(ESPN) Durant to take $9M less than max contract to keep Warriors' core intact

[pgisback]

Originally Posted by codered

Never said durants move was soft or wasn't soft, all I said was what he did wasn't any different than Lebron. Both players ran to greener fields when things got tough instead of bunkering down. Both were weak in the face of adversity. In this case the means does not justify the ends. Either you think KD is weak and in turn Lebron is also weak. If you justify Lebron taking the easy road, you can't call KD weak. It's hypocritical. You can admit you're just a Lebron fan boy and you'll argue till you're blue in the face that Lebron can do no wrong. I'm a Raptors fan and don't care about either. All I know is the landscape was set before KD took the easy road to winning, he followed the norm.

Nah, Lebron joined a team to take on the Celtics, he didn't join the Celtics. Not even close to a similar comparison. What KD did was unheard of for an athlete of his caliber. Will go down as the softest and weakest move in the history of sports. I can't think of a single elite athlete in his prime that joined the best team in the league that he couldn't beat.

[Orangejello727]

Originally Posted by pgisback

Nah, Lebron joined a team to take on the Celtics, he didn't join the Celtics. Not even close to a similar comparison. What KD did was unheard of for an athlete of his caliber. Will go down as the softest and weakest move in the history of sports. I can't think of a single elite athlete in his prime that joined the best team in the league that he couldn't beat.

What type of team did Lebron leave to join Miami? A sub par .500 team? Or a winning team that was making the playoffs and finals? This is pretty important to note. It would make a difference if he left a team that wasnt making playoff runs and was finishing near the bottom of the pile. Is that what he left to find competition in Miami?

The cavs were #1 team in the east 61-21 the year Lebron bolted. What does that say about lebron? Leaving a team that was 1st in the conference to join his buddies to form a super team in order to with 5 or 6 titles?? Leaving a team that was making the playoffs and leading the whole conference. Is that not unheard of? Weak, soft and easy path?

[pgisback]

Originally Posted by Orangejello727

What type of team did Lebron leave to join Miami? A sub par .500 team? Or a winning team that was making the playoffs and finals? This is pretty important to note. It would make a difference if he left a team that wasnt making playoff runs and was finishing near the bottom of the pile. Is that what he left to find competition in Miami?

The cavs were #1 team in the east 61-21 the year Lebron bolted. What does that say about lebron? Leaving a team that was 1st in the conference to join his buddies to form a super team in order to with 5 or 6 titles?? Leaving a team that was making the playoffs and leading the whole conference. Is that not unheard of? Weak, soft and easy path?

If Durant went to any team but the Cavs/Warriors no one would care because there still would have been competition. Trying to form teams to compete is not weak. Nothing wrong with that. What's weak is joining a team that you can't beat. If Lebron joined the Celtics I would have said the same thing. But, you guys can try to defend weakness all you want. Says a lot about you guys.

[Orangejello727]

Originally Posted by pgisback

If Durant went to any team but the Cavs/Warriors no one would care because there still would have been competition. Trying to form teams to compete is not weak. Nothing wrong with that. What's weak is joining a team that you can't beat. If Lebron joined the Celtics I would have said the same thing. But, you guys can try to defend weakness all you want. Says a lot about you guys.

Isnt that what Lebron did? Lebron left a team to join a team with super stars to win a championship because he couldnt do it on the best team in the east?

Here is my issue with your biased viewpoint.. You say Durant left a playoff contending team in OKC to join the Warriors can call that a coward move. But when Lebron left the best team in the eastern conference that was 1 step away from the finals, you consider that a competitive move? How are the 2 any different??

You claim Durant is soft because he joined a powerhouse team in the Warriors. But you think colluding with 2 other super stars to form a superteam is being competitive? Explain the difference between joining 2 other superstars (Lebron) vs. joining other superstars (Durant)??

No going off into tangents about how Warriors didnt need Durant, because the same could be said for Wade not needing Lebron. Infact if anything Both Durant and Lebron needed everyone else to become champions. They are 1 in the same.

I personally think Lebron is a coward for staying in the easy cake walk of the east. A true competitor would move to the west and take on the best. But that doesnt fit the competitive nature of Lebron now does it?

[pgisback]

Originally Posted by Orangejello727

Isnt that what Lebron did? Lebron left a team to join a team with super stars to win a championship because he couldnt do it on the best team in the east?

Here is my issue with your biased viewpoint.. You say Durant left a playoff contending team in OKC to join the Warriors can call that a coward move. But when Lebron left the best team in the eastern conference that was 1 step away from the finals, you consider that a competitive move? How are the 2 any different??

You claim Durant is soft because he joined a powerhouse team in the Warriors. But you think colluding with 2 other super stars to form a superteam is being competitive? Explain the difference between joining 2 other superstars (Lebron) vs. joining other superstars (Durant)??

No going off into tangents about how Warriors didnt need Durant, because the same could be said for Wade not needing Lebron. Infact if anything Both Durant and Lebron needed everyone else to become champions. They are 1 in the same.

I personally think Lebron is a coward for staying in the easy cake walk of the east. A true competitor would move to the west and take on the best. But that doesnt fit the competitive nature of Lebron now does it?

