There is no doubt in my mind that swapping KAT for Durant will immediately skyrocket our title odds for the next 2 seasons.

I personally would love KD and that love comes with major concerns about his injury.

If he avoids major injury I think he has 3 good years (I'm good with extension) and he's still a top 5 or top 10 scorer in this league.

How many times did ball find Mikal or OG and a big brick followed -- KD is a different animal.

Looking at roughly 15 minute 2024/25 highlight clip and the man (37 in Sep) is still moving beautifully.

Some concerns he's no longer attacking the basket but ~5.5 free throws per game last year --- compare that to Mikal's ~0.5.

VDesai wrote:There's like a non-quantifiable team chemistry effect that has lingered over his last two stops. Age and durability are massive issues...

I go back to how he fit in at both GS and Brooklyn.

Hell watching him in Brooklyn - the ball was moving and he was floating around simply killing people. Brooklyn broke down when Harden went down and Kyrie went loco.

With Durant his head clearly has to be in the right place and if he indeed wants NY I would take my chances.

I will say that someone like Kat with his casual D and mind-blowing mental errors is someone who probably could set Durant off. I think Durant is mostly all business and part of me thinks Kat would not mesh well with him because Kat just doesn't fully lock in.

EwingsGlass wrote:Brunson / Deuce
Bridges / Hart
OG /
Durant /
Robinson /

Hmm. I’m emotionally against the trade but swapping Towns for Durant basically erases 3 years of Towns extension for Durant’s 37 year old season. He’s about as fundamentally sound of a player as has ever existed. He’s can play SF or PF - a fundamental mismatch at either position. His usage is not as high as Giannis (or Brunson) but it begs the question whether he would come in here as a gunslinging rental or would want his own team.

You would need to focus any remaining assets to obtain both a backup PF and a C - hard to rely on either Durant or Robinson being healthy for more than 60+ games.

You risk losing Durant after this season which puts the team core at Brunson/OG, since Bridges is also a potential free agent after this year.

I’d be worried they approach a “starphuch” situation to make the most of KD’s season (also worried that they extend him, though players do seem to last longer now then they used to.

Fundamentally, I think the starting 5 would be more productive on paper with KD instead of KAT. I just don’t really like the team’s competitive window with this move.

I wouldn’t run screaming like I thought I would. It just messes the timeline up a bit

For me, if you are lining up a KAT-KD swap, you need to already establish and have a KD extension ready to be signed for an additional 2 years, that would be my assumption. As well, you would need to have a pretty good idea on another C back up, like Al Horford or Steven Adams.

Leon would cover it like that I'd assume.

martin wrote:

EwingsGlass wrote:Brunson / Deuce
Bridges / Hart
OG /
Durant /
Robinson /

Hmm. I’m emotionally against the trade but swapping Towns for Durant basically erases 3 years of Towns extension for Durant’s 37 year old season. He’s about as fundamentally sound of a player as has ever existed. He’s can play SF or PF - a fundamental mismatch at either position. His usage is not as high as Giannis (or Brunson) but it begs the question whether he would come in here as a gunslinging rental or would want his own team.

You would need to focus any remaining assets to obtain both a backup PF and a C - hard to rely on either Durant or Robinson being healthy for more than 60+ games.

You risk losing Durant after this season which puts the team core at Brunson/OG, since Bridges is also a potential free agent after this year.

I’d be worried they approach a “starphuch” situation to make the most of KD’s season (also worried that they extend him, though players do seem to last longer now then they used to.

Fundamentally, I think the starting 5 would be more productive on paper with KD instead of KAT. I just don’t really like the team’s competitive window with this move.

I wouldn’t run screaming like I thought I would. It just messes the timeline up a bit

For me, if you are lining up a KAT-KD swap, you need to already establish and have a KD extension ready to be signed for an additional 2 years, that would be my assumption. As well, you would need to have a pretty good idea on another C back up, like Al Horford or Steven Adams.

Leon would cover it like that I'd assume.

Don't love KD, but I would stomach this move. KD one of the few players that represent a true offensive upgrade on KAT, but you likely move back to having a traditional 5 in the lineup under this configuration - Mitch+whomever else.

Think a move like that puts even more pressure on next year being the year. KD at 36 can still put up 27 in his sleep, but with all the severe injuries he's had in his in last 8 or seasons, I'm not sure what his remaining shelf life is.

martin wrote:

VDesai wrote:

martin wrote:

EwingsGlass wrote:Brunson / Deuce
Bridges / Hart
OG /
Durant /
Robinson /

Hmm. I’m emotionally against the trade but swapping Towns for Durant basically erases 3 years of Towns extension for Durant’s 37 year old season. He’s about as fundamentally sound of a player as has ever existed. He’s can play SF or PF - a fundamental mismatch at either position. His usage is not as high as Giannis (or Brunson) but it begs the question whether he would come in here as a gunslinging rental or would want his own team.

You would need to focus any remaining assets to obtain both a backup PF and a C - hard to rely on either Durant or Robinson being healthy for more than 60+ games.

You risk losing Durant after this season which puts the team core at Brunson/OG, since Bridges is also a potential free agent after this year.

I’d be worried they approach a “starphuch” situation to make the most of KD’s season (also worried that they extend him, though players do seem to last longer now then they used to.

