WaltLongmire wrote:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/747495034832850946

Hopefully Melo paid the the dinner they had the other day...

Hopefully he doesn't have to pay a big tampering fine.

crzymdups wrote:

WaltLongmire wrote:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/747495034832850946

Hopefully Melo paid the the dinner they had the other day...

Hopefully he doesn't have to pay a big tampering fine.

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://twitter.com/IanBegley/status/747500221807136769

Chandler wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

WaltLongmire wrote:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/747495034832850946

Hopefully Melo paid the the dinner they had the other day...

Hopefully he doesn't have to pay a big tampering fine.

crzy i know you're firmly in the "this will never happen camp" but curious about your views if it does happen (against all odds)? Do they figure out a way to make this work, or is this doomed from the start as ill-fitting?

the team has already surprised you at least once this off season (no Rambis) and maybe twice (not sure if you were surprised by Rose trade but I suspect so)...

Maybe we've been so beaten up over the decades we simply don't expect things like getting KD in his prime. It could be truly transformative for all players (Melo, Rose, KP and KD) having that many other options...

I just don't think it fits from a basketball perspective to have four guys in your starting lineup who need 20 shots a night to be their best. Especially when two of those guys play the same position and play it in very similar ways.

Is Durant better than Melo? OF COURSE HE IS. ABSOLUTELY HE IS.

It still doesn't make sense to have them on the same squad to me.

I think Durant is aware of that.

Not only that, but he seems to be focusing on teams that won 50+ games last season and were top four seeds in their conference:

Warriors 73 wins 1st seed,
Spurs 67 wins 2nd seed,
Thunder 55 wins 3rd seed,
Clippers 53 wins 4th seed,
Boston 48 wins 4th seed,
Miami 48 wins 3rd seed

Which team doesn't belong in that conversation?
Knicks 32 wins 13th seed

I just think it is a waste of time.

WaltLongmire wrote:
Anthony would have to be Olympic's Anthony.

Rose would have to be more of a facilitator...can he do this?

KP would adapt...here is where his Euro background helps.

Durant would have to give up a little of his game too, of course.

A healthy Noah would be the perfect 5, since he can pass and does not need to score to be good.

Biggest problem would be D. Is Durant a SG at this point on the defensive end...can he guard 2's? Do you risk putting KP at the 5 if you can't get Noah?

KD is 6'11" - he's quick now... at age 27... but where would he be quick enough to play there in two years? Heck, I think it is a terrible idea to put him at SG now.

To me the only way it even slightly makes sense is if you go KD/Melo/KP frontline... and that seems like a defensive liability, too.

I just don't see it making sense on the floor.

Even if Melo and KP had won 55 games last season - I can't see Durant looking at those two and thinking "I would play really well next to those two guys"

crzymdups wrote:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://twitter.com/HerringWSJ/status/747519615694155777

Durant ain't coming here. If he leaves OKC, it would have to be for a team that can compete for a ring next year. That is not us.

mreinman wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://twitter.com/HerringWSJ/status/747519615694155777

Durant ain't coming here. If he leaves OKC, it would have to be for a team that can compete for a ring next year. That is not us.

See Cleveland-James Part 1, Cleveland-post James and Cleveland James part 2.

OKC with Durant hurt most of the year: Lottery

OKC with healthy Durant: Beats SA, up 3-1 in WCF.

Durant is a transformative player. Maybe not on James's level, but he singe-handedly elevates a team into the conversation, particularly in the East.

Likely? Of course not. Durant may be intent on getting his first ring by any means necessary, and that be to join Curry's team or become a superpro in San Antonio (although it's likely he returns to OKC for one more try).

But the Knicks would be a much, much, much different team with him.

Just like Cleveland is/was, without and without.

Knickoftime wrote:

mreinman wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://twitter.com/HerringWSJ/status/747519615694155777

Durant ain't coming here. If he leaves OKC, it would have to be for a team that can compete for a ring next year. That is not us.

See Cleveland-James Part 1, Cleveland-post James and Cleveland James part 2.

OKC with Durant hurt most of the year: Lottery

OKC with healthy Durant: Beats SA, up 3-1 in WCF.

Durant is a transformative player. Maybe not on James's level, but he singe-handedly elevates a team into the conversation, particularly in the East.

Likely? Of course not. Durant may be intent on getting his first ring by any means necessary, and that be to join Curry's team or become a superpro in San Antonio (although it's likely he returns to OKC for one more try).

But the Knicks would be a much, much, much different team with him.

Just like Cleveland is/was, without and without.

Sure.

My issue isn't that Durant wouldn't make the Knicks better. Of course he would. I just think it's an awkward fit with Melo. You really think they'd be championship contenders? I really don't. He's on s championship squad now. His main priority is winning. There are other teams that give him a better chance.

crzymdups wrote:

Knickoftime wrote:

mreinman wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://twitter.com/HerringWSJ/status/747519615694155777

Durant ain't coming here. If he leaves OKC, it would have to be for a team that can compete for a ring next year. That is not us.

