Anonymous
Years ago

Durant headed to Golden State

Wow. 4 All Stars and two future HOF's in the same starting line up.Obviously this mean Bogut is gone but what a collection of offensive fire power

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Mystro  
Years ago

I'm a little salty, he blows the western conference finals playing hero ball and then runs to the team that beat him.
I hope Cleveland goes back to back :)

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Enjoy the salt. This was his best chance to win titles. He has no more to prove as far as leading weak rosters to potential greatness. OKC had their chances over multiple seasons. Get ready for the best offensive onslaught in NBA history.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Dellavedova no longer the biggest free agent to change clubs this offseason

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orbit  
Years ago

Bogut & Barnes to Dallas. They just broke up the best regular season ever. Kerr must be able to sell ice to eskimoes. Not sure i like this. If Curry plays better in game 7 & they win does this happen?

Gasol to Spurs? Delly on 10 mill a year!

It's all gone mad.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

So after Mark Cuban complained so much about the CP3 to the Lakers trade he goes ahead and helps the Warriors pull this off

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MACDUB  
Years ago

IMO it's a massive overreaction by the Warriors. They'd have you think they went 41-41 and not 73-9.

They shouldn't have even gone after Durant.

Hoping it blows up in their face purely because I hope that level of greediness doesn't get rewarded.

Have lost a huge amount of respect for KD now. He damn well left to the team that beat him in the WCF. The same team they were beating 3-1. If Durant signs with OKC, they have the best roster in the league in terms of strength at every position.

On the plus side, we will get to see Westbrook put up video game numbers and absolutely tear things to shreds.

Will OKC go after Wade for a one-year deal?

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Do people SERIOUSLY think Wade will leave? Like really, how do you not understand he's doing this to get the most money out of the Heat

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Don't know who I am disappiinted with most.. GSW for changing it up instead of making their players and coach more accountable for the losses, or Curry for not pulling in his head and growing up and stop sulking when he is challenged.Gren for his Stephensonesque behaviour that had a negative wffect poking the biggest bear on court James. Or Durant for taking the easy out for a championship ring. Hope it doesn't happen now and I've been a fan a long while. A measure of a great player is his influence and how he can make others better and his team was so close. Could have worked on making adjustments and figure out a way to make it happen with some tweaks to the team and game plan. Hell Cleveland did with an interesting roster bit Le Bron led the team and that is the difference. What Le Bron has done building rosters to win rather than steppng in to a winning one has now set the benchmark for all superstars now and unfortinately this move by Durant goes no where near greatness. If anything it shows less of who we all thought Durant was. Disappointing easy way out.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

LeBron did the same thing in 2010.
But I think there's more to this than simply trying to get a championship ring.
There was a reason why this team despite the talent wasn't getting the job done, they didn't play like a team, they went through a coaching change, personnel changes and nothing changed with the hero ball down the stretch.
The team just wasn't built right and had players that weren't flexible or diverse, and let's not kid ourselves that a little bit of this has to do with Westbrook's brainless plays at times.

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MACDUB  
Years ago

Well, I've got no clue? I can't read Wade's mind.

I only said that because he's really the only target left for OKC in this FA.

They don't need a Dwight or Gasol. They have one of the best if not the best interiors in the game.

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XY  
Years ago

That is a terrible move for the game of basketball.

I hope that they get knocked out in the conference finals and then get broken up as a result of cap lock when Curry's contract comes up next season.

Frankly both Curry and Durant are the less for this move.

This is worse than LeBron and the Decision in 2010, GSW already had a record beating 73 game winning team. Is this the most shameless move in the history of the NBA? I can't think of anything else that would come close to matching.

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Dave  
Years ago

OKC would have to cut salary / renounce rights to get any substantial free agent. They are over the soft cap so could resign players with bird rights (KD) but not a "new" free agent.

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VinceBarter  
Years ago

No terrible for basketball;

People will tune into every game they play

The league/fans have a new villain team to cheer against.

Durant can do what he wants. He put up with cost cutting throughout his early career then shoddy moves lately like getting Waiters and Kanter for first round picks. Also, he gets away from Westbrook who must be difficult to play with.

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skull  
Years ago

I had been slowly lured back to the "NBA fan club" after my self-exile bought on by the post Jordan decision by the NBA to grasp the "gangster/rapper/tattoed/braided hair/not about basketball" era.

