Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 4:57 pm Post subject: Ding: Nash key to recruiting Durant in 2016
After all some of ya'll talk about Nash you should read this
Quote:
Durant says, yes, he did consult with Kobe Bryant during the Los Angeles Lakers' free-agent recruiting pitch—and Bryant passionately delivered the company line that the Lakers treat their superstars in a special way.
But then Durant pauses and adds that he spoke to someone else who was even more persuasive to that end.
One of the absolute worst Lakers superstars of them all with regard to what he actually gave the organization, Steve Nash explained to his friend Durant how the Lakers treated him in a completely first-class way despite the crushing and repeated disappointments he brought to the franchise...and you can tell a lot more about how people treat you in tough times than in glorious ones.
Quote:
Lakers president Jeanie Buss believes in positive energy and karmic turns, and maybe, just maybe, the franchise will reap some reward down the line for the respect being accorded Nash, one of the game's all-time greats.
Nash is, make no mistake, going to be around. The one positive for him from orchestrating his arrival to the Lakers is he did find his physical paradise: Nash is putting down roots here. He'll be a Manhattan Beach resident for the rest of his life, determined to raise his three children in the sand and sun. Nash will be part of the Lakers' broader community.
IF (and that's a big IF) Nash can somehow influence Durant to come here, his contract will have been worth it. But I doubt Durant would come. _________________ Good Laker book I recommend, "The Biggest What-If's in Lakers History" http://www.amazon.com/Biggest-What-Ifs-Angeles-History-ebook/dp/B00BB3OEC0
It's one thing for Kobe to talk to Durant about it after being here for years and laying his foundation here and being taken care of.
It's another thing for Nash to go out of his way to talk to Durant about how great he was treated and how classy they are and why he wants to be a part of it for years to come.
Nash spent his entire career as a Sun, he came here and all this kind of things happened to him, even with the fans backlash and all the other stuff he's endured, the organization didn't treat him like disposable garbage and believed in him.
For him, through all that to go to Durant and say the things he said about this organization is what makes it even more persuasive to Durant because Nash really has no reason to need to do that. But he did. And it says a lot about Nash to do that. I think that is what Ding is getting at.
Now if the seed being planted is one thing we can depend on, it is now upon the Lakers to put a team together that Durant would want to come to by 2016. But Nash doing what he did despite everything says a whole lot about the guy.
Last edited by MJST on Mon Nov 24, 2014 5:19 pm; edited 2 times in total
Seriously, he's a good guy. He'd be out there if possible. Ain't no slacker. But would he have had an adverse effect to the D, making the numbers worse? j/k
That's quite an endorsement, though. Nash doing what he can to help out. Anything that helps sway a guy like Durant...I'm all for it. _________________ Smrek 2, Nevitt 1, Barkley 0
This is a hypothetical article speculating on what might happen.
Apparently so.
If it's something the Lakers are depending upon then the next step would be to put together a team between now and then that he'd want to come to. They have this trade deadline and off-season and next off-season and trade deadline to put it together.
Which buys into the assumption that the Lakers are going to be going after mid level talent in this coming off-season as they have a max(or three technically) coming their way in 2016.
If the lakers don't put together a compelling roster for him to join I doubt Durant comes here. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
If the lakers don't put together a compelling roster for him to join I doubt Durant comes here.
Agreed, and I think that's the point. Nash pitching to Durant would only be one piece, but the Lakers need to put something together for him to come to by then.
But if you want to see Nash and Durant already talking about the roads to greatness there's already a video
Yes, I agree 100% with Ding on this one.
Also, Nash's planned return.
Nash has already had breakfast with Mitch where they discussed many things as well as Nash's return and the Lakers have been giving him as much space as he needs and Nash will be returning to the team when he is ready.
Quote:
He had a breakfast meeting with general manager Mitch Kupchak last week, according to team spokesman John Black. The upshot is that Nash will be around the team at some point this season.
"He's planning to come around when he's ready," Black said.
That has been the Lakers' hope, although it was a clear secondary priority to giving Nash the time and space to come to grips with the undesirable end to his season—and almost certainly his career.
Small things like that do matter, even if they aren't working out in the current scheme of things.
