OT Will Durant Leave OKC in free agency?

[Strenuus]

BNM somehow turns me into a Westbrook supporter.

I rate the guy as around the 15th best player in the NBA so far below the national consensus. I agree with most the criticisms BNM has; just think he overstates their impact and understates Westbrooks positives. Yeah the Thunder lost a lot of his triple double games last year, but they still won more than we're winning this season. The games Westbrook sat out the Thunder were horrific last year.

They need him for the lead in the first 3 quarters... but 10 losses in the 4th, and his atrocious 4th quarter shot %...

He is definitely one of the most gifted athletes physically, but mentally he's one of the weakest. I'm honestly surprised he hasn't learned to defer in crunchtime.

 

[Dom McBlazer]

DAME/CJ/KD/HARKLESS/DMC


Do we need a bench? Make it happen....

I'M ALL FOR THIS! Make it happen Neil!

 

[Nate]

I don't think Durant will leave.

I think ibaka will in 2017 though. And I hope he comes here.

 

[KingSpeed]

He leads the league in triple doubles and averages 10 plus assits how is he a ball hog?

Holds ball til last minute to assure the assist?

 

[riverman]

For the longest time I thought he'd leave but something tells me Durant cashes in in OKC and stays.

 

[Draco]

For the longest time I thought he'd leave but something tells me Durant cashes in in OKC and stays.

If he wants to cash in he'll sign a one year deal and then long term next summer. Its something like $80 million more he'll make that way.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Again, my guess is that he cares more about legacy than $$$.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

him on this celtics team with two future lottery picks would be sick.

 

[Draco]

Plus being in the easy East and they have cap room for two max free agent so he could pair with Al Horford. If KD only cares about winning yeah Boston may be the best situation.

They don't need the offense of Thomas with that starting group though. I'd look to trade for a 3 + D PG such as Pat Beverly. I bet they could flip a few picks from the boatload they have for him.

Horford - Sullinger
Crowder - Olynyk
Durant - Turner - lotto pick(Ingram)
Bradley - Smart
Beverly - Thomas

Great starting 5. Probably would be the best defensive team in the league and elite offense as well. Great depth off the bench. Plus Brad Stevens coaching this group? Thats really scary.

 

[kjironman1]

Personally my feeling is this thread is way off base. It's not if Durant leaves because he can or can't get a ring. It's if Westbrook leaves. Without Westbrook on that team they are way worse off. Just my opinion but Durant just does not seem to be the threat he used to be. A great shooter yes, but by no means is he a MVP candidate any longer. Westbrook is a candidate no matter how much many of you seem to not want to see it. Russell Westbrook is quite possibly the single most dominant player in the game today. Triple Double Machine!
This Year he is averaging 23.8/10.4/7.7
Last Year 28.1/8.6/7.3

Like i said this is always up for debate but in the end this is simply my opinion. The Thunder should be much more worried about losing Westbrook.

 

[Draco]

Personally my feeling is this thread is way off base. It's not if Durant leaves because he can or can't get a ring. It's if Westbrook leaves. Without Westbrook on that team they are way worse off. Just my opinion but Durant just does not seem to be the threat he used to be. A great shooter yes, but by no means is he a MVP candidate any longer. Westbrook is a candidate no matter how much many of you seem to not want to see it. Russell Westbrook is quite possibly the single most dominant player in the game today. Triple Double Machine!
This Year he is averaging 23.8/10.4/7.7
Last Year 28.1/8.6/7.3

Like i said this is always up for debate but in the end this is simply my opinion. The Thunder should be much more worried about losing Westbrook.

I'm sure their concerned about it; but Westbrook won't be a free agent until 2017 while Durant can leave in a couple months.

Not sure how Durant isn't an MVP candidate. He's averaging 28/8/5 on 50/39/90 shooting and a PER of 28.1 second in the league to Steph Curry. You're not the only one to think Westbrook is superior; Tom Haberstroh said so. But Durant has been as awesome as he's ever been.