KD's immaturity as a player was on full display in all its raw glory during the finals, i was so looking forward to watching him become (over the next couple of years) the greatest of all time.

This makes them ALL look stupid and brings the NBA into disrepute.

i am now officially back in NBA self-exile....

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LC  
Years ago

Agree 100% with Macdub.

Reply #590675 | Report this post


Farrison Hord  
Years ago

"...He has no more to prove as far as leading weak rosters to potential greatness..."

Because a roster that also had Westbrook, Ibaka & once upon a time, James Harden, is weak?

You need some air.

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XY  
Years ago

I don't think that the Warriors will be the darlings of the NBA and 'everyone's second favourite team' any more.

Reply #590678 | Report this post


Ricky  
Years ago

Becoming like Football now.. No parity in the league.

The best regular season team in history + a healthy 2 years removed MVP in his prime.

Not enough ball to go around..

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Anonymous  
Years ago

They stopped being that when Draymond punched Lebron in the cods.

Reply #590680 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

Heat 2.0

Reply #590682 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

So much salt

Reply #590683 | Report this post


spot up  
Years ago

There's a tweet from KD in 2010 floating around that says "Now everybody wanna play for the heat and the Lakers? Let's go back to being competitive and going at these peoples!"

Pretty funny comment now.

It was funny when the Warriors lost this year after being compared to the Bulls, and it'll be funny when they (hopefully) get beaten again next season. No point being angry about it, at least it'll keep things interesting!

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Speed44  
Years ago

Ummm OKC are approximately $24 million under the cap as of now.

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Bear  
Years ago

U'hemmm and GSW is approximately how much over their salary cap now?

I am not sure what to make of this decision, other than to say that with three outright scorers on the court at once, who will play defense?

Without Bogut, who will protect the rim?

I guess the Warriors will just go out there with a mindset of 'catch us if you can' basketball next season...

I feel for OKC, unless they can replace the gaps they could drop away, they got so close this season, what now for them?

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spot up  
Years ago

I wondered a similar thing about Bogut Bear. As successful as small ball has been for them, they always had flexibility to have Bogut's defensive presence in the middle. That's gone now.

They're going to outscore most teams regardless now, but defense becomes more important in the playoffs/finals.

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ballas  
Years ago

YOU ALL QUESTION DURANT AS A PERSON....

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ballas  
Years ago

BUT REALLY HE IS A FREE AGENT AND A TEAM HAS SIGNED HIM ITS ALLOWED

Reply #590693 | Report this post


spot up  
Years ago

Of course it's allowed. I questioned why he's doing exactly the same thing now that he was bagging others for doing 6 years ago. Probably fair enough I would have thought.

People are well within their rights to questions the motivations behind a decision like this. If it's simply the best $$ and the chance to win a title, then that's fine. But he hasn't said that, he said it was "based on the potential for my growth as a player" and some crap about the challenge of living in a new city. Garbage.

Reply #590694 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

No issues with him going to the warriors whether its for rings or money but he has no credibility as a person. He's bagged others for years and said he would always play for OKC, then left them for a team which they had beat in the conference finals but he himself couldn't lift in the final three games.

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BigAds  
Years ago

Comment from the Seattle community:

"Meh, such happens"

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Can't understand why people are even remotely upset with this. The best ever offensive lineup is now upon us. The man has the right to pick his destination, and the bay is an amazing place and that group of guys would be so much fun to play alongside. This salty response is just a bit sad. It's the NBA where amazing happens and sometimes crazy, embrace the chaos!

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MACDUB  
Years ago

Westbrook could be traded now.

They don't want Westbrook to walk next year without getting something for him

If Westbrook doesn't sign a long term deal, i think they will trade and rebuild again.

Such a sad story. Breaks my heart.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

"No credibility as a person"

Not an overreaction at all

Reply #590699 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I wonder if Boston would give up nets pick for next year and jaylen brown or isaih thomas for Westbrook???

Reply #590700 | Report this post


Hoopie  
Years ago

I'm disappointed for Bogey. How has he reacted to being traded to Dallas?

Reply #590701 | Report this post


Aussiebballer  
Years ago

I think Bogut was going to be traded not matter what, GSW was getting tired of not being able to rely on him due to injuries.

