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Durant or Westbrook (for purposes of this poll, assume only 1) |
Durant |
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Westbrook |
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[ 53 ] |
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Total Votes : 106 |
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yinoma2001 Retired Number
Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 119487
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 7:56 am Post subject: Lakers #1 Future Target: Durant or Westbrook? |
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The conventional wisdom (and somewhat of a consensus view IMO) was that the Lakers will and should go after Durant as the “Next” in 2016. He is already an MVP, and one of the best players in the league. He has star value, and would fit nicely in the pantheon of Laker greats.
However, a few things happened this year.
1. Durant has been injured…a lot…this season. His foot injury is a bit troubling, as we forget that while he’s a lanky big man, he’s nevertheless 6’10 (maybe 6’11). Will that foot injury linger?
2. Washington. They are maneuvering like crazy (both the fanbase and the team) to get his services in 2016. I think their foundational pieces (Wall, Beal, vet big men) will be much better than the Lakers in 2016. I’m not sure that the Lakers appeal very much to Durant (and he’s getting his endorsements anyway…so the LA market isn’t exactly a must-have).
I’ve been on team Durant, but I’m changing my tune. I’m all about getting Westbrook now.
1. I do like how Kobe has all but anointed him as his successor. That means a lot IMO for him
2. I’m not certain Durant wants the pressure of leading the Lakers franchise back to the top, particularly right after Kobe retires. I don’t think he likes that kind of limelight; Russ would be all for that IMO and even if he doesn’t get to the top, I think he embraces the challenge much better.
3. I don’t think the Lakers will have a compelling enough foundation for Durant to join anyways by 2016.
4. Russ has LA ties, and in this case, I think it means something. I know he’s said publicly that he wouldn’t join the Lakers, but: 1) he can’t talk about joining them since he was under contract; 2) why would he diss his current team by doing so; 3) he signed his first extension with OKC b/c it made 100% sense to do so.
So this would require some patience from the Lakers and its fanbase. I don’t think Russ will be on the trading block until after Durant leaves OKC (which I’m banking on him doing so, I don’t think he will forgive them for the Harden fiasco). Once he leaves, OKC will scramble to find out if Russ wants to stay, or whether he wants to be traded. In that scenario, I think Russ is the type of guy who will say “trade me to the Lakers.” If we get a top 5 pick, I wouldn’t get too comfortable with that player. Also, remember OKC was the team spearheading the rally against changing the NBA draft lottery, which tells me that they see that they are running out of time with Durant/Russ and know they may have to blow it up again, tank to get assets, repeat the cycle.
Lakers could try to be patient, and sign him outright in 2017 (damn that feels far away), have the top 5 pick, Randle, 2015 and 2016 free agents, and have him as the last alpha dog piece. However, he’d be turning 29 in November 2017. I think the Lakers would not wait that long.
So, anyone with me? Let’s move on from Durant and start getting the assets for Russ. If Durant leaves, OKC has little choice but to start looking for trade destinations for Russ. I don’t think they trade Durant, but may be willing to see if they can woo him back; they won’t make the same mistake with Russ and they will move him if Durant bounces. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
Last edited by yinoma2001 on Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:11 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Honeybadger81 Star Player
Joined: 25 Oct 2014 Posts: 1253
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:01 am Post subject: |
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Durant, leave cap space open for Westbrook the year after. The lakers is the right market for these two... |
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Don Draper Retired Number
Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 28497 Location: LA --> Bay Area
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:01 am Post subject: |
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Durant has the body/potential to last longer and have a better prime, but attitude and health might stop him. Westbrook's attitude alone makes him somebody you'd want to have, and I'd probably take him over Durant as the latter's foot injury issues worry me. |
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KobeRe-Loaded Franchise Player
Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 14944
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:02 am Post subject: |
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I’ve been on team Durant, but I’m changing my tune. I’m all about getting Westbrook now.
Thanks for agreeing w/me Yinoma ! Much love my man! _________________ #11/08/16 America became GREAT again
#Avatar-gate |
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yinoma2001 Retired Number
Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 119487
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:02 am Post subject: |
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Honeybadger81 wrote: | Durant, leave cap space open for Westbrook the year after. The lakers is the right market for these two... |
I don't see the two of them continuing their "synergy" for long. I think they will part ways and OKC will be left paying the check. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals |
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KobeRe-Loaded Franchise Player
Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 14944
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:03 am Post subject: |
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I'll spill the beans... not making this up.
