All Things Ayton

[Indy]

I can’t imagine OKC is planning to do this forever…

Maybe I'm too cynical or been mentally tormented by the Robert Sarver era, but I have serious questions about the ownership's commitment to going for a title. I think they'd much rather keep churning out a profit.

SGA/Giddey/Dort/Chet then they are positioned to throw down a godfather offer at some point for a superstar and see what happens.

Because we're talking about OKC, I believe it's more difficult for them to get the superstar to agree to a trade there than to accumulate the pieces needed to make a deal. We've seen plenty of examples of perceived superstars just sitting out games until they get traded to a place of their choosing.

Yeah, I mean how do you compete if you are OKC? Maybe if the season were two months shorter and you gave them their own jet to fly back to wherever they want to be as often as possible and you are paying them as much as anyone could and you are legit contenders and they like the coach and they like the other players... that is a lot to line up.

[Split T]

I can’t imagine OKC is planning to do this forever…

Maybe I'm too cynical or been mentally tormented by the Robert Sarver era, but I have serious questions about the ownership's commitment to going for a title. I think they'd much rather keep churning out a profit.

SGA/Giddey/Dort/Chet then they are positioned to throw down a godfather offer at some point for a superstar and see what happens.

Because we're talking about OKC, I believe it's more difficult for them to get the superstar to agree to a trade there than to accumulate the pieces needed to make a deal. We've seen plenty of examples of perceived superstars just sitting out games until they get traded to a place of their choosing.

You may be right…So you think they just keep moving the goalposts further back? Keeping the fans engaged by the never to come future? At some point the fans will figure it out, right?

Or you think they just wanna keep taking shots until they hit with another Durant?

[specialsauce]

Very true. Those guys are way past their prime. That indeed is a fact.

And you can say whatever you want about "Savers bank account" but another fact is that he's not going to spend well into the luxury tax year after year. He just doesn't have that kind of dough. See Bobster's comparison of the Warriors to us. You can continue to live in dreamland but that's not reality, dude. But fantasize away!

Well the fact is that I don’t give two shits about Bobby’s accounts. I won’t adjust my expectations of fielding a contender just because Bobby’s cheap ass doesn’t want to spend for it. That’s his problem to manage his fan base or sell the team. I’d root for a different team before I accepted mediocrity.

Um, we haven't won a championship for 53 years. What do you mean you wouldn't accept mediocrity?

Also, nobody here cares about his bank account or how much he spends on the team. We are just saying that there is no way he will spend an extra 50M a year in tax to field a team. I would love it if he would. But he won't. So why expect it when you know 100% it won't happen?

I won’t be okay with pursuing mediocrity. I’ll continue to bitch and moan. Just pay Ayton if the spare parts aren’t going to improve your chances at achieving your goal. At least running this team back we know we will be competitive and if DA plays at his best we will contend again. I’d rather overpay Ayton and have a chance than trade him for the sake of not paying him and have no chance.

Subbing DA for Brogdon and Turner gets us further away from our goal. Subbing DA for Grant gets us further away. If you get Poettl you might as well just trade Booker for cash considerations

Of course, we all bitch and moan about not doing enough to win. But you said you would switch teams before accepting mediocrity. If you just meant you will keep bitching about it, I get that.

Yeah, the day I say “well I’ll just lower my expectations because our owner is okay losing Joe Johnson over 5 million dollars” is the day I decide to follow a different team

[specialsauce]

Yes...but Javale is a REALLY AWESOME situational big who is useful both in the regular season and in the playoffs.

He was a net negative in the playoffs this year (even before the last 2 blowouts).

Javale sucks. He’s flashy and fun and can’t stay within his role, and is slow on defense. He’s a regular season toy that you can throw out as needed for 10 minutes here and there in the playoffs. He can’t be a regular rotation guy if you want to go far

[Flagrant Fowl]

I can’t imagine OKC is planning to do this forever…

Maybe I'm too cynical or been mentally tormented by the Robert Sarver era, but I have serious questions about the ownership's commitment to going for a title. I think they'd much rather keep churning out a profit.

SGA/Giddey/Dort/Chet then they are positioned to throw down a godfather offer at some point for a superstar and see what happens.

Because we're talking about OKC, I believe it's more difficult for them to get the superstar to agree to a trade there than to accumulate the pieces needed to make a deal. We've seen plenty of examples of perceived superstars just sitting out games until they get traded to a place of their choosing.

