Durant to GS...

[Mikey]

Dayum...

[R-Jack]

He has the year 2 option. The cap takes another jump next year so who knows.

Either way, they still had to give up Bogut to clear room. The Cavs were so dominant on the boards so inside toughness is an issue and it hasn't been addressed. At least KD does more work on the glass and moves the ball better than Harrison Barnes. Defense.....well that may be another story.

In the Bay Area we are all wondering if this is how Yankee fans felt in the 90s-early 00s?

[SunCoastSooner]

I'm actually interested in watching basketball again for anything other than the outcome of Spurs games for the first time since the 90s Bulls.


Salary caps in small teams sports are doomed to fail with such limited sample size (size of league) over time. You can't kill human nature. Today's players have seen the previous couple generations mistakes about not winning titles for their bank accounts to marginally be better. Secondary sources of income are as profitable as salaries for the top players now.

This was a doomed economic formula from the start for small team sports. Soulless math can never account for human nature.

[Screw_Michigan]

I'm actually interested in watching basketball again for anything other than the outcome of Spurs games for the first time since the 90s Bulls.


Salary caps in small teams sports are doomed to fail with such limited sample size (size of league) over time. You can't kill human nature. Today's players have seen the previous couple generations mistakes about not winning titles for their bank accounts to marginally be better. Secondary sources of income are as profitable as salaries for the top players now.

This was a doomed economic formula from the start for small team sports. Soulless math can never account for human nature.

Wait...what?

[SunCoastSooner]

I'm actually interested in watching basketball again for anything other than the outcome of Spurs games for the first time since the 90s Bulls.


Salary caps in small teams sports are doomed to fail with such limited sample size (size of league) over time. You can't kill human nature. Today's players have seen the previous couple generations mistakes about not winning titles for their bank accounts to marginally be better. Secondary sources of income are as profitable as salaries for the top players now.

This was a doomed economic formula from the start for small team sports. Soulless math can never account for human nature.

Wait...what?

The era of the super teams is returning and the cap will exacerbate it this time, not relieve it.

[Dinsdale]

Either way, they still had to give up Bogut to clear room. The Cavs were so dominant on the boards so inside toughness is an issue and it hasn't been addressed. At least KD does more work on the glass and moves the ball better than Harrison Barnes. Defense.....well that may be another story.

I'm not quite convinced GS are a shoe-in for the title.

They're replacing Barnes (adequate defender), with one of the great matadors of the NBA.

And the statistically best low post defender (by a wide margin) had to go to make salary space for Durantula. What casual fans didn't seem to realize, is how important Bogut was to the operation -- he was the last line of defense when guards went around no-defense Curry (guys like Irving, Lillard, and Wall have career nights every time they play against Curry... no one seems to mention that). Thompson and Green are still excellent defenders. Bogut is being replaced by... who? Are they going to have to play Green at center, and Iggy at the 4 to have some chance at stopping anybody, ever? Curry is the best shooter, and can fill it up faster than anyone, but he's possibly the biggest defensive liability in the NBA.

I see a chance for some buyer's remorse on Durant. I don't think they changed the rules to where the game is played with 2 balls now -- did GS need extra scoring punch, or better defense in the Finals?

[Go Coogs']

Bogut was definitely missed in the low post and Lebron took advantage. Entirely different outcome had Bogut played the entire series IMO, however, adding someone like Durant is straight up sick. And, Dins, KD is an upgrade on defense. His differential field goal % on shots he defends between the shooters average field goal % for the season and the field goal % against KD is 3rd best in the league at -6.3%.

Basically, what this means is if all the shooters Kevin Durant defended averaged 45% FG for the season, they shot 38.7% against him.

His defense is good.

[Dinsdale]

Bogut was definitely missed in the low post and Lebron took advantage. Entirely different outcome had Bogut played the entire series IMO, however, adding someone like Durant is straight up sick. And, Dins, KD is an upgrade on defense. His differential field goal % on shots he defends between the shooters average field goal % for the season and the field goal % against KD is 3rd best in the league at -6.3%.

Basically, what this means is if all the shooters Kevin Durant defended averaged 45% FG for the season, they shot 38.7% against him.

His defense is good.

Please tell me you didn't type that with a straight face.