Westbrook's mom's dream is to have Russell come back home and play for the Lakers.
My sauces are peeps from LA Unified! _________________ #11/08/16 America became GREAT again
#Avatar-gate |
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The Lebrons Star Player
Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Posts: 4778
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:04 am Post subject: |
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Westbrook!! |
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yinoma2001 Retired Number
Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 119487
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:05 am Post subject: |
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KobeRe-Loaded wrote: | I'll spill the beans... not making this up.
Westbrook's mom's dream is to have Russell come back home and play for the Lakers.
My sauces are peeps from LA Unified! |
I never believed his "anti-Lakers" comments because he wasn't permitted to be honest. Assuming Kobe retires, there will be a massive vacuum on the Lakers that Russ will be drawn to. I'm not sure Durant wants that mantle to be honest. If he did, it's a different story, but I'm really seeing the signs that he wants to leave, and most likely, to the Eastern conference. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals |
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kikanga Retired Number
Joined: 15 Sep 2012 Posts: 29377 Location: La La Land
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:06 am Post subject: Re: Lakers #1 Future Target: Durant or Westbrook? |
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yinoma2001 wrote: |
I’ve been on team Durant, but I’m changing my tune. I’m all about getting Westbrook now. |
Do we need Ollie to get Westbrook? Or could we stick with the PG-friendly coach we already have? _________________ "Every hurt is a lesson, and every lesson makes you better” |
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danzag Franchise Player
Joined: 28 Apr 2013 Posts: 22385 Location: Brazil
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:07 am Post subject: |
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I'm all about Westbrook nowadays. Hope the chemistry on OKC goes really bad and he forces a trade
But since Durant will be a free agent in 2016, the Lakers will go after him first, just for the sense of obligation. If we get him, fine. If not, then we'll go after Westbrook. |
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yinoma2001 Retired Number
Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 119487
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:08 am Post subject: Re: Lakers #1 Future Target: Durant or Westbrook? |
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kikanga wrote: | yinoma2001 wrote: |
I’ve been on team Durant, but I’m changing my tune. I’m all about getting Westbrook now. |
Do we need Ollie to get Westbrook? Or could we stick with the PG-friendly coach we already have? |
Not sure. Ollie is likely staying in college for a little IMO. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals |
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danzag Franchise Player
Joined: 28 Apr 2013 Posts: 22385 Location: Brazil
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:08 am Post subject: |
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Make a poll, yinoma! |
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RMurphy_22 Star Player
Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 4193
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:09 am Post subject: |
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Durant I think...I'd be down with Westbrook too, though I'm concerned with him playing so recklessly everynight will run him into the ground as he approaches 30. He relies more on his athleticsm than technique, while Durant has more technique on top of a lengthy frame. Either one is great btw, rich kid problems with that decision. _________________ Back to Back Yeah, Yeah...and you know that!
- Magic |
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yinoma2001 Retired Number
Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 119487
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:13 am Post subject: |
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If I had the feeling that Durant was interested in the Lakers, and that the Lakers presented a sufficient, ready-made environment (personnel and coaching wise) for Durant, that's a different analysis.
I just get the sense he wouldn't want it, while Russ would be up for the challenge. I mean I couldn't fault Durant for wanting to team up with Wall/Beal in the easier East either (although have to go through Lebron). _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals |
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Purp&Gold Star Player
Joined: 22 Nov 2012 Posts: 1641 Location: Long Beach, Ca
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:18 am Post subject: |
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durant all the way I like efficiency. |
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EZ-Ryder Starting Rotation
Joined: 11 Jul 2013 Posts: 846
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:22 am Post subject: |
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KobeRe-Loaded wrote: | I'll spill the beans... not making this up.
Westbrook's mom's dream is to have Russell come back home and play for the Lakers.
My sauces are peeps from LA Unified! |
Only reason I'm not getting my hopes up or buying what anyone says is because of the Kevin Garnett situation back in 07. I remember ESPN airing tons of stuff about Kevin Garnett to the lakers for like a week and a half. Also I was a member of another laker forum back then and they were all pretty much saying kg to the lakers was as good as done and were posting all these team ideas built around him, mods included. Then low and behold he goes to the celtics. I know that was a trade and this is free agency but even still until I read from a trusted source Westbrook to the lakers finalized I'm not buying what anyone says lol |
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KobeRe-Loaded Franchise Player
Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 14944
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:24 am Post subject: |
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EZ-Ryder wrote: | KobeRe-Loaded wrote: | I'll spill the beans... not making this up.