No, you're making up what I'm saying. I haven't said anything about Kevin Durant being on a winning team. My argument is simple. Durant joined a team who he couldn't beat eliminating competition. Lebron formed a team of players who weren't winning to beat a team he couldn't beat. No comparison. I'm all for players on losing teams to try to form more competitive teams. I'd love to see players like Anthony Davis or Porzingis join up with other losing team stars to form more competition. It makes rivalries and competition fun. There's honestly no argument you can make to justify KD's decision based on a competitive standpoint.

It was the easiest choice for him to not have to compete against a team that he couldn't beat. Any competitor in this world would consider that a weak and soft move.

[Orangejello727]

Originally Posted by pgisback

No, you're making up what I'm saying. I haven't said anything about Kevin Durant being on a winning team. My argument is simple. Durant joined a team who he couldn't beat eliminating competition. Lebron formed a team of players who weren't winning to beat a team he couldn't beat. No comparison. I'm all for players on losing teams to try to form more competitive teams. I'd love to see players like Anthony Davis or Porzingis join up with other losing team stars to form more competition. It makes rivalries and competition fun. There's honestly no argument you can make to justify KD's decision based on a competitive standpoint.

It was the easiest choice for him to not have to compete against a team that he couldn't beat. Any competitor in this world would consider that a weak and soft move.

Thats call collusion. It goes against competitive nature. Basically what you are saying is colluding and cheating to get a championship is okay in your books. That is much worse than what durant did. The debate ends once you call what Lebron did by the true definition of what it is.

[pgisback]

Originally Posted by Orangejello727

Thats call collusion. It goes against competitive nature. Basically what you are saying is colluding and cheating to get a championship is okay in your books. That is much worse than what durant did.

You're stretching as far as you can stretch with this argument, lol. Collusion. Love it.

[6celtics33]

From a competitive standpoint, KD's move was weak as water. They just had them down, 3-1 and choked it away and then he joined them. That is soft. However I completely understand after 9 years in OKC and playing with Westbrook that he would want to be in a different system where the ball moves and his strengths could be utilized. As far as good teams go that means Warriors or Spurs.

Now... Pgisback there is no way you wouldn't be saying the same thing if he joined the Spurs because that would've been another record setting team. They won 60+ with 1 all star as it is.

But to suggest that Lebron likes to compete when he's plays 1 competitive series per year and takes multiple nights off because he knows it means nothing where they finish while all the best teams are in the other conference battling is laughable at best. Lebron didn't leave a losing team in Cleveland as others have said. They won 60+ multiple times. He was the best player. He just can't close.

And your argument about joining a bad Heat team is pure nonsense because he didn't join a team with Bosh on it. They went together obviously. And paraded and yapped about winning 7 titles of which they got 2. Regardless of how it turned out, they THOUGHT they were forming a super team.

So to sum up yes Durant's move was weak
Also yes Lebron is weak mentally and likes it easy as possible.... You cannot deny he plays 1 competitive series per year

[pgisback]

Originally Posted by 6celtics33

From a competitive standpoint, KD's move was weak as water. They just had them down, 3-1 and choked it away and then he joined them. That is soft. However I completely understand after 9 years in OKC and playing with Westbrook that he would want to be in a different system where the ball moves and his strengths could be utilized. As far as good teams go that means Warriors or Spurs.

Now... Pgisback there is no way you wouldn't be saying the same thing if he joined the Spurs because that would've been another record setting team. They won 60+ with 1 all star as it is.

But to suggest that Lebron likes to compete when he's plays 1 competitive series per year and takes multiple nights off because he knows it means nothing where they finish while all the best teams are in the other conference battling is laughable at best. Lebron didn't leave a losing team in Cleveland as others have said. They won 60+ multiple times. He was the best player. He just can't close.

And your argument about joining a bad Heat team is pure nonsense because he didn't join a team with Bosh on it. They went together obviously. And paraded and yapped about winning 7 titles of which they got 2. Regardless of how it turned out, they THOUGHT they were forming a super team.

So to sum up yes Durant's move was weak
Also yes Lebron is weak mentally and likes it easy as possible.... You cannot deny he plays 1 competitive series per year

Lebron is on a team with

Kyrie Irving
Kevin Love
JR Smith
Tristan Thompson

as his starting lineup. They are terrible without him. They would trade Kevin Love for a bag of peanuts at this point.

There is nothing mentally soft about taking that team to the Finals and competing. And I wouldn't mind Durant going to the Spurs. They lost Duncan, parker is getting old, ginobli old, they're going to need to upgrade sooner or later. Unlike the Warriors, who now have 4 prime all stars starting.

There's just no defense for what Durant did. No one else has done anything like it.

[6celtics33]

Originally Posted by pgisback

Lebron is on a team with

Kyrie Irving
Kevin Love
JR Smith
Tristan Thompson

as his starting lineup. They are terrible without him. They would trade Kevin Love for a bag of peanuts at this point.