See Cleveland-James Part 1, Cleveland-post James and Cleveland James part 2.

OKC with Durant hurt most of the year: Lottery

OKC with healthy Durant: Beats SA, up 3-1 in WCF.

Durant is a transformative player. Maybe not on James's level, but he singe-handedly elevates a team into the conversation, particularly in the East.

Likely? Of course not. Durant may be intent on getting his first ring by any means necessary, and that be to join Curry's team or become a superpro in San Antonio (although it's likely he returns to OKC for one more try).

But the Knicks would be a much, much, much different team with him.

Just like Cleveland is/was, without and without.

Sure.

My issue isn't that Durant wouldn't make the Knicks better. Of course he would. I just think it's an awkward fit with Melo. You really think they'd be championship contenders?

Assuming KP keeps getting better and Rose is 75% of Rose and health, I think they're a puncher's chance and/or a Cleveland injury from having as good as shot at the Finals as anyone but Cleveland.

Whether than qualifies as "contender" status is likely a matter of interpretation. And considering KP, and that Durant and Rose are both 27th, and Rose's contract and next year's cap, it's not like a one-year window.

His main priority is winning. There are other teams that give him a better chance.

I don't pretend to know exactly what motivates players. By policy, I don't discount where a players and their family will make their home for a year(s). Anyone who doesn't believe that's a factor probably doesn't have a family. That could work for or against any city, btw.

But again, I just don't pretend to know exactly what another human being with an entirely different experiences, is thinking, including accounting for what they might tweet or how they answer an interview question.

It just has no upside.

Knickoftime wrote:

mreinman wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://twitter.com/HerringWSJ/status/747519615694155777

Durant ain't coming here. If he leaves OKC, it would have to be for a team that can compete for a ring next year. That is not us.

See Cleveland-James Part 1, Cleveland-post James and Cleveland James part 2.

OKC with Durant hurt most of the year: Lottery

OKC with healthy Durant: Beats SA, up 3-1 in WCF.

Durant is a transformative player. Maybe not on James's level, but he singe-handedly elevates a team into the conversation, particularly in the East.

Likely? Of course not. Durant may be intent on getting his first ring by any means necessary, and that be to join Curry's team or become a superpro in San Antonio (although it's likely he returns to OKC for one more try).

But the Knicks would be a much, much, much different team with him.

Just like Cleveland is/was, without and without.

of course he would make the knicks much better but he can make other teams actual contenders. And, as you said, Durant is not Lebron and we are not his cleveland.

I know we have diehards that think that we are good enough that he can put us over the top but I don't think that is remotely true.

Of course, if Rose reverts to anything close to MVP Rose, Melo is olympic Melo and KP fastracks his growth to Dirk levels, we would be contenders. You think that KD is such a gambler?

Knickoftime wrote:

mreinman wrote:

Knickoftime wrote:

mreinman wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://twitter.com/HerringWSJ/status/747519615694155777

Durant ain't coming here. If he leaves OKC, it would have to be for a team that can compete for a ring next year. That is not us.

See Cleveland-James Part 1, Cleveland-post James and Cleveland James part 2.

OKC with Durant hurt most of the year: Lottery

OKC with healthy Durant: Beats SA, up 3-1 in WCF.

Durant is a transformative player. Maybe not on James's level, but he singe-handedly elevates a team into the conversation, particularly in the East.

Likely? Of course not. Durant may be intent on getting his first ring by any means necessary, and that be to join Curry's team or become a superpro in San Antonio (although it's likely he returns to OKC for one more try).

But the Knicks would be a much, much, much different team with him.

Just like Cleveland is/was, without and without.

of course he would make the knicks much better but he can make other teams actual contenders. And, as you said, Durant is not Lebron and we are not his cleveland.

I know we have diehards that think that we are good enough that he can put us over the top but I don't think that is remotely true.

Of course, if Rose reverts to anything close to MVP Rose, Melo is olympic Melo and KP fastracks his growth to Dirk levels, we would be contenders. You think that KD is such a gambler?

I have NO idea what KD is thinking and have no inclination to try.

If he's writing rosters down on a white sheet of paper and his ONLY criteria is which he thinks is the best with him on it, yeah, I think he can assume he'd agree the the Knicks fall short.

I'll wait until he actually joins the warriors, however, to assume that's his sole decision making process.

We have a little bit of an idea what he's thinking - because the list of six teams he's meeting with has been reported by Woj and the Knicks aren't on it. Spurs, Warriors, OKC, Clippers, Heat, Celtics.

CrushAlot wrote:Tommy Dee trying to reset.

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://twitter.com/ThomasCDee/status/747534877139025920

LOL. Spin, Tommy! Spin for your life!!