Westbrook's mom's dream is to have Russell come back home and play for the Lakers.
My sauces are peeps from LA Unified! |
Only reason I'm not getting my hopes up or buying what anyone says is because of the Kevin Garnett situation back in 07. I remember ESPN airing tons of stuff about Kevin Garnett to the lakers for like a week and a half. Also I was a member of another laker forum back then and they were all pretty much saying kg to the lakers was as good as done and were posting all these team ideas built around him, mods included. Then low and behold he goes to the celtics. I know that was a trade and this is free agency but even still until I read from a trusted source Westbrook to the lakers finalized I'm not buying what anyone says lol |
Kobe & Phil partly sabotaged any KG trade to the Lakers. Also you are talking about McHale and Ainge.
http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/09/01/kevin-garnett-said-he-was-almost-a-laker-in-2007/ _________________ #11/08/16 America became GREAT again
#Avatar-gate |
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Thugnomoe Franchise Player
Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 14660 Location: unfortunately not Los Angeles anymore
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:26 am Post subject: |
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westbrook doesn't want to come.
KD will probably go to DC.
OKC will hang on to one of them. Most likely RW. |
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yinoma2001 Retired Number
Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 119487
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:27 am Post subject: |
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EZ-Ryder wrote: | KobeRe-Loaded wrote: | I'll spill the beans... not making this up.
Westbrook's mom's dream is to have Russell come back home and play for the Lakers.
My sauces are peeps from LA Unified! |
Only reason I'm not getting my hopes up or buying what anyone says is because of the Kevin Garnett situation back in 07. I remember ESPN airing tons of stuff about Kevin Garnett to the lakers for like a week and a half. Also I was a member of another laker forum back then and they were all pretty much saying kg to the lakers was as good as done and were posting all these team ideas built around him, mods included. Then low and behold he goes to the celtics. I know that was a trade and this is free agency but even still until I read from a trusted source Westbrook to the lakers finalized I'm not buying what anyone says lol |
Yeah, but KG said it was Kobe's trade demands and the FO apparently that dissuaded him. I don't think Kobe would be a hindrance in this case. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals |
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KobeBryantCliffordBrown Star Player
Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 6429
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:32 am Post subject: |
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Westbrook-Better player, more dynamic, killer instinct. Con-Game relies too much on athleticism.
KD-Great, great scorer and underrated defender. Size doesn't ever leave. Game relies less on athleticism. Con-Big man, foot problems. Never good.
I go with RW. _________________ “It took many years of vomiting up all the filth I’d been taught about myself, and half-believed, before I was able to walk on the earth as though I had a right to be here.”
― James Baldwin, Collected Essays |
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yinoma2001 Retired Number
Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 119487
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:33 am Post subject: |
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KobeBryantCliffordBrown wrote: | Westbrook-Better player, more dynamic, killer instinct. Con-Game relies too much on athleticism.
KD-Great, great scorer and underrated defender. Size doesn't ever leave. Game relies less on athleticism. Con-Big man, foot problems. Never good.
I go with RW. |
Russ may not get us to the mountaintop, but would be nice to get some damn swagger back on the team. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals |
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KobeBryantCliffordBrown Star Player
Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 6429
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:33 am Post subject: Re: Lakers #1 Future Target: Durant or Westbrook? |
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yinoma2001 wrote: | The conventional wisdom (and somewhat of a consensus view IMO) was that the Lakers will and should go after Durant as the “Next” in 2016. He is already an MVP, and one of the best players in the league. He has star value, and would fit nicely in the pantheon of Laker greats.
However, a few things happened this year.
1. Durant has been injured…a lot…this season. His foot injury is a bit troubling, as we forget that while he’s a lanky big man, he’s nevertheless 6’10 (maybe 6’11). Will that foot injury linger?
2. Washington. They are maneuvering like crazy (both the fanbase and the team) to get his services in 2016. I think their foundational pieces (Wall, Beal, vet big men) will be much better than the Lakers in 2016. I’m not sure that the Lakers appeal very much to Durant (and he’s getting his endorsements anyway…so the LA market isn’t exactly a must-have).
I’ve been on team Durant, but I’m changing my tune. I’m all about getting Westbrook now.