You may be right…So you think they just keep moving the goalposts further back? Keeping the fans engaged by the never to come future? At some point the fans will figure it out, right?

Or you think they just wanna keep taking shots until they hit with another Durant?

I don't think the fans have much of a voice. Like I said, they're a captive fanbase. To the front office's credit, at least they're putting interesting players on the court most of the time. It would be worse if they were just ineptly signing bad free agents like the Knicks or something.

Yeah, they'll just keep taking swings on prospects. Eventually SGA will force his way out if he wants to compete for a title, and Presti will get to play the "genius GM" card again when making a deal for a basket of future draft picks.

[Split T]

Fair enough, fwiw I kinda hate what they are doing and hope SGA does force his way out.

[Superbone]

I can’t imagine OKC is planning to do this forever…

Maybe I'm too cynical or been mentally tormented by the Robert Sarver era, but I have serious questions about the ownership's commitment to going for a title. I think they'd much rather keep churning out a profit.

SGA/Giddey/Dort/Chet then they are positioned to throw down a godfather offer at some point for a superstar and see what happens.

Because we're talking about OKC, I believe it's more difficult for them to get the superstar to agree to a trade there than to accumulate the pieces needed to make a deal. We've seen plenty of examples of perceived superstars just sitting out games until they get traded to a place of their choosing.

You may be right…So you think they just keep moving the goalposts further back? Keeping the fans engaged by the never to come future? At some point the fans will figure it out, right?

Or you think they just wanna keep taking shots until they hit with another Durant?

I don't think the fans have much of a voice. Like I said, they're a captive fanbase. To the front office's credit, at least they're putting interesting players on the court most of the time. It would be worse if they were just ineptly signing bad free agents like the Knicks or something.

Yeah, they'll just keep taking swings on prospects. Eventually SGA will force his way out if he wants to compete for a title, and Presti will get to play the "genius GM" card again when making a deal for a basket of future draft picks.

It’s pretty wild that they had 4 superstars and they all just trickled away. Harden, Durant, Westbrook, Paul.

[Flagrant Fowl]

It’s pretty wild that they had 4 superstars and they all just trickled away. Harden, Durant, Westbrook, Paul.

They "had" to choose between Harden and Ibaka. Harden was a sixth man who shit the bed in the Finals, and they already had two guys who could create offense in Westbrook and Durant. Going with Ibaka wasn't the worst decision in the world. The deal they made with Houston though.. that was the real start of their downfall.

Everyone knew Paul would only be there for one season. They even tried to tank with him on their roster. Same with Al Horford.

[JeremyG]

Gambo just said that the people he is speaking to in the Suns organization say that their best guess is that Ayton stays on the Suns. And if they do trade him they want players who have more than one year left on their contract.

[Flagrant Fowl]

LOL. Gambo is such a tool. James Jones literally pulled him out of his pants and used him.

[JeremyG]

Gambo just said that the people he is speaking to in the Suns organization say that their best guess is that Ayton stays on the Suns. And if they do trade him they want players who have more than one year left on their contract.

Wow. I posted this and then totally forgot about it.

[JeremyG]

Love this kid

Hard not to be impressed with what we've see so far.

Give it time, someone will be in here to on rain the parade.

I was looking at the first page of this thread and came across this prophetic statement.

[JeremyG]

Says DA has played off the dribble a ton during their pickup games.

[Superbone]

I hope he does!

[Split T]

Shoot, media day got me believing all the hype and getting excited about DA again. Here’s to hoping Jeremy and the other DA stans get to rub his play in our faces this year.

[TOO]

Shoot, media day got me believing all the hype and getting excited about DA again. Here’s to hoping Jeremy and the other DA stans get to rub his play in our faces this year.

I'd welcome nothing more than to be wrong about Ayton man.

[Split T]

Me too! Feels like our only path at this point to real contention with this team.

[ShelC]

I thought DA looked bigger and a bit more filled out. His arms definitely looked bigger to me. Hopefully that translates into him moving some defenders out of the way.

[carey]

I thought DA looked bigger and a bit more filled out. His arms definitely looked bigger to me. Hopefully that translates into him moving some defenders out of the way.

The problem with him has never been ability. He could always do that if he wanted. It's his desire to play that way. That will only change when he wants it to. Or not.

[JeremyG]

Just came across this…back from the good old days: