Kevin Durant Thread: Is A New Snake Destined For LA?

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by therealdeal, Sep 17, 2018.

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  1. OX1947

    OX1947 - Lakers MVP -

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    The noise we are hearing about Durant is eerily similar to Lebron last year. Would Durant really leave if they win it this year? I couldn't see that and have the chance at passing up a 4-peat.
     
    OX1947, Sep 18, 2018
    #41
  2. DoMinJoon

    DoMinJoon - Rookie -

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    Is this a trick question? He can pull up from 30 and he can drop 30 in his sleep. He's a legit 7 footer with guard-like handles and athleticism. This dude is a scoring machine with huge commercial impact, and you're telling me that the Lakers shouldn't try any attempt whatsoever in recruiting him to wear the Purple and Gold jersey?

    [​IMG]
     
    DoMinJoon, Sep 18, 2018
    #42
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  3. SmoothOperator

    SmoothOperator - Lakers 6th Man -

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    I don’t even find the narrative of “KD wants to leave the Warriors to be the future face of his own team”....

    I thought he left OKC because he didn’t care about being the face of a team and found it annoying to play with Westbrook. So he chose the Warriors because he liked how the Warriors played team ball and didn’t care if Curry was the face of the franchise. Plus KD still gets a ton of credit up there, it’s he who’s getting those final MVP trophies... not Curry.

    The only slim possibility I can see this happening is as someone else mentioned, if the Warriors don’t win it all this year. However, the problem with that is I also see that as unlikely. Warriors are the huge odds on favorite to with the ‘ship this year, especially with the addition of Boogie.

    Keep in mind, the Warriors don’t need Boogie to recover to be pre-Achilles Boogie. They have the luxury to let him take his time to rehab all season. All they need is Boogie to be better than Zaza Pachulia when the playoffs start....
     
    SmoothOperator, Sep 19, 2018
    #43
  4. Alcindor

    Alcindor - Lakers Starter -

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    This.

    It's not hard to look ahead and see the writing on the wall for GSW from a money perspective. Meanwhile Durant is pretty much guaranteed one more title, #3, by not jumping ship just yet. That puts him in elite territory. Jumping next summer also gives him a good chance to increase that total. Klay Thompson is getting 32.4 mil next year, period. That's 116mil+ just on Curry/Thompson/Green/Livingston/Igudala. Green will also want an extension. Forget about Boogie. Can they win with that group and No Durant? No Boogie? No Zaza and No Javale? Lebron took that group out in 2016 with Kyrie. Replace Kyrie with Durant and our youth now in their 3-4th years? Kuz and Hart entering their prime mid-20's? A 4th year Ingram? All replacing that Cleveland team with much more youth. I can see why Durant is back on his bail wagon. Curry's the man in GSW. KD can win all the finals MVPs he wants, Curry is the man there. He knows it and it pisses him off I'm sure he is blowing off steam about it on a new burner too.
     
    Alcindor, Sep 19, 2018
    #44
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  5. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    yeah, i could talk myself into this being quite possible.

    larger point: kawhi isn't the only path.
     
    abeer3, Sep 19, 2018
    #45
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  6. alam1108

    alam1108 - Lakers Legend -

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    I don't think there's at much smoke around KD coming here than there was with Lebron coming here. Lebron left an aging team that required him to go all out for them to have a chance of winning A game in the finals. KD would be leaving a team that are constantly title favorites for several years. Guys wanting to get paid will be the downfall of the Warriors though and that's when we should snoop in for either KD or Klay.