1. I do like how Kobe has all but anointed him as his successor. That means a lot IMO for him
2. I’m not certain Durant wants the pressure of leading the Lakers franchise back to the top, particularly right after Kobe retires. I don’t think he likes that kind of limelight; Russ would be all for that IMO and even if he doesn’t get to the top, I think he embraces the challenge much better.
3. I don’t think the Lakers will have a compelling enough foundation for Durant to join anyways by 2016.
4. Russ has LA ties, and in this case, I think it means something. I know he’s said publicly that he wouldn’t join the Lakers, but: 1) he can’t talk about joining them since he was under contract; 2) why would he diss his current team by doing so; 3) he signed his first extension with OKC b/c it made 100% sense to do so.
So this would require some patience from the Lakers and its fanbase. I don’t think Russ will be on the trading block until after Durant leaves OKC (which I’m banking on him doing so, I don’t think he will forgive them for the Harden fiasco). Once he leaves, OKC will scramble to find out if Russ wants to stay, or whether he wants to be traded. In that scenario, I think Russ is the type of guy who will say “trade me to the Lakers.” If we get a top 5 pick, I wouldn’t get too comfortable with that player. Also, remember OKC was the team spearheading the rally against changing the NBA draft lottery, which tells me that they see that they are running out of time with Durant/Russ and know they may have to blow it up again, tank to get assets, repeat the cycle.
Lakers could try to be patient, and sign him outright in 2017 (damn that feels far away), have the top 5 pick, Randle, 2015 and 2016 free agents, and have him as the last alpha dog piece. However, he’d be turning 29 in November 2017. I think the Lakers would not wait that long.
So, anyone with me? Let’s move on from Durant and start getting the assets for Russ. If Durant leaves, OKC has little choice but to start looking for trade destinations for Russ. I don’t think they trade Durant, but may be willing to see if they can woo him back; they won’t make the same mistake with Russ and they will move him if Durant bounces. |
Good stuff. _________________ “It took many years of vomiting up all the filth I’d been taught about myself, and half-believed, before I was able to walk on the earth as though I had a right to be here.”
― James Baldwin, Collected Essays |
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EZ-Ryder Starting Rotation
Joined: 11 Jul 2013 Posts: 846
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:37 am Post subject: |
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KobeRe-Loaded wrote: | EZ-Ryder wrote: | KobeRe-Loaded wrote: | I'll spill the beans... not making this up.
Westbrook's mom's dream is to have Russell come back home and play for the Lakers.
My sauces are peeps from LA Unified! |
Only reason I'm not getting my hopes up or buying what anyone says is because of the Kevin Garnett situation back in 07. I remember ESPN airing tons of stuff about Kevin Garnett to the lakers for like a week and a half. Also I was a member of another laker forum back then and they were all pretty much saying kg to the lakers was as good as done and were posting all these team ideas built around him, mods included. Then low and behold he goes to the celtics. I know that was a trade and this is free agency but even still until I read from a trusted source Westbrook to the lakers finalized I'm not buying what anyone says lol |
Kobe & Phil partly sabotaged any KG trade to the Lakers. Also you are talking about McHale and Ainge.
http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/09/01/kevin-garnett-said-he-was-almost-a-laker-in-2007/ |
That quote came out after the fact. I'm talking about leading up to it. I actually remember ESPN running a story saying that a Garnett deal to la was being worked on that IIRC involved the pacers with jermaine o'neal going to Minnesota and I think Bynum and odom going to Indiana and some draft picks being exchanged. |
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yinoma2001 Retired Number
Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 119487
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:38 am Post subject: |
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Personally, I think Durant is a pipe dream at this point, ergo my shift in strategy. No doubt Lakers (and every other team) will be after KD, but I see him going to DC or staying in OKC, with every other team way behind.
So that's why I'd start amassing assets in a trade to an OKC team that may be ready to get back to its tank-tastic ways and rebuild.
When Presti/OKC spearheaded the anti-lottery reform, it told me that they think the chances of Durant/Russ both leaving are high and real.
So I don't see why Durant comes here, but I see why Russ would. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals |
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22 Franchise Player
Joined: 05 Apr 2013 Posts: 17064
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:42 am Post subject: |
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I can't choose lol.
Both their injuries scare me. And I agree Westbrook is more likely than Durant.
As long as we don't make a trade I'd take either one in FA |
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