The game has really changed.

Seems to me that doing something like this DURING the season is almost like a breach of contract. I can't see how this type of thing does not compromise the integrity of the game, especially since they were playoff opponents.

larrybrownsports.com
Report: Thunder players were bothered by Kevin Durant's relationship with Draymond Green
July 7, 2016 by Steve DelVecchio
kevin-durant-draymond-green

Kevin Durant reportedly spoke with Draymond Green and other Golden State Warriors players about joining their team long before free agency began, and that did not sit well with Durant’s former teammates.

On his podcast “The Vertical Pod” this week, Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that Russell Westbrook and other Oklahoma City Thunder players were bothered by Durant’s friendly relationship with Green.

“I know Russell (Westbrook) was bothered by it, and some other teammates were too,” Woj said, as transcribed by Chuck Chaney of Thunder Digest. “There was some knowledge there that Draymond was in contact with Kevin all season long and they’re in a playoff series and I know there was some conversation around the Thunder team of. ‘Hey man, this guy kicked Steven Adams in the nuts twice in this series. What are you doing hanging out with this guy? What’s the relationship? We’re trying to beat these guys.'”

Warriors players reportedly texted Durant all throughout their record-breaking 73-win season, despite one of them — who has now been traded — claiming the team didn’t want Durant. There was a lot of hostility during the Western Conference Finals after Green kicked Adams in the groin (video here), so you can understand why Durant’s former teammates were irritated that K.D. had been buddy-buddy with Green for months.

While fans were shocked when Durant announced he was signing with Golden State, we know the Thunder front office saw it coming. The same is likely true of the players.

http://larrybrownsports.com/basketball/thunder-players-kevin-durant-relationship-draymond-green/311590?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=im

Has it become easier to keep in contact with people now a days sure but stuff like this happens all the time. The only difference is Durant was a FA and chose to play with a friend of his.

P.S.

Someone give KP Giannis' number if he doesn't have it already.

yellowboy90 wrote:Yes, because having a prior relationship with another player is bad. Durant should have elbowed Green after a kiss at half court like Magic did Thomas. I'm also sure that Barley and Jordan never talked during the season.

Has it become easier to keep in contact with people now a days sure but stuff like this happens all the time. The only difference is Durant was a FA and chose to play with a friend of his.

P.S.

Someone give KP Giannis' number if he doesn't have it already.

You know after thinking about it minus green that team is filled with softies Cleveland really exposed there flaws ... And Durant might be the softest of them all. Also that team has zero post game or inside game the game plan should be to force them inside. Play physical and talk heavy trash .

Im pretty sure that Westbrook is going to be one scary SOB next season. Hope we can make a good case for him coming to NY. He has his flaws as a player, but Im pretty sure Westbrook knows he isn't getting any younger, and if he wants a shot at surpassing Durant, he's going to have to alter his game to some degree. If Westbrook doesn't know that maybe Phil can convince him.

fitzfarm wrote:

yellowboy90 wrote:Yes, because having a prior relationship with another player is bad. Durant should have elbowed Green after a kiss at half court like Magic did Thomas. I'm also sure that Barley and Jordan never talked during the season.

Has it become easier to keep in contact with people now a days sure but stuff like this happens all the time. The only difference is Durant was a FA and chose to play with a friend of his.

P.S.

Someone give KP Giannis' number if he doesn't have it already.

You know after thinking about it minus green that team is filled with softies Cleveland really exposed there flaws ... And Durant might be the softest of them all. Also that team has zero post game or inside game the game plan should be to force them inside. Play physical and talk heavy trash .

nixluva wrote:

fitzfarm wrote:
You know after thinking about it minus green that team is filled with softies Cleveland really exposed there flaws ... And Durant might be the softest of them all. Also that team has zero post game or inside game the game plan should be to force them inside. Play physical and talk heavy trash .

I was saying this after KD signed with GS. They still didn't address their main issues. They couldn't stop Lebron or Kyrie and they still can't. GS was a totally perimeter oriented team and now they're even more so. IMO you get to a point of diminishing returns. You can only be so good at shooting jumpers. That was not a weakness for GS. All they did was add another shooter but was that really what that team needed???

