The Kevin Durant Problem

[Mori Chu]

I think you gotta assume Beal is gone…but yes Green/Booker is not a good fit either. I would love to get another pick, but I just don’t think we are getting that much for KD.

I don't know why folks are assuming that Beal will be gone. He isn't leaving unless he explicitly agrees to leave. He won't just accept some trade to Utah because we want him to. He has said repeatedly that he and his wife and family love living in Phoenix. I doubt he agrees to a trade unless it's a very specific circumstance. Maybe Milwaukee for Dame, maybe some other contender. But those teams probably wouldn't want him. I think the best hope would be Orlando: warm, beautiful place to live, a team on the rise, and they might be crazy enough to actually want him. But it's a long shot. I would still bet a dollar he's stuck here next season.

[Split T]

I think you gotta assume Beal is gone…but yes Green/Booker is not a good fit either. I would love to get another pick, but I just don’t think we are getting that much for KD.

I don't know why folks are assuming that Beal will be gone. He isn't leaving unless he explicitly agrees to leave. He won't just accept some trade to Utah because we want him to. He has said repeatedly that he and his wife and family love living in Phoenix. I doubt he agrees to a trade unless it's a very specific circumstance. Maybe Milwaukee for Dame, maybe some other contender. But those teams probably wouldn't want him. I think the best hope would be Orlando: warm, beautiful place to live, a team on the rise, and they might be crazy enough to actually want him. But it's a long shot. I would still bet a dollar he's stuck here next season.

If Milwaukee is keeping Giannis, they’d jump at the chance to trade Dame for Beal…but you’re leaving out the most likely way they get rid of Beal…Buyout. Gambo has all but reported he’s gone. I just have to trust him at this point.

[specialsauce]

I think you gotta assume Beal is gone…but yes Green/Booker is not a good fit either. I would love to get another pick, but I just don’t think we are getting that much for KD.

I don't know why folks are assuming that Beal will be gone. He isn't leaving unless he explicitly agrees to leave. He won't just accept some trade to Utah because we want him to. He has said repeatedly that he and his wife and family love living in Phoenix. I doubt he agrees to a trade unless it's a very specific circumstance. Maybe Milwaukee for Dame, maybe some other contender. But those teams probably wouldn't want him. I think the best hope would be Orlando: warm, beautiful place to live, a team on the rise, and they might be crazy enough to actually want him. But it's a long shot. I would still bet a dollar he's stuck here next season.

Because he's gone.

[TOO]

He's 100% being stretched.

[JeremyG]

I think you gotta assume Beal is gone…but yes Green/Booker is not a good fit either. I would love to get another pick, but I just don’t think we are getting that much for KD.

I don't know why folks are assuming that Beal will be gone. He isn't leaving unless he explicitly agrees to leave. He won't just accept some trade to Utah because we want him to. He has said repeatedly that he and his wife and family love living in Phoenix. I doubt he agrees to a trade unless it's a very specific circumstance. Maybe Milwaukee for Dame, maybe some other contender. But those teams probably wouldn't want him. I think the best hope would be Orlando: warm, beautiful place to live, a team on the rise, and they might be crazy enough to actually want him. But it's a long shot. I would still bet a dollar he's stuck here next season.

Gambo reported that there is a 0% chance Beal is on the team next season, and he doesn’t expect a trade. They will waive him—full salary if they have to.

[Charlie Smithy!]

He's 100% being stretched.

[Wally_West]

He's 100% being stretched.

Oh…

[Wally_West]

For KD, yes.

[Mori Chu]

I thought KAT played pretty well for them this season and playoffs. But there are definitely whispered articles and tweets coming out saying that his teammates were frustrated by him on defense. IMO it's hard to win with your primary big man such a negative on defense.

[JeremyG]

This may be the best we can hope for with Durant: trade KD for KAT, then after it inevitably fails, trade KAT and Booker next summer for as many draft picks and young players as we can get.

And whatever you do, don’t stretch Beal for goodness sakes. We don’t need his contract hurting us for more than two more years. Just waive him/buy him out.

