The Kevin Durant Problem

[ShelC]

I think JC was trying to lower the payroll prior to the sale?

[Cap]

I think JC was trying to lower the payroll prior to the sale?

Like I said, it may be that saving the franchise a few bucks increased what Sarver was willing to pay for the franchise, and that was the motive. If so, it was the earliest sign that Sarver was more interested in lessening financial obligations than in being competitive. If not, I’m still confused.

[Mori Chu]

Minny: Have to include two of Gobert, Randle, Reid, McDaniels

Dallas: Has to be at least 4 guys and needs to include 2 of Gafford/PJ/Klay

Spurs: Might be the team that could do it the easiest with less salary…not entirely sure their cap situation.

Rockets: Jalen Green is likely the salary match, plus you’d have to add another 10-15 million.

Knicks: Mikal/Hart or KAT would have to be the trade.

Thanks for this list. I would also include OKC and Golden State on any possible trade partners list. Something like:

OKC: Holmgren, ... Hartenstein? (to make salaries match) - OKC has a hard time getting enough salary ballast to make this trade

GSW: Kuminga, Moody, Podziemski, pick(s)

[Split T]

Tricky part with GS is Kuminga is a free agent, so he won’t be able to be part of the deal anymore. I think a GS trade would have to be for Draymond at this point.

[Superbone]

[Superbone]

KD tweet backs incoming:

[Mori Chu]

Wow, the leader of the OKC Thunder criticized Kevin Durant!

[Superbone]

Wow, the leader of the OKC Thunder criticized Kevin Durant!

??? Since when is Kendrick Perkins the leader of OKC?

[Mori Chu]

Wow, the leader of the OKC Thunder criticized Kevin Durant!

??? Since when is Kendrick Perkins the leader of OKC?

It's a reference to this recent spat:

https://www.si.com/onsi/ball-around/new ... -okc-drama

“It doesn’t mean your best player is your leader," Perkins explained. "When I was with the Thunder, it wasn’t KD, it wasn’t Russ, it wasn’t James, I was the one leading.”

[SunsRIt]

Perkins is a toolbag.

[Split T]

What would you guys think if you could get Trae Young in a KD deal?

[TOO]

What would you guys think if you could get Trae Young in a KD deal?

I hate watching people shoot bad 30 footers, I hate watching people be bad defenders, I would not be excited.

[virtual9mm]

This KD interview on the Draymond Green podcast is wild. He makes it pretty clear that the Suns called him at the trade deadline and asked him if he was okay with being traded to Golden State, but he said no, because he didn't want the Warriors to have to give up so much and disrupt the team in the middle of the season. He says the team is going to trade him in the offseason. Which, I mean, okay, but he's basically saying he wants to minimize the return we get for him in a trade so that his new team isn't hampered by losing so many assets. Groan.

Yup. Suns are so screwed.

[Cap]

What would you guys think if you could get Trae Young in a KD deal?

I hate watching people shoot bad 30 footers, I hate watching people be bad defenders, I would not be excited.

Just tell him to keep it inside 30 feet. He’s a good shooter well beyond the arc as long as he’s not getting completely crazy. Steph Curry he ain’t, more like Dan Majerle.

[Mori Chu]

What would you guys think if you could get Trae Young in a KD deal?

Trae Young would be an exceptional haul for KD this offseason. I don't think it is likely to happen, but getting Trae back would exceed my expectations.

[Flagrant Fowl]

What would you guys think if you could get Trae Young in a KD deal?

This only works if they have a strategy to bring in at least two versatile defenders, one of whom has to be a consistent starter. Trae is so compromised defensively that it caps his team's ceiling. He and Book could work well, I just think it's a tougher needle to thread than bringing in a more balanced combo guard to play next to him.

Regardless, I think there's a next to zero chance Atlanta would do that.

[Split T]

What would you guys think if you could get Trae Young in a KD deal?

This only works if they have a strategy to bring in at least two versatile defenders, one of whom has to be a consistent starter. Trae is so compromised defensively that it caps his team's ceiling. He and Book could work well, I just think it's a tougher needle to thread than bringing in a more balanced combo guard to play next to him.

Regardless, I think there's a next to zero chance Atlanta would do that.

I think it would be pretty hard to pull off. But the idea would be to trade KD for role players and picks…then attach the picks to Beal for Trae.

Dallas losing Kyrie kinda makes Dallas as a trade partner tricky, but something like:

KD to Dallas
Gafford, Washington, Naji, Christie, Trae to Phoenix
Beal and a bunch of picks to Atlanta

Trae/Book/Naji/PJ/Gafford
Christie/Allen/Royce/Dunn/Richards

[O_Gardino]

I think JC was trying to lower the payroll prior to the sale?

Like I said, it may be that saving the franchise a few bucks increased what Sarver was willing to pay for the franchise, and that was the motive. If so, it was the earliest sign that Sarver was more interested in lessening financial obligations than in being competitive. If not, I’m still confused.

I believe it was a condition of the sale to reduce debt and payroll. The trade saved 6 Mil, which was a bit more a the time and mattered more to a team that was running on borrowed money. It definitely wasn't a good basketball move, but it was a good business move for JC.

[Cap]

I think JC was trying to lower the payroll prior to the sale?

Like I said, it may be that saving the franchise a few bucks increased what Sarver was willing to pay for the franchise, and that was the motive. If so, it was the earliest sign that Sarver was more interested in lessening financial obligations than in being competitive. If not, I’m still confused.

I believe it was a condition of the sale to reduce debt and payroll. The trade saved 6 Mil, which was a bit more a the time and mattered more to a team that was running on borrowed money. It definitely wasn't a good basketball move, but it was a good business move for JC.

That’s my point. If Sarver (and the other investors) were committed to winning, they could have told JC, “Keep the picks, we’ll spend the extra money,” but they chose the money over the picks.

[England Sun]

If he’s talking like that I’d expect less back in summer.

Either that or Ish and Jones need to grow a pair and be ruthless with him and the trade partner.