Durant to Golden State

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/16759826/kevin-durant-announces-sign-golden-state-warriors

Nice

I think Durant realizes that he will never get a ring unless he joins a team that is already the greatest regular season all time. Two best catch and shoot players in the league, a beastly small forward triple double machine, a top three coach, a bench that routinely outscores the opposition by 15 plus, and now Kevin Durant.

Will that be enough to deny LeBron? Maybe they should add Lamarcus Aldridge, Chris Paul, Damian Lillard, and Kawhai Leonard. You can never have too much depth when you're facing the greatest player of all time.

Chicago took denzel valentine in the draft. I guess I'll begrudgingly be pulling for the bulls.

Decided to listen to sports radio today just to hear the reaction, and I am instantly reminded of why I quit listing to sports radio.  It's even more idiotic now than before.  What I expected to hear was criticism of Durant joining the best team in the NBA, but instead I'm hearing pure LeBron hate.  

"What LeBron did was much worse!"   "Hell, LeBron returning to Cleveland was even worse than this!"   "Nowadays, the only way to win is to form a super team, so we can't fault Durant."

Yes, LeBron returning to a 33 win team and carrying them to the Finals and then a title against the best team in NBA history is much worse than Durant joining the best team in NBA history after losing to them in the playoffs.  Much worse.  And, Yes, LeBron carrying the 43 win Heat to four Finals and two rings is much much worse than Durant joining the 73-9 Warriors.

"Jordan should have joined Detroit after losing to them!"

"Barkley should have joined the Bulls after losing to them!"

Chicago took denzel valentine in the draft. I guess I'll begrudgingly be pulling for the bulls.


Great kid, but utter incompetence in management. Watch what Thibs will do with Timberwolves. They have a lot of good players, but it is the combination, and creation of team which I think upper management has shown to be utterly incompetent.

In regard to James, he has redeemed himself for now. Anybody who does not think he is finally back on the path to goat is just hating on him, but when I listened to Barkley say what I have been saying for the last five years onHBO the Wed night sports special with some guy named Simmons who is a big James fan, but Barkley said it clearly.....he is about to break into the top ten. I am not sure the Durant deal works, unless you can get a stopper at the five.....they are talking to Gasol, but he is soft, and if they get too many shooters and not a defensive 5 who does not have to score.....Noah three years ago would have made the team work, but I really am becoming a Knicks fan next year because I like what they have done.

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/dwyane-wade-dwayne-wade-dwade-bulls-heat-miami-contract-salary-offers-chicago-butler-trade-070716

If LeBron wins one against this Golden State super team, will that be enough to silence the haters?

Yes.......the next win puts James in a very special place, which few have accomplished. Actually, this win has put him in a special place. This was a better Golden State team which he beat. It was historic being three down. However, to beat them next year with the addition of Durant, would arguably put him one more ring from being the goat. I honestly thought he was done. He appears to still have life.

In regard to NY improving, the Bulls just grabbed Wade. I will get excited if they can keep Gasol. Gasol and Lopez rotating. Butler, Wade, and a host of young talented players makes the Bulls actually on paper a contender. However, I see no way to keep Gasol other than he wants to win and he worked well with Butler, but with the stupid money being thrown around they may be able to pull this off. I just have zero confidence in the management team now, and it will take a long time to gain the same confidence I had with thibs. We will see, but it looks like the Heat are dead, Boston might give the Cavs a run, Toronto just does not have the bench, the knicks and Bulls are an unknown commodity, and Detroit and Bucks may be a sleeper, but Vegas will have the Cavs as odd on favorite to come out of the East.

Yep... but this years title put him right in the mix of goat starting lineup imo. It still doesn't make him good to play with. Even if you put him in the goat starting lineup... I don't think that team would be better... it would likely be worse.

I guess the Spurs are going to get Gasol. That actually is a win/win. The Bulls with Rondo are a team chemistry nightmare......especially bad for your kid from Michigan State who had a chance to get significant rookie minutes. Now with Wade and Rondo maybe Fred can rest them during the regular season and get some nice team chemistry with some great young potential, but if Paxon and Gar Foreman stick their nose in it......the Bulls are doomed. Gibson getting more play time is a plus....total team player, but I have not watched Lopez as a stopper.......I think you would have to be a magician to put this act together. I think the Spurs may be a sleeper with the addition of Gasol.

I'm just beginning to get into the bulls. I'm not seeing a path to a championship team... wade is a terrible pick up. They'd be much better off going young and building for the future.

I really think it is an ego thing between Thibs and Foreman/paxon. Thibs and his assistant Adams wanted Green......they became obnoxious and said some things when the Bulls said hell no......they then fired Adams and the split with Thibs was sealed. I think they are trading short term playoff participation for real team building which would give them a black eye as thibs will just kick butt with the Timberwolves. He asked for a player draft provision on his management contract with the Timberwolves so another fiasco like Green will not happen again. I will be watching the Knicks, Timberwolves, and Bulls with split loyalty, but in the end.....I bleed Bull blood.

Valentine can transform a team... just like draymond. If they shelve him I hope they trade him quickly.

If they do play him I'll gladly visit chi to see them play... hit the poker tables... spend a long weekend.

Sounds fun.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict that the Cavs win again next year.   I'm looking at the Warriors cap table and they're losing some key players on their bench.  If not for that bench, the Cavs would have swept the Finals in four since the Warriors starters were outscored every game.  The Warriors are gutting their bench in order to beef up their starting core.  They managed to keep Livingston, which was a good move; and they acquired the ring chasing David West at a league minimum, but that bench isn't going to carry them to a Final.  That bench isn't going to put up 30+ while outscoring the opponents by 15-20 every night.  And as good as those starters are, they're small and only Draymond and Klay can play defense.  There was a time when Iguodala could play defense, though that ship has sailed.  We saw his back go out in the most recent final and nagging back injuries at 32 mean you're done in the NBA.  

This Warriors team is going to look like the Saints of their super bowl year.  They're not going to play defense and only hope to win in shootouts.  Probably good enough to make it to another final but not good enough to beat the best player of all time.  

Unless the Cavs suffer injuries as they did in the 14-15 season, LeBron is going to win another one and put even more distance between himself and Jordan. Jordan is slowly dipping out of sight behind the horizon in LeBron's rearview.