Probably good for him to go to a new team and get a fresh start with new coaches and trainers.
Dallas is said to have some of the best personnel staff in he NBA so it could work out for him.
If not he is only under contract for 1 season and most teams will have a ton of cap-space again next off-season.

For what it is worth he seems happy about it on social media.

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Wilson Sting  
Years ago

Wouldn't everyone want to play for Steve Kerr? Money and title chance aside, that would be a pretty strong factor for wanting to go to GS.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Once they traded Harden for Peanuts Durant as gone.

Reply #590704 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

Almost everyone here is right at the same time. It's his call, it abides by the rules, it's taking the easy road, it's great for NBA publicity, it harms parity and uncertainty in the league, etc.

I think Durant's worried about his legacy and not wanting to be one of those guys that got their stats but never a ring (Malone, etc), and probably issues playing with Westbrook.

Really, the NBA should have done more to maintain a level playing field. Now, a team can instantly go from dark horse or contender to rebuilding with one move.

One option I like is the idea of a hard cap, but no maximum player salary. So, LeBron can get paid $50-80m, but might not have the best team around him.

Reply #590705 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Thinking Steve Kerr ahowed some weaknesses in his decisions in game 5,6,7 and it was hoping that Curry would step up, instead he wasn't firing, getting exposed for his defensive weakness and meanwhile players were left on the bench for a wing and a prayer and love of Curry. I didn't rate his coaching end of finals series. Did he not remember last finals performances by those on the beng saving GSW's ass !!!!

Reply #590706 | Report this post


Zodiac  
Years ago

The NBA has been a joke for years. Back in the day guys like Jordan, Magic and Bird had too much pride to try and team up on the same team then that mindset of trying to make your own team better went out the window in 2010 when LeBron & Bosh bailed on their teams to team up with Wade in Miami because they were fearful of never winning a ring themselves.

To LeBron's credit he did eventually go back to the Cavs and now won a title with them but this is again rank cowardice by Durant. His team wasn't ever good enough to win a title and then after choking away the WCF to the Warriors turns around and signs with them. If you can't beat them join them.

Modern day NBA on full display once again.

Reply #590707 | Report this post


MACDUB  
Years ago

"The NBA has been a joke for years. Back in the day guys like Jordan, Magic and Bird had too much pride to try and team up on the same team then that mindset of trying to make your own team better went out the window in 2010 when LeBron & Bosh bailed on their teams to team up with Wade in Miami because they were fearful of never winning a ring themselves."

Yep an another thing I've noticed is that no one has any pateince anymore.

The concept of waiting and watching teammates improve and work towards the championship is now non-existant. Everyone is looking for a quick fix - get a bunch of stars together in FA and win the thing.

The 90's concept of keeping a core team together, improving and working their way up is gone.

Minnesota could do that with their current core, but knowing the modern day NBA, they"ll probably split up and rebuild if they don't win the thing in 3 years.





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VinceBarter  
Years ago

Magic and Bird didn't need to team up. They both had hall of famers all over the court.

Patience - Durant was in OKC for 9 years...

KD did what is best for him.

Isaac - "no maximum player salary. So, LeBron can get paid $50-80m, but might not have the best team around him."
I like this idea although the middle class players like Delly in the union will never vote for it as it will erode the middle class.

Reply #590713 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

The Bird, Magic and Jordan comparisons are so pathetic and wreak of hating for the sake of it. Everyone of those players played alongside other HOF's thats a huge deal. Why leave a team with established guys alreadfy there!? Westbrook for exmaple is great, but HOF, not likely. Open your eyes folks, he hasnt done anything that hasnt been happening for years previous. Barkely couldnt win in Philly, traded to a better deeper Suns team. Drexler, left the Blazers for a deep Houston. How dare they!

Reply #590714 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

Anti-competitive behaviour

If the Lakers were vetoed by the NBA for CP3, why isn't this vetoed?

Reply #590715 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Anti competitive behaviour? What an odd term to use. People have over reacted to this so very much. Go back to dissecting Dellys massive contract. Kd made a great business and lifestyle decision deal with it.

Reply #590717 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

'If the Lakers were vetoed by the NBA for CP3, why isn't this vetoed?'

