Durant to the Golden State Warriors

[everyoneneedsasmil]

How would your lineup do vs.

PG Paul
SG Harden
SF KD
C Cousins
FP A Davis

It would come down to a battle of the boards. My lineup has better shooters, plus overall better defenders. Could Cousins stay disciplined all game, and would he even bother defending Green on the perimeter? That matchup would breakdown your lineup's defense pretty easily. Not to mention, my lineup would pull a bunch of Butler-Green PnRs to pull the slow-footed Cousins and disinterested Harden into every defensive possession.

Again, though, rebounds would be a factor. KD-Davis-Cousins are all elite rebounders for their position. Green and Lebron would have a heck of a time keeping your frontcourt off the boards.

All said and done, talent and two-play would win out. There would be some minutes where the offensive rebounding tilts the game in your lineup's favor. But, by the end, my lineup is too sound defensively, too good from deep, and has too many passers. You can't hide a defender like Harden on anybody, and on the other end Cousins high usage/middling efficiency game would be a double edged sword - wanting to see him pound the ball inside, but concerned it burns low-reward possessions.

 

[zoombabyzoom]

Now LeBron trying to get Wade, they are in talks now.

Also, GSW are looking into bringing Ray Allen out of retirement.

Trash ass league. Just cut 20+ teams from the league and be done with it.

 

[tomdalton22]

Now LeBron trying to get Wade, they are in talks now.

Also, GSW are looking into bringing Ray Allen out of retirement.

Trash ass league. Just cut 20+ teams from the league and be done with it.

they have to have someone to play!

I can see both sides. From the side of a fan of the 25 teams that have no chance to win the title it sucks. From the free agent player side of it, like Lebron, KD, Etc...why not go to a team that gives you a great chance to win?

I don't think a Piston fan would be upset if KD and Lebron came here.

 

[tomdalton22]

I really can't think of a better starting 5 in NBA history.

 

[SpartyNash]

I think the NBA might be the most fair weather sport of all time for fans. At least hockey, football, and baseball there's a chance of numerous teams winning or competing for a title. There is literally zero chance of anybody outside of about 3 teams of winning it all. As a Pistons fan you all have no reason to watch, and as a Suns fan I can say the same. Warriors, Cavs and Spurs are the only teams that have a shot. It sucks for fans and hurts the sport. When your team is a top 5 team it's worth watching, otherwise I tune it out for the most part.

 

[tomdalton22]

I think the NBA might be the most fair weather sport of all time for fans. At least hockey, football, and baseball there's a chance of numerous teams winning or competing for a title. There is literally zero chance of anybody outside of about 3 teams of winning it all. As a Pistons fan you all have no reason to watch, and as a Suns fan I can say the same. Warriors, Cavs and Spurs are the only teams that have a shot. It sucks for fans and hurts the sport. When your team is a top 5 team it's worth watching, otherwise I tune it out for the most part.

If you have 2 or 3 great players on a basketball team you have a chance to win every game. Other sports depend on more players so 1- 3 can't make that big of a difference.

 

[SpartyNash]

If you have 2 or 3 great players on a basketball team you have a chance to win every game. Other sports depend on more players so 1- 3 can't make that big of a difference.

Exactly, that's why I think basketball is more susceptible to top heavy teams than other pro sports.

 

[SoCalLions]

I don't blame the players for teaming up and the ratings don't really suffer when super teams are created. If anything, they generate more interest in the league for whatever reason. The league has always been 3-5 teams with a realistic shot of winning the title since it's been around. Before free agency actively used, it was dumb and cash strapped ownership groups making ridiculous deals which allowed teams like the Celtics and Lakers to build super teams through the draft with multiple top 5 picks over a short time span. I do think the league should implement a franchise tag rule if they're committed to leveling the playing field. To make it even more lopsided financially for the player so there are less complaints with a franchise tag rule, the franchised player should earn 35% of the cap immediately instead of having to wait for 10 years of service in the league when they're likely passing their prime and aren't worth that money in the last years of the contract. Heck, even 40% of the cap. To also stop the players who are willing to leave a ton of money on the table to team up, implement a rule that says if you have won the MVP in the past 5 seasons, you cannot join another team in free agency that has an MVP in the past 5 seasons. Same rule applies if you made two All-NBA teams in the past 5 seasons.

 

[tomdalton22]

I don't blame the players for teaming up and the ratings don't really suffer when super teams are created. If anything, they generate more interest in the league for whatever reason. The league has always been 3-5 teams with a realistic shot of winning the title since it's been around. Before free agency actively used, it was dumb and cash strapped ownership groups making ridiculous deals which allowed teams like the Celtics and Lakers to build super teams through the draft with multiple top 5 picks over a short time span. I do think the league should implement a franchise tag rule if they're committed to leveling the playing field. To make it even more lopsided financially for the player so there are less complaints with a franchise tag rule, the franchised player should earn 35% of the cap immediately instead of having to wait for 10 years of service in the league when they're likely passing their prime and aren't worth that money in the last years of the contract. Heck, even 40% of the cap. To also stop the players who are willing to leave a ton of money on the table to team up, implement a rule that says if you have won the MVP in the past 5 seasons, you cannot join another team in free agency that has an MVP in the past 5 seasons. Same rule applies if you made two All-NBA teams in the past 5 seasons.