    The big picture here is we have options for next year. It's not Kawhi or bust. Now, even ever so slightly, there's KD, Klay and Butler too.
     
    alam1108, Sep 19, 2018
    #46
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  7. 432J

    432J - Lakers All Star -

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    KD is the second best player in the league and obviously we'd all love to have him in LA but i don't see any reason why he'd leave the warriors if (when) they win it all this upcoming season

    they've still got another 2-3 seasons left of being THE title contender with that core assuming thompson stays (and i'd be very shocked if he left)

    but like others have mentioned, kawhi isn't the only option anymore. having a chance landing at least one of kawhi, butler, KD, or klay is massive
     
    432J, Sep 19, 2018
    #47
  8. fabfourlakers

    fabfourlakers - Lakers Starter -

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    I can see KD coming here...and I'm starting to see some eerily similar signs to the smoke around LeBron coming here a year before it happened.

    If you get KD and LeBron together with Kuz, Ingram, Zo, Hart, Svi, and Mo...that's a solid 8 man rotation right there!
     
    fabfourlakers, Sep 19, 2018
    #48
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  9. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    How about this for a narrative: Durant is the guy who went to the Warriors and built them into the unstoppable contender they are.

    What if he turns around and destroys the team he built with his greatest rival? Wouldn't that catapult Durant even further up the all-time list?
     
    therealdeal, Sep 19, 2018
    #49
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  10. johnnyboy

    johnnyboy - Lakers 6th Man -

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    johnnyboy, Sep 19, 2018
    #50
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  11. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    Not exactly the most trustworthy of sources.

    :Laugh:
     
    ElginTheGreat, Sep 19, 2018
    #51
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  12. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    Cuffs on the other hand....
     
    ElginTheGreat, Sep 19, 2018
    #52
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  13. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    Actually he named his source and that source had to come out and retract the statement if I remember correctly.
     
    therealdeal, Sep 19, 2018
    #53
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  14. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    Oh really. Didn’t see that.
     
    ElginTheGreat, Sep 20, 2018
    #54
  15. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    I will say that I think we end up fine in all of this. I don’t know who is coming but I definitely expect us to sign a big fish to pair with LeBron.
     
    ElginTheGreat, Sep 20, 2018
    #55
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  16. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    It was this guy: https://bleacherreport.com/articles...ill-says-kobe-bryant-will-join-despite-denial

    I was wrong. Turns out he still says Kobe is going to play even though Kobe, Kobe's wife, and anybody who remotely knows Kobe says he won't do it.

    But the point is it wasn't Brandon Robinson who made that up, but Jeff Kwatinetz and Robinson was just reporting what Kwatinetz said.

    Again, this rumor is a shaky one at best. I don't see the work Durant is putting in to make it to LA. With LeBron, it was clear as day that he was paving his way to Los Angeles. I think Durant has an eye on this situation and if things go well with us, he'll make the jump next summer. That means Kuzma steps up, Ingram steps up, and one other kid (ideally Ball) steps up too. Durant isn't coming here unless it looks competitive at the highest level.
     
    therealdeal, Sep 20, 2018
    #56
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  17. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    But if we're being honest, Durant + Lebron + just one of the kids stepping up in the slightest is enough to be competitive at the highest level. If they all stepped up, they might challenge the 73-9 mark.
     
    Savory Griddles, Sep 20, 2018
    #57
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  18. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    Gotcha and agree.

    The thing I wonder about with Durant is how much the knocks on him going to the Warriors really eats at him. He's shown that he doesn't have very thick skin when it comes to criticism.

    I think there's an angle for LeBron and Magic to play there with him helping lead the Lakers back to a title. It's definitely a longshot but for whatever reason I can't completely dismiss him jumping ships again.
     
    ElginTheGreat, Sep 20, 2018
    #58
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  19. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    I agree, but he's got the chance to be one of the few who threepeats. Do that, take care of business, then go start the next challenge. Give the Lakers a year to really gel and prove they're ready for the next step.
     
    therealdeal, Sep 20, 2018
    #59
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  20. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    Agreed completely. He's obviously unsettled about his decision to form a superteam. It's hurt his persona and he clearly lets it affect his mentality.

    Joining the Lakers doesn't take that away necessarily, but it gives him a chance at a new narrative.
     
    therealdeal, Sep 20, 2018
    #60
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