The Kevin Durant Problem

[virtual9mm]

If the offers are so terrible, I don't mind letting Durant become an expiring contract rather than take back dead weight salary just on principle alone.

[iLLmatic]

If the offers are so terrible, I don't mind letting Durant become an expiring contract rather than take back dead weight salary just on principle alone.

No

[virtual9mm]

Depends what the salaries are and how good the picks look.

Not letting Durant get his Bird Rights extension is now the Suns' best bargaining chip.

[TOO]

Well if ernny with 2 n's says it..

[ShelC]

[virtual9mm]

"His trade value is depressed because he's limiting his market," said Windhorst (h/t RealGM). "He is effectively doing that. He made it very clear he wants to have agency on where he finishes his career. He is, by doing that, depressing the market and forcing himself to a certain spot. That has been very effective so far."

Take this away from him credibly and he will fold so fast. Just shut down all trades and announce our intention to let him become an expiring contract. Need to clear cap space to sign him.

He no longer controls destinations and has to take a smaller salary. Show a little vindictiveness. Yes, fuck you too.

He will fold.

[specialsauce]

"His trade value is depressed because he's limiting his market," said Windhorst (h/t RealGM). "He is effectively doing that. He made it very clear he wants to have agency on where he finishes his career. He is, by doing that, depressing the market and forcing himself to a certain spot. That has been very effective so far."

Take this away from him credibly and he will fold so fast. Just shut down all trades and announce our intention to let him become an expiring contract. Need to clear cap space to sign him.

He no longer controls destinations and has to take a smaller salary. Show a little vindictiveness. Yes, fuck you too.

He will fold.

Exactly. It is in his best interest to get traded.

Good teams don't have cap space to sign him to a lucrative deal. So if he comes off the books next year he'll be looking at a massive loss in money OR signing with a shit team. Take your pick buddy

[ShelC]

Yea I thought the same thing when I saw all that. Take away his and the other teams' leverage. I don't know if that's being emotional or bad/good business but fk him and those teams lowballing us.

[virtual9mm]

Shel, Sauce - exactly.

The right move is for Ishbia to step in, role play at throwing a tantrum and saying KD isn't going anywhere, call him out for killing trade value to benefit his new team at the expense of his old team. Say that there will be no trades on principle.

Let KD panic.

[JeremyG]

And tell him you won’t sign-and-trade him next summer either, because you want the full cap space.

[virtual9mm]

And tell him you won’t sign-and-trade him next summer either, because you want the full cap space.

You got it.

[Superbone]

All quiet on the Western front. The draft starts Wednesday. We seem to be at a standstill. I'm starting to think we may go past the draft without a deal but maybe we'll be surprised by a draft day deal.

[Mori Chu]

Deal I want: KD to HOU for Jabari Smith Jr, Jalen Green, #10 pick, 2027 pick

Deal I would be fine with: KD to MIA for Ware, bantha fodder, one more pick

Deal I fear we will settle for: KD to MIN for Gobert, DiVincenzo, no picks / shitty pick

[INFORMER]

The only thing that KD is impacting is the Wolves deal. So playing hardball with KD only accomplishes paving a way for the Suns to land Rudy Gobert.

[virtual9mm]

The only thing that KD is impacting is the Wolves deal. So playing hardball with KD only accomplishes paving a way for the Suns to land Rudy Gobert.

...which would force Houston and Miami to open up their coffers a bit more.

[INFORMER]

The only thing that KD is impacting is the Wolves deal. So playing hardball with KD only accomplishes paving a way for the Suns to land Rudy Gobert.

...which would force Houston and Miami to open up their coffers a bit more.

No it wouldn't. It's a matter of preference (who the Suns prefer) and how much Houston wants Durant versus how much they love the team/assets they already have. Miami/Houston/San Antonio are already competing with each other, and that hasn't motivated any of them to raise their offers. Adding Minnesota as a realistic destination doesn't change the dynamics for those teams.

[INFORMER]

For example, Houston has #10 on the table. And yet Miami won't make Ware available. The #10 pick blows away anything else Miami can put on the table. Jovic? #20? Jacquez? Please.

[TOO]

Gotta assume this doesn't happen til after the finals end tomorrow no?