[Split T]

It’s gonna be hard to get out of the 2nd apron if you don’t cut salary on either a Beal or KD move

[ShelC]

KAT's really bad defensively and it's hard to see him getting better. The Pacers did a good job exposing him in transition and the halfcourt. You need a Draymond type of defender next to him, which was partially why Robinson was so helpful in the starting lineup. I'd take him over KD at this point, but I don't love his game and we'd have to really stack the roster with defensive athletes to put around him and Book.

[Superbone]

KAT's really bad defensively and it's hard to see him getting better. The Pacers did a good job exposing him in transition and the halfcourt. You need a Draymond type of defender next to him, which was partially why Robinson was so helpful in the starting lineup. I'd take him over KD at this point, but I don't love his game and we'd have to really stack the roster with defensive athletes to put around him and Book.

Do it!

[Mori Chu]

I don't hate KAT (maybe would have been a better trade for Ayton than Nurk was, for example). But I don't think it is possible to build a playoff-caliber defense around Booker and KAT. I think teams would just put those two in pick-and-rolls and score on us at will. IMO KAT would be more effective if our other top star had been a plus defender, like SGA or younger Lebron or somebody like that.

[Superbone]

I don't hate KAT (maybe would have been a better trade for Ayton than Nurk was, for example). But I don't think it is possible to build a playoff-caliber defense around Booker and KAT. I think teams would just put those two in pick-and-rolls and score on us at will. IMO KAT would be more effective if our other top star had been a plus defender, like SGA or younger Lebron or somebody like that.

I could see it working if we were strong defensively everywhere else. Plus, with Booker putting more work in on the defensive side.

[JJ Slim]

I don't hate KAT (maybe would have been a better trade for Ayton than Nurk was, for example). But I don't think it is possible to build a playoff-caliber defense around Booker and KAT. I think teams would just put those two in pick-and-rolls and score on us at will. IMO KAT would be more effective if our other top star had been a plus defender, like SGA or younger Lebron or somebody like that.

I could see it working if we were strong defensively everywhere else. Plus, with Booker putting more work in on the defensive side.

So in other words it won't work.

[Superbone]

I don't hate KAT (maybe would have been a better trade for Ayton than Nurk was, for example). But I don't think it is possible to build a playoff-caliber defense around Booker and KAT. I think teams would just put those two in pick-and-rolls and score on us at will. IMO KAT would be more effective if our other top star had been a plus defender, like SGA or younger Lebron or somebody like that.

I could see it working if we were strong defensively everywhere else. Plus, with Booker putting more work in on the defensive side.

So in other words it won't work.

I'm not following your logic. We'll have a mostly new roster next year. Why wouldn't we get strong defensive players especially after what we witnessed last season?

[Split T]

KAT has been in the conference finals in back to back years

[JJ Slim]

I don't hate KAT (maybe would have been a better trade for Ayton than Nurk was, for example). But I don't think it is possible to build a playoff-caliber defense around Booker and KAT. I think teams would just put those two in pick-and-rolls and score on us at will. IMO KAT would be more effective if our other top star had been a plus defender, like SGA or younger Lebron or somebody like that.

I could see it working if we were strong defensively everywhere else. Plus, with Booker putting more work in on the defensive side.

So in other words it won't work.

I'm not following your logic. We'll have a mostly new roster next year. Why wouldn't we get strong defensive players especially after what we witnessed last season?

I was just being a sarcastic asshole.

[Superbone]

I don't hate KAT (maybe would have been a better trade for Ayton than Nurk was, for example). But I don't think it is possible to build a playoff-caliber defense around Booker and KAT. I think teams would just put those two in pick-and-rolls and score on us at will. IMO KAT would be more effective if our other top star had been a plus defender, like SGA or younger Lebron or somebody like that.

I could see it working if we were strong defensively everywhere else. Plus, with Booker putting more work in on the defensive side.

So in other words it won't work.

I'm not following your logic. We'll have a mostly new roster next year. Why wouldn't we get strong defensive players especially after what we witnessed last season?

I was just being a sarcastic asshole.

THAT I get.