WaltLongmire wrote:Does he really need to use any other team for leverage?

He gets a Max contract wherever he ends up, but gets more with OKC, right?

If he goes to another team besides OKC he has to be looking at a team he feels he can win a title with, and one he fits in with well in terms of his playing style.

Would the Knicks offer him the best chance for a title?

We wouldn't give him the best chance at a title next year but i think we could be a contender for the 2017/18 season if we get KD this off season and our top point guard the following off season when we'll have around $27 million to spend. In the 2017/18 season we could have a lineup of:

PG--C.Paul or K.Lowry or R.Westbrook or J.Teague or......the list of free agent PG's in 2017 is strong.
SG--??
SF--K.Durant/Melo
PF--Melo/K.Durant
C--KP/R.Lopez

I don't even know who i'd put at the SG spot and with that lineup i don't think it would matter and i'd probably just put a strong defender there that can D-Up the other teams top player.

Vmart wrote:

WaltLongmire wrote:Does he really need to use any other team for leverage?

He gets a Max contract wherever he ends up, but gets more with OKC, right?

If he goes to another team besides OKC he has to be looking at a team he feels he can win a title with, and one he fits in with well in terms of his playing style.

Would the Knicks offer him the best chance for a title?

They do offer a best chance at a championship simply because they are in the east. If he signs with the Knicks the Knicks automatically get catapulted to favorite status even over the Cavs.

There's a lot of truth to this. At the moment he has to be thinking that, if you're in the west, the road to the finals somehow goes through GS, SAS, LAC, Portland(?) etc. tough!

The east has to look easier especially since Miami is aging, Cleveland is proving a one-person show, Toronto (enigma).

If I were him I'd definitely consider it, and I'd want to hear what the "plan" is. However, he'd have to be hugely impressed.

And let's not discount NYC would be cool to play in. OKC, San Antonio dullsville

Moonangie wrote:

MaTT4281 wrote:

but i don't think, actually i know that KD doesn't need to use smoke screens to help any negotiations with any other teams.

I'd agree with this - but I'm not skeptical of KD using NY for leverage. I'm skeptical of SAS and Skip using the NY market for views and hits on the ESPN website.

I'm skeptical of BOTH. We already know SAS is an idiot blowhard who says anything to bump his page views and ratings. He's a publicity whore.

Of course KD would "consider" NY. Then he will do what others have done, just say "No", although he's sort of polite, so he'll say "No, thank you".

We don't need KD. We have Melo. Let's add complimentary pieces, not redundant ones.

what complimentary piece would want to come to a team with melo, KP, and KD, that's a front court for the ages..3 guys that can't be guarded 1 on 1, can all shoot from any part of he floor..

Edit: it was about going to LA... here it is

SupremeCommander wrote:maybe we can get KD, Conley, and DeRozan to all sign for the MLE

that would make them Super Duper Stupid Friends

Living somewhere else, different cultural expeience and a star on the rise that over the next 5 years could be THE MAN?
Odds are he don't leave, but if he does we don't really know what would make him tick.
I'd say logistically playing with Melo could be a challenge, but so would finding shots with GSW and perhaps the chemistry on court with SAS is not that appealing. Besides, Pop might not be there much longer.
The other thing is does OKC have the money to pay him long term? 9 years in the league and they a small market reliant on Energy prices.

This was minority owner Aubrey Mclendon:

The day after he was indicted by a federal grand jury for bid rigging he drove his car into a bridge.

Dude was toast. Pun intended. It was ruled an accident cuz they could not find any evidence of suicide. Not note, no drugs, no booze. He bluntly drove into it mid day at like 90mph.
5 years ago:

He went bust.
Energy prices dropping is no joke. This team and its corperate base might be not able to sustain the cash flow going forward. That's season tickets folks.

EnySpree wrote:I don't care what either person says especially when it comes to sources. Didn't Stephen A Smith accuse Durant of something only for Durant to call him a liar. Then SAS went on a tirade about his integrity and then threatened Durant on espn.... if someone could clarify or confirm that please do

Edit: it was about going to LA... here it is

I watched it when it came out and just tried to watch it again but i just can't listen to that guy talk that much. SAS is always calling sports players or any kind of celebrity his boys if he talked to that person one time but these guys are not his boys and they're just doing their job when they talk to him which part of these sports guys jobs are talking to these media people which is what SAS is. He'll always say certain people called him when he's on the show cause he wants people to think he hangs out with these guys outside of work when he most likely spends his saturday nights at home with his cat or dog. The guy is a complete clown.

The east is also much easier to hey to the Finals than the West. OKC had their best run in years and didn't make to the Finals even. Westbrook is only going to get older more paid and slower - thus lowering their chances at a ring. From a long term perspective the East, Kristaps, Hornachek/Phil all would be better for Durant's career. But that doesn't mean I think he will become a Knick.