Joined: 15 Sep 2012 Posts: 29337 Location: La La Land
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 5:27 pm Post subject:
Good intentioins don't mean much. Results are what matters.
If Nash's salesmanship is a piece to the puzzle that lands Durant, I will eat crow.
Nash hasn't brought much to the Lakers, so I have a minimal level of loyalty towards him. _________________ "Every hurt is a lesson, and every lesson makes you better”
Durant would definitely take this into consideration if the teams he's considering are similar in talent level.
The #1 thing on KD's or any superstar who has no rings - mind - will be whether he can win a title within the immediate future with him added to the core already in place.
LA's #1 job is to give KD or any superstar the belief they have the right cast.
What I don't know is how they do that. OKC likely gets stronger if they are a lottery team this year. KD also seems to be very loyal and unlikely to want to switch teams. Dallas is also a player in this IIRC considering they should have some cap room.
I can maybe see Kobe's big contract luring in future big name free agents, like Kevin Durant. If Kevin Durant comes and wins a championship or two and brings in good money to the team, then the Lakers might be willing to pay him extra in the future when he's in the last few years of his playing career.
The Wizards will be the heavy favorites to get Durant. They have Wall(top 5 PG), Beal(top 5 SG), and Gortat at C. I don't think there's anything the Lakers could do to convince Durant to come here.
Even if we make the playoffs that won't be enough. The Wizards just have a better roster and they're in a easier conference, it's also his hometown team. We just have to build through the draft and hope to find a star, that's the only way we will be great in the next five years.
I could, i dont see him being scared of that Lakers Legacy like Howard. I think Durant would love to take on that challenge to be hanging from the rafters.
I could, i dont see him being scared of that Lakers Legacy like Howard. I think Durant would love to take on that challenge to be hanging from the rafters.
One can only hope. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
I could, i dont see him being scared of that Lakers Legacy like Howard. I think Durant would love to take on that challenge to be hanging from the rafters.
Just wondering. Why did Pau leave too? And Melo didn't sign. LBJ didn't want to come over.
Could it be that guys aren't afraid of playing in LA or anything about being compared to greats - rather than the fact that the Lakers have a team right now that no one who wants to win a championship would have any business playing on?
In 16' "if" durant considers us he will need to see Kobe taking less, and with fuel left in the tank for a run or two for another ring or two...
Plus getting a Okafor/Downs/Myles Turner type pick along with Randle will help. Then with a Coach K/Billy Donovan/Ollie level coach in place well, the chance "could" be there....
If the lakers don't put together a compelling roster for him to join I doubt Durant comes here.
Agreed, and I think that's the point. Nash pitching to Durant would only be one piece, but the Lakers need to put something together for him to come to by then.
But if you want to see Nash and Durant already talking about the roads to greatness there's already a video
Yes, I agree 100% with Ding on this one.
Also, Nash's planned return.
Nash has already had breakfast with Mitch where they discussed many things as well as Nash's return and the Lakers have been giving him as much space as he needs and Nash will be returning to the team when he is ready.
Quote:
He had a breakfast meeting with general manager Mitch Kupchak last week, according to team spokesman John Black. The upshot is that Nash will be around the team at some point this season.
"He's planning to come around when he's ready," Black said.
That has been the Lakers' hope, although it was a clear secondary priority to giving Nash the time and space to come to grips with the undesirable end to his season—and almost certainly his career.
Small things like that do matter, even if they aren't working out in the current scheme of things.
I figured Nash's absence was, at least partly, due to just needing to get away from it all. People often take vacations and need to blow off steam after ending relationships that lasted a year. Yet people here were (selfishly) griping about how Nash wasn't giving their favorite basketball team enough. Not realizing that while we're simply dealing with the relatively minor inconvenience of our favorite team sucking, he's dealing with something he's committed his life to for 30 years being taken away. And there being nothing within his power to end that chapter of his life in a way that was remotely satisfying. Honestly, I wouldn't have blamed Nash for never coming back again and being done with hoop. But I'm glad that it seems the Lakers organization did enough right by him that he's willing to return the favor.
Last edited by KBH on Mon Nov 24, 2014 6:43 pm; edited 1 time in total
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