Fundamentally, I think the starting 5 would be more productive on paper with KD instead of KAT. I just don’t really like the team’s competitive window with this move.

I wouldn’t run screaming like I thought I would. It just messes the timeline up a bit

For me, if you are lining up a KAT-KD swap, you need to already establish and have a KD extension ready to be signed for an additional 2 years, that would be my assumption. As well, you would need to have a pretty good idea on another C back up, like Al Horford or Steven Adams.

Leon would cover it like that I'd assume.

Don't love KD, but I would stomach this move. KD one of the few players that represent a true offensive upgrade on KAT, but you likely move back to having a traditional 5 in the lineup under this configuration - Mitch+whomever else.

Think a move like that puts even more pressure on next year being the year. KD at 36 can still put up 27 in his sleep, but with all the severe injuries he's had in his in last 8 or seasons, I'm not sure what his remaining shelf life is.

Yeah I'm the same, don't love it but could almost understand it.

It's a solid 2-3 year window. It gives you another elite ball handler. Forces something a bit more traditional at the C position but that could be a strength with something like Horford, Mitch, Huk for first year.

Brunson Mikal OG Durant Mitch
Kolek Deuce McCullar Hart Dadiet Huk Horford
vet min PG, vet min shooter

It's not horrible.

Far from horrible, if you land a Brogdon/Horford bench to add to Deuce and Hart, that's a top notch rotation.

There are many things to consider including KD at 37 and prospects that few can sustain this level of output and be healthy. Lebron roided or not is a true freak of nature. Not even the Goat of Goats Jordan could string together as many seasons and output at this age. MJ had some time off along the way. At 39 he did put one really good season together in his swan song season but side by side games played, pts, minutes as a whole pales. Durant had just one bad tear that cost him a season but for the most part has been mostly durable.

Perhaps if he did not make over 50mil he'd have a fit. but he does.
If Leon wants out from Kats contract then there is a longer play here im not considering.
Im trying to keep my mind open.

VDesai wrote:

martin wrote:

VDesai wrote:

martin wrote:

EwingsGlass wrote:Brunson / Deuce
Bridges / Hart
OG /
Durant /
Robinson /

Hmm. I’m emotionally against the trade but swapping Towns for Durant basically erases 3 years of Towns extension for Durant’s 37 year old season. He’s about as fundamentally sound of a player as has ever existed. He’s can play SF or PF - a fundamental mismatch at either position. His usage is not as high as Giannis (or Brunson) but it begs the question whether he would come in here as a gunslinging rental or would want his own team.

You would need to focus any remaining assets to obtain both a backup PF and a C - hard to rely on either Durant or Robinson being healthy for more than 60+ games.

You risk losing Durant after this season which puts the team core at Brunson/OG, since Bridges is also a potential free agent after this year.

I’d be worried they approach a “starphuch” situation to make the most of KD’s season (also worried that they extend him, though players do seem to last longer now then they used to.

Fundamentally, I think the starting 5 would be more productive on paper with KD instead of KAT. I just don’t really like the team’s competitive window with this move.

I wouldn’t run screaming like I thought I would. It just messes the timeline up a bit

For me, if you are lining up a KAT-KD swap, you need to already establish and have a KD extension ready to be signed for an additional 2 years, that would be my assumption. As well, you would need to have a pretty good idea on another C back up, like Al Horford or Steven Adams.

Leon would cover it like that I'd assume.

Don't love KD, but I would stomach this move. KD one of the few players that represent a true offensive upgrade on KAT, but you likely move back to having a traditional 5 in the lineup under this configuration - Mitch+whomever else.

Think a move like that puts even more pressure on next year being the year. KD at 36 can still put up 27 in his sleep, but with all the severe injuries he's had in his in last 8 or seasons, I'm not sure what his remaining shelf life is.

Yeah I'm the same, don't love it but could almost understand it.

It's a solid 2-3 year window. It gives you another elite ball handler. Forces something a bit more traditional at the C position but that could be a strength with something like Horford, Mitch, Huk for first year.

Brunson Mikal OG Durant Mitch
Kolek Deuce McCullar Hart Dadiet Huk Horford
vet min PG, vet min shooter

It's not horrible.

Far from horrible, if you land a Brogdon/Horford bench to add to Deuce and Hart, that's a top notch rotation.

Yeah, I do like Brogdon. I do wonder if you are contemplating a KAT-Durant type swap, do you also need to have pretty good assurances that Horford or Steve Adams are super solid about signing, cause I don't think you can do one without the other

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Philc1 wrote:

Rookie wrote:Even though many of you don't like KD for whatever personal reasons, he would be the most talented player to wear a Knicks uniform since Ewing

Who will be 37 start of next season

I don't know what to make of the 37yo thing.

GS was AOK giving both Steph and Bulter the same contract.

Boston was AOK with trading for KP knowing his deal. Tatum and Brown also broke down this year and they only in their 20's. Horford was a key player on their team last year and this year and just turned 39 and played ~30mpg.

LeBron at 40 is ageless unicorn.

ToddTT wrote:Do we all just root for orange and blue?

I have zero desire to see KD wearing it, and would not take much pride in seeing us win a championship with him.

I'd say that pure starphuckery was the reason, but I think I'd feel different about say, Giannis in a Knicks jersey.

this is how I feel too