 

[mook]

I'd like to see Durant and LeBron both ditch their respective franchises and team up somewhere. I don't care where. Those two guys + any NBA roster this side of the Sixers would be a blast to watch. Even the Sixers might be fun.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

I'm sure their concerned about it; but Westbrook won't be a free agent until 2017 while Durant can leave in a couple months.

Not sure how Durant isn't an MVP candidate. He's averaging 28/8/5 on 50/39/90 shooting and a PER of 28.1 second in the league to Steph Curry. You're not the only one to think Westbrook is superior; Tom Haberstroh said so. But Durant has been as awesome as he's ever been.

Fun fact: My brother has moved back to Oregon from OKC after 25 years. He loves Westbrick and his triple doubles and thinks KD is soft, and "gets stripped when he drives" because he's tall."

 

[kjironman1]

I'm sure their concerned about it; but Westbrook won't be a free agent until 2017 while Durant can leave in a couple months.

Not sure how Durant isn't an MVP candidate. He's averaging 28/8/5 on 50/39/90 shooting and a PER of 28.1 second in the league to Steph Curry. You're not the only one to think Westbrook is superior; Tom Haberstroh said so. But Durant has been as awesome as he's ever been.

I just don't get the same feel for his game anymore. Durant just doesn't have the explosiveness he used to have going to the rim. He also just doesn't seem to take as many games over. Of course that could be due to Westbrook being everything everyone else is saying he is. "Ball Hog", Selfish or what not?
Bottom line is they are both very good players. I just think Westbrook gets a pretty bad wrap sometimes because he as human as the next guy.

 

[Eastoff]

BOOM HEADSHOT!

Please tell me someone here gets my epic nerddom.

you were doing a 360 no scope on Dust?

 

[Strenuus]

you were doing a 360 no scope on Dust?

DUST IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN DUST II. I HATE DUST II.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

The Spurs want Durant in Free Agency (just like the Warriors do) and would be willing to jettison Diaw, Green and Mills to get it done.

http://espn.go.com/blog/marc-stein/post/_/id/4473/spurs-want-in-on-durant-hunt-too

I would take Diaw and Patty on our team next year for sure!

 

[Schilly]

Patty would be a great addition for us... Diaw I am not as thrilled about.

 

[BBert]

Say yes to Patty Mills.

 

[Natebishop3]

I hate the Spurs so much.

 

[santeesioux]

I hate the Spurs so much.

These assholes aren't even going to have to go through a decade of rebuilding like the Bulls did after Jordan left.

 

[Sedatedfork]

I'd like to see Durant and LeBron both ditch their respective franchises and team up somewhere. I don't care where. Those two guys + any NBA roster this side of the Sixers would be a blast to watch. Even the Sixers might be fun.

I don't want to see that on the Lakers, but if we beat them, that might be cool.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

Patty would be a great addition for us... Diaw I am not as thrilled about.

Diaw is one of the best players currently in the NBA to combat Draymond Green.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

I love me some patty mills. But do we really need him? Id rather have a patrick beverly type backing up dame. Maybe gp2 in the draft if we can get a 2nd?

 

[Haakzilla]

Yes.

 

[Eastoff]

I feel we should go after Durant right away. If we strike out and some other guys get signed, we have so many young pieces developing it's not a problem.

 

[B-Roy]

This superteam bullshit is really unforgiving. I'm hoping the new CBA discourages stuff like this from happening.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

My guess is that Durant signs a two year contract with a player option for next season. Then, he and Westbrook could be free agents the same year with an even larger salary cap.

I do like the scenarios where we take assets from teams looking to make cap room. Sure bets throwing crazy money at questionable talent. I seriously doubt we get a major FA.

 

[THE HCP]

He ends up with the Lakers....... Westbrook follows him next summer.

 

[Natebishop3]

He ends up with the Lakers....... Westbrook follows him next summer.

Durant isn't going to want to start over with a team building from scratch.

I could see Russ going there. He went to UCLA. I could see him wanting to revive the organization.