and that shows me that he probably doesn't have the attributes of a champion.
He's dumber than I thought if he decides to stay with OKC. BTW, if he does stay, then he's not the player we thought he were. Good riddance.
Wait a minute .... is this some insidious new disease LaVarBallsDad infected you with past couple days with flip flopping? .... (teasing Pops) 6:19AM 6:28AM