I think that had it not been for Dray's suspension, GS would have beaten the Cavs. Which surprised me a lot, since I thought GS's previous championship was just lucky, as the faced injury ravaged teams.
But now with KD in the fold I think all other teams can take a collective break from their championship ambitions for the next 3 years. Any big body in the center to pick up rebounds and box out will do for them. And with three of the leagues best perimter scorers, they will not need the inside game to get going. The biggest honor would be to extend the series with GS to the most fames before bowing out.

ESOMKnicks wrote:

nixluva wrote:

fitzfarm wrote:
You know after thinking about it minus green that team is filled with softies Cleveland really exposed there flaws ... And Durant might be the softest of them all. Also that team has zero post game or inside game the game plan should be to force them inside. Play physical and talk heavy trash .

I was saying this after KD signed with GS. They still didn't address their main issues. They couldn't stop Lebron or Kyrie and they still can't. GS was a totally perimeter oriented team and now they're even more so. IMO you get to a point of diminishing returns. You can only be so good at shooting jumpers. That was not a weakness for GS. All they did was add another shooter but was that really what that team needed???

I think that had it not been for Dray's suspension, GS would have beaten the Cavs. Which surprised me a lot, since I thought GS's previous championship was just lucky, as the faced injury ravaged teams.
But now with KD in the fold I think all other teams can take a collective break from their championship ambitions for the next 3 years. Any big body in the center to pick up rebounds and box out will do for them. And with three of the leagues best perimter scorers, they will not need the inside game to get going. The biggest honor would be to extend the series with GS to the most fames before bowing out.

Lol the in invincible Warriors, huh? They just won the championship without the season starting. Thats an accomplishment. Good thing their 73-win season also guaranteed them their second championship, right?

Remember when Malone and Payton joined Shaq and Kobe? There have been other examples too. How did they turn out? Boston and Miami were successful in their team-ups, but they struggle and had to earn it. GS will have to and like last season, nothing guarantees they will. Fans proclaming them champions is just fuel for the rest of the league and the reason why they are the new "villains" or the "Evil Empire" of the NBA, as some are claiming them to be.

It will be fun to root against them the same way people used to against Miami. We'll see if they do win the championship next season. The expectation may be to heavy to carry out, like it was this season after such a historic regular season.

meloshouldgo wrote:

WaltLongmire wrote:

yellowboy90 wrote:Yes, because having a prior relationship with another player is bad. Durant should have elbowed Green after a kiss at half court like Magic did Thomas. I'm also sure that Barley and Jordan never talked during the season.

Has it become easier to keep in contact with people now a days sure but stuff like this happens all the time. The only difference is Durant was a FA and chose to play with a friend of his.

P.S.

Someone give KP Giannis' number if he doesn't have it already.

Has nothing to do with basic friendship.

Trying to recruit someone during the season goes a bit too far, which is what is implied here.

Clearly his teammates were not happy with what he was doing, so it was seem that they might disagree with you.

All he says is that they texted him. It didn't say the texts were intended as recruitment. Why can't it just be basic friendship? Why are we looking for reasons to hate Durant? (Sic thread title)

Just going by the article and, more importantly, how his teammates took it all.

Why disregard the facts from the article?

If you were having trouble with your girlfriend that you were trying to work out, and a guy you knew was secretly talking to her, urging her to leave you...how would you feel?

Lots of reasons to dislike what Durant did...this is just another to add to the list.

Knicksfan wrote:
Remember when Malone and Payton joined Shaq and Kobe? There have been other examples too. How did they turn out? Boston and Miami were successful in their team-ups, but they struggle and had to earn it. GS will have to and like last season, nothing guarantees they will. Fans proclaiming them champions is just fuel for the rest of the league and the reason why they are the new "villains" or the "Evil Empire" of the NBA, as some are claiming them to be.

It will be fun to root against them the same way people used to against Miami. We'll see if they do win the championship next season. The expectation may be to heavy to carry out, like it was this season after such a historic regular season.

Malone was already over the hill and could not play the entire Finals, and there was already bitter bickering between Shaq and Kobe. The Lakers basically beat themselves. And as for Miami, I do not see the Chris Bosh of those times as in the same elite category as where KD, Curry or Klay are today. I'd compare today's GSW to the 1995-96 Bulls had they traded Ron Harper for someone like Reggie Miller, Gary Payton or Penny Hardaway at the time. Would you have liked any odds against that team winning the championship?

It would surely be fun for me too to root against GSW, but futile.