You mean all 2 "shots he defends" a game, when he isn't busy watching the game from afar, waiting for an outlet?

What a meaningless stat.

[Go Coogs']

11 shot attempts per game. You can look this information up too, bud.

[Goober McTuber]

I seem to recall that when Durant came into the league that Dins also ripped him for being a shooter but not a rebounder. He's not too bad a rebounder, either.

Dins = hater

[Dinsdale]

I don't care what stats you cite -- Durant's defense doesn't pass the eyeball test. Hell, I've seen stats cited that show that Harden is a decent defender, despite Inside The NBA often devoting entire segments to laughing at Harden's "defense," since he's the worst defender in the entire league.

Next you'll probably try and convince me that Curry is something other than a joke on the defensive end (which Bogut made up for).

GS could be an absolute juggernaut. I could also see this experiment going horribly wrong.

And Goobs, I don't recall ever dissing on Durant's rebounding... I did however cite his 0.5 APG average in college -- not to good for a guy who always has the ball.

[Goober McTuber]

And Goobs, I don't recall ever dissing on Durant's rebounding... I did however cite his 0.5 APG average in college -- not to good for a guy who always has the ball.

For a guy who dominates the ball like Durant does, his rebounding numbers are just freaking hideous. The guy stands next to the basket all night and musters 0.7 offensive boards (I hate that stat-btw, but a "camper" should get lots) and 4.1 total? Are you kidding me? Put it this way -- that's about the same boards as Ray Allen is getting -- and no one is going to accuse Movie Star of being much of a rebounder, due to his Charmin-like nature. Gee, I guess that whole "dude can't bench 185" thing really did mean something, eh?

Obviously, it's much too early to start throwing the "bust" tag around... he's still super-young, and his team sucks. But the dude is undoubtedly teetering on the edge of that chasm.

And quite frankly, Blazerfan is laughing his balls off. A bad knee and a missed year sounds a whole lot better than a franchise-killing me-first guy. Wouldn't trade Oden for Durant AND Seattle's pick in the coming draft... not a chance.

My buddy summed it up best almost a year ago. He's a high school techer, and was asked by a student about the draft. Kid asked "do you really think Durant won't be as good a player as Oden, Mr. C?" My bro told him "I'll go one farther -- Durant will never be as good as Brandon Roy, much less Greg Oden."

Nails.

Prescient. He has averaged about 5 assists per game over the past 4 seasons.

[Dinsdale]

Wonder how long before Golden State starts having buyer's remorse?

Urant got lit the fuck up. And no Bogut to hide that glaring hole on defense known as Steph Curry.

Anyone who thinks this season is a foregone conclusion is nuts.

[Mikey]

Not seeing too my buyer’s remorse yet.

[Dinsdale]

GS has done quite well since signing Urant.

After this season, things will become competitive again. Too many contracts coming up.

And I don't understand teams signing guys to the super-max. No other team can offer that much money,so why not just offer the regular-max?

Steph Curry's greed ends the dynasty. Durant isn't going to get lowballed any more. Klay will want to get paid. Draymond will wantto get paid. And with the Luxury Tax, it's not feseible.

[Mikey]

I don't know. These guys seem to be having fun winning championships. I guess at some point you have to ask yourself what's more important - another ring and the chance to turn down a trip to the White House, or an extra 10 or 40 million $$.

I watched a couple of their games in the past week and it's been pretty amazing seeing a different guy go completely off the charts each night. Curry is uncanny when he's on, and Durant is freaking unstoppable when he decides to be. And then seeing Curry feed Klay to break Curry's own record was something as well.

Definitely the most entertaining show in the NBA in quite a while.

[Dinsdale]

Scoring is up across the board this season. Several teams looking good, a few looking awful (although my team gave the Bullets their lone win... in our house. But when Beal gets it going, anything can happen).

The team with the best record last year has managed to win... one so far. But the Bearded Lady is missing games. NO looking good... when Davis plays. Bucks... WTF?

The East is a steaming pile of shit. The West will shake itself out in the coming weeks. But until then, my team is on pace to win 61 games. Blazers' bench has become a formidable unit. Bodes well for the grind of January-March.

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

Wonder how long before Golden State starts having buyer's remorse?

Not any time soon, I believe.