Because the NBA owned part of the New Orleans Hornets at the time

Reply #590731 | Report this post


VinceBarter  
Years ago

KET - trades can be vetoed (although very rare). Nothing can be done with a free agent signing with a team if it fits within the terms of the CBA.

Step Curry's highly underpaid contract and the new bump in the salary cap makes this all possible.

Reply #590733 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"Westbrook for exmaple is great, but HOF, not likely."

Um what?

Reply #590737 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Out of every great point I made, you focus on the Westbrook not to the HOF line. Crazy. He is very good, amazing in spurts, and he may get there, but he has a lot of work to do. The second half of his career could now go either way, but that OKC team was all about Durant, not Westbrook, who by all reports now wants out anyways. Stars have been aligning in the NBA for years, deal with it people.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Vetoing free agents. Jesus

Reply #590744 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I can understand that Durant has the right to do whatever the hell he wants...

But as an NBA fan, this sucks. Last season we had 4 (maybe 5) teams legitimately competing for the championship, and next season there will be one less. It makes me less interested, not more. What a great series we saw between OKC and GSW. Could've been the beginning of an epic rivalry, instead it's dead and buried.

Oh, and I don't care how many rings Durant wins in OKC- I respect players like Barkley and Malone more for trying to do it and being the man, even though they fell just short. Durant might win a "chip" but he's officially jumping on a bandwagon and riding on the coattails of a team who's already proven they're championship material. Fact.

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LV  
Years ago

^me

Reply #590746 | Report this post


LV  
Years ago

Oh and not just the series either, Curry hit the massive shot in OT- possibly the shot of the season, in regular season to beat OKC...then the series. Rivalry now gone. GONE. Disappointing.

Reply #590747 | Report this post


LV  
Years ago

*I meant to say I don't care how many rings Durant gets in GWS, obviously

Reply #590749 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

NBA needs to look into some sort of Franchise tag type situation

Reply #590758 | Report this post


snooch  
Years ago

Westbrook, who by all reports now wants out anyways.

Really? All the reports I'm reading suggest the opposite.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Wants to be a laker, that's what I saw via a few bleacher report articles tweets. He won't stay in okc. Needs to be traded, not willing to sign long term.

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Speed44  
Years ago

Yep. He hasn't stated outright that he's NOT staying, but he is not willing to sign an extension this season. So that's a risky proposition for the Thunder. Keep him and hope he signs when he opts out, or trade him now while still under contract and get some players and picks for him?

They wouldn't want to lose 2 top 10 players for nothing. Trading him seems the smart thing to do, and he's a LA boy who went to UCLA. Lakers would throw a lot at OKC to get him there, and they have plenty of assets.

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snooch  
Years ago

The Lakers aren't going to deal with OKC if he's going to end up there as an UFA anyway. They'll have to deal with someone else, like Boston (Thomas plus pick) or Phoenix (one of their guards + pick)
It's an interesting one now with Durant gone as to what his mindset it though - stay and be the No.1 guy or move on.

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Speed44  
Years ago

Yeah you're right about the Lakers, but if he's being offered around by OKC, then they'll have to move on him if they want him.

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snooch  
Years ago

They will, then it comes back to what the best deal OKC can do is I guess.

Certainly if he doesn't re-sign, they have to move him. Can't have another star just walk away for nothing and potentially completely cripple the franchise.

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Someguy  
Years ago

lol at respecting barkley & malone for not doing it.......lets just forget the ring chasing that they both did shall we......

Reply #590790 | Report this post


MACDUB  
Years ago

Would it be too risky for Boston to trade for Westbrook?

I mean what happens if he goes to Boston and leaves in next year's FA to somewhere like the Lakers. (I assume Boston takes over his current contract which 'expires' end of next season?).

Wouldn't that mean Boston could be giving up Thomas and Bradley for example for good to 'rent' Westbrook for a year.

If Westbrook isn't going to sign a long-term extension, he surely won't sign it with Boston.

He wants to go to the Lakers and he wants to sign a new deal there next season so he can cash in.

Anyone that has him in the meantime is just taking on the risk of him leaving without getting anything in return?

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Speed44  
Years ago

If he really wants to sign an extension in a new place like the Lakers for example, OKC could do a sign and trade with LAL. That way it's not just a rental and the Lakers would be more willing to give up assets (Russell and Ingram, picks etc).