There is nothing mentally soft about taking that team to the Finals and competing. And I wouldn't mind Durant going to the Spurs. They lost Duncan, parker is getting old, ginobli old, they're going to need to upgrade sooner or later. Unlike the Warriors, who now have 4 prime all stars starting.

There's just no defense for what Durant did. No one else has done anything like it.

I know at least once I saw Love go 32 and 13 in the playoffs and I know at least twice I saw Kyrie score over 40 in the playoffs. You don't think that's amazing for a 2nd and 3rd option?

[6celtics33]

Im not going down this road with you again....

Blake Griffin>Karl Malone @age 24
Lebron>Jordan+Ruth+Gretzky+Brady combined

Soft soft

I'm out

[Orangejello727]

Originally Posted by pgisback

You're stretching as far as you can stretch with this argument, lol. Collusion. Love it.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/4...te-suspensions

[WaiverWire]

The Warrior haters are crying so hard about this news! How dare players make their own choices in FREE agency? How dare they decide their own future!

Cry cry cry - games are no fun. Cry cry cry - it's not fair! NBA should be little league where everyone gets a trophy. We'd rather watch a league with 30 teams all with .500 records. Cry cry cry. Someone get PigIsBack some tissues.

[I only pull for]

Good for the Warriors.. I mean when you draft as well as they do and can reward yourselves with a free agent like Kevin Durant because you built a team organically through the draft, what can really be said?
Great job by that front office and owner.

pgisback---- maybe if Lebum would draft better he could compete.

[pgisback]

Originally Posted by I only pull for

Good for the Warriors.. I mean when you draft as well as they do and can reward yourselves with a free agent like Kevin Durant because you built a team organically through the draft, what can really be said?
Great job by that front office and owner.

pgisback---- maybe if Lebum would draft better he could compete.

Lebrons done great. It took a 73 win team combined with the 2nd best player in the NBA to beat him. Nothing he can do about that.

[exitmusicblue]

This says it all for me. Can and will copy/paste all day long, no need for new replies to this hypocrite of a broken record last RGIII fan on earth.

Originally Posted by pgisback

Only acceptable time to take a pay cut is when you're an old veteran. He's soft. There's no way around it. He couldn't beat Lebron, couldn't beat the Warriors, so he just joins them. Softer than puddin.

Dogmatic dummy and sore losah, as always.

"The Big Four? LeBron James says he’d take a pay cut to make it happen" - https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...ake-it-happen/

Also, as if this trail too hadn't already been blazed by our 3-for-8 deposed king...

"LeBron James' "Pay Cut" and How to Destroy a Legacy" -
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/4...stroy-a-legacy

[cardsdownunder]

Originally Posted by duwal

Oh the irony of pgisback calling a player soft while having a picture of Mr. Glass in his avatar. Haha

hahaha true

[Rip67vdub]

Originally Posted by exitmusicblue

This says it all for me. Can and will copy/paste all day long, no need for new replies to this hypocrite of a broken record last RGIII fan on earth.



Dogmatic dummy and sore losah, as always.

"The Big Four? LeBron James says he’d take a pay cut to make it happen" - https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...ake-it-happen/

Also, as if this trail too hadn't already been blazed by our 3-for-8 deposed king...

"LeBron James' "Pay Cut" and How to Destroy a Legacy" -
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/4...stroy-a-legacy

Nice detective work EMB!

[exitmusicblue]

I've returned to pgisback having cemented his status as the most universally scorned, laughed-at member of these bball boards. Always knew he had potential.

[pgisback]

I thought you guys hated Lebron... why do you keep trying to compare your beloved Durant to a player you hate? Shouldn't you hate both if you think they did the same thing? Lol. Hypocrite much

[exitmusicblue]

Much better look admitting when you're wrong, hippo.

"Only acceptable time to take a pay cut is when you're an old veteran" Hahahahahahahahaahah....

[codered]

Originally Posted by pgisback

Nah, Lebron joined a team to take on the Celtics, he didn't join the Celtics. Not even close to a similar comparison. What KD did was unheard of for an athlete of his caliber. Will go down as the softest and weakest move in the history of sports. I can't think of a single elite athlete in his prime that joined the best team in the league that he couldn't beat.

You're hopeless.

For the record I read somewhere yesterday that love averages like 36pts per 32 mins when Lebron isn't on the floor. Love is a superstar who sacrifices for the team much like bosh did. Please don't disrespect players to further strengthen your argument

[drobfan8]

Originally Posted by pgisback

Lebrons done great. It took a 73 win team combined with the 2nd best player in the NBA to beat him. Nothing he can do about that.

He didn't get "beat" he copped an absolute ass whooping.

[pgisback]

Originally Posted by codered

You're hopeless.

For the record I read somewhere yesterday that love averages like 36pts per 32 mins when Lebron isn't on the floor. Love is a superstar who sacrifices for the team much like bosh did. Please don't disrespect players to further strengthen your argument

Their team is like 4-20 when Lebron doesn't get beat. You guys are just haters who refuse to accept reality.

[pgisback]

Originally Posted by drobfan8

He didn't get "beat" he copped an absolute ass whooping.

Yea, it was competitive when the Warriors didn't have the best player on their team. With their new best player there was nothing Lebron could do about that.