I agree with almost everything you said here except for limiting where a player can go. They are a free agent...if they want to leave they should be able to go wherever they want. The thing to do is make it easier for teams to keep them and maybe make some sort of penalty for teams that sign free agents.

Some ideas

Bigger financial advantage for keeping your own free agents when your team drafted them.

Reduced "Bird exemption" if you extend / re-sign a player that you didn't draft.

Loss of draft pick if you sign "franchise" type players...kind of like the NFL does. In a case like Durant, OKC would get 2 future first round picks from the Warriors (not consecutive years)

 

[durtymrclean]

I don't blame the players for teaming up and the ratings don't really suffer when super teams are created. If anything, they generate more interest in the league for whatever reason. The league has always been 3-5 teams with a realistic shot of winning the title since it's been around. Before free agency actively used, it was dumb and cash strapped ownership groups making ridiculous deals which allowed teams like the Celtics and Lakers to build super teams through the draft with multiple top 5 picks over a short time span. I do think the league should implement a franchise tag rule if they're committed to leveling the playing field. To make it even more lopsided financially for the player so there are less complaints with a franchise tag rule, the franchised player should earn 35% of the cap immediately instead of having to wait for 10 years of service in the league when they're likely passing their prime and aren't worth that money in the last years of the contract. Heck, even 40% of the cap. To also stop the players who are willing to leave a ton of money on the table to team up, implement a rule that says if you have won the MVP in the past 5 seasons, you cannot join another team in free agency that has an MVP in the past 5 seasons. Same rule applies if you made two All-NBA teams in the past 5 seasons.

We shouldnt punish players for being the best player in the league by limiting their open market, thus lowering their bargaining power.

 

[Mitchrapp]

IMO, it's a bush move. This isn't just about free agency and getting your money, he chickened out. Gone the easy way.. But the NBA is the halves and halvenots. One of many reason's why the NBA blows.

 

[SoCalLions]

We shouldnt punish players for being the best player in the league by limiting their open market, thus lowering their bargaining power.

Superstars earn max money regardless. If you've won an MVP or made two All-NBA teams in the past 5 seasons, there's about a 95% chance you have 6+ offers of max money going into free agency. As far as marketing deals go, in a globalized economy the market you're in matters very little today. LeBron is in the 18th largest media market and he recently signed a lifetime deal with Nike for $1+ billion and he has a top 3 basketball shoe in sales.

 

[tomdalton22]

Superstars earn max money regardless. If you've won an MVP or made two All-NBA teams in the past 5 seasons, there's about a 95% chance you have 6+ offers of max money going into free agency. As far as marketing deals go, in a globalized economy the market you're in matters very little today. LeBron is in the 18th largest media market and he recently signed a lifetime deal with Nike for $1+ billion and he has a top 3 basketball shoe in sales.

the rules should be in place that make it harder for the team to get the player and more incentive to stay with the team that drafted you. If the team and player still want to make a deal then that free agent should be able to sign anywhere he wants...regardless of how many "all stars" are on that team.

 

[@Stakesarehigh]

I think the NBA might be the most fair weather sport of all time for fans. At least hockey, football, and baseball there's a chance of numerous teams winning or competing for a title. There is literally zero chance of anybody outside of about 3 teams of winning it all. As a Pistons fan you all have no reason to watch, and as a Suns fan I can say the same. Warriors, Cavs and Spurs are the only teams that have a shot. It sucks for fans and hurts the sport. When your team is a top 5 team it's worth watching, otherwise I tune it out for the most part.

See I look at it differently in that I'm much more inclined to watch an NBA game involving other teams than I would a MLB or NHL game because of the star power involved..

 

[Mitchrapp]

See I look at it differently in that I'm much more inclined to watch an NBA game involving other teams than I would a MLB or NHL game because of the star power involved..

But only a handful of teams then. And it's a usually a star studded team vs a team like Philly.

Old but it still says a lot, "in 2014, 35 percent of fans call the NFL their favorite sport, followed by Major League Baseball (14 percent), college football (11 percent), auto racing (7 percent), the NBA (6 percent), the NHL (5 percent) and college basketball (3 percent)."

If the NBA want more people to watch this should stop. Even with these teams - during the playoffs that were many more routes vs close games. When auto racing is a more favorite, we have problems.

From a big time fan until 10 years old I hate the NBA as it is now.

 

[tomdalton22]

But only a handful of teams then. And it's a usually a star studded team vs a team like Philly.

Old but it still says a lot, "in 2014, 35 percent of fans call the NFL their favorite sport, followed by Major League Baseball (14 percent), college football (11 percent), auto racing (7 percent), the NBA (6 percent), the NHL (5 percent) and college basketball (3 percent)."

If the NBA want more people to watch this should stop. Even with these teams - during the playoffs that were many more routes vs close games. When auto racing is a more favorite, we have problems.

From a big time fan until 10 years old I hate the NBA as it is now.

I'm with you but I am starting to become the guy that yells "get off my grass"

NBA attendance and playoff TV ratings were at an all time high. While people may not feel it is their favorite sport it seems to be gaining fans.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I'm with you but I am starting to become the guy that yells "get off my grass"

NBA attendance and playoff TV ratings were at an all time high. While people may not feel it is their favorite sport it seems to be gaining fans.

What's the old saying? Can only go up.. The playoffs, just by looking at the scores, was a joke. With this 3 star's to a team thing .. it becomes stud team or dud team. I expect some star to eventually reach