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MACDUB  
Years ago

But then again Speed, you could argue the Lakers have a good chance at getting Westbrook next year anyway without having to give up Russell & Ingram now.

Should they take the punt and bank on being able to get Westbrook in FA without the need to give up guys/picks now?

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LV  
Years ago

Barkley joined Houston in his mid 30's. Malone took a pay cut at 40 to play with Kobe and Shaq.

That's hardly comparable to joining a team who won a championship and then won 73 games and lost the finals in 7 the next season, while in your prime.

Even Lebron went to Miami and was starting a new team with other stars. Durant is literally joining a pre existing team who have already proven they're championship material.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Russell is going to go home to LA and improve the Lakers you would think.

Unlike KD who snubbed his hometown DC to gloryhunt with Golden State. of course he can go to any team he wants but going to an already championship winning calibre team will diminish his legacy as any rings he wins will be viewed as him just being a passenger who came on board

Reply #590838 | Report this post


Speed44  
Years ago

Yep Macdub, that is true, but if OKC start shopping him around which they will do, who knows what could be agreed. If OKC or let's say Ainge for example, talk Russ into a sign and trade to gain assets, then the Lakers miss altogether.

Once someone is being shopped, you can't really take the risk of saying "well he loves LA, he'll come to us next offseason".

If I'm the Buss family, and I know Russ the hometown boy who wants to come home, is being shopped around the league for assets, with possible S & Ts being mooted, I throw my hat in the ring.

Both your scenario and this one are quite possible. OKC will do everything in their power to get something out of/for him, and I think Russ wouldn't want to hurt the franchise more than it has already been hurt so he might be able to be talked into a S & T.

I just can't see OKC letting him go for nothing is what I'm long-windedly trying to say. They will be willing to accommodate all parties to at least get a pick for him.

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Speed44  
Years ago

Also, if you trade for him, you get his Bird rights. If you sign him on a 1+1 deal in FA, you don't.

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KET  
Years ago

Interesting off-season, I feel bad for OKC (even as a Spurs fan who has been frustrated by the bloody bogey side for years!).

Going from nearly beating the Warriors in the WCF to potentially losing the house and all its effects...

Without Durant they won't be nearly as competitive obviously, given Westbrook is sort of on shakey ground in terms of commitment to OKC, I suspect OKC will trade him. The Thunder are a well managed organisation, I don't think they'll be too rash in doing it, I think they'll be methodical in their strategy.

The glitz glamour and fashion of the Lakers looks ideal for Westbrook. Plus LA probably want to get rid of D'Angelo Russell, that gives them something tradeable. Westbrook is 27, the Lakers have a decent set of young players - the question is whether Westbrook is happy to wait a few years for them to develop.

For instant competitiveness, Celtics look a good fit and probably have some tradeable pieces (Net's draft pick?). If I was Rus, i'd bail to the Celtics - he'd have a real chance of being "the man" while getting to the ECF and in the immediate future, not long term like LAL.

Any other options being talked about? I can't really think of any. Jalen Rose proposed the idea Spurs with Lakers/Celtics acting as a third team in the trade, but he loves just saying crap.


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Speed44  
Years ago

Not sure there's much else besides LAL and BOS.

Pat Riley is always looking to pull in stars, Dragic is locked up on a long deal so a bit of security in return for OKC, but MIA would have to add Winslow to make that palatable for OKC, not sure Pat would do that.

The bigger markets like the Knicks and Bulls would probably take a look if he was put on the block, despite their offseason moves.

Minnesota? Their PG stock is probably their weak point in their lineup. Rubio not really as advertised, and Dunn is still an unknown quantity. Depends on who they're willing to get rid of, and would Russ be willing to sign long term there?

Other than those, can't imagine anyone else in the running.

Reply #590860 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Passengers aren't usually a first or second option you spud

Reply #590863 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

He's a passenger on the GSW journey which began many seasons ago regardless of option. Spud.

Reply #590895 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Neck yourself

Reply #590901 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

What did the Warriors do prior to 2015? A first round exit in 2014, semifinals in 2013 and hadn't made playoffs since 2007 before that. What an absolute dynasty over the last decade...

Reply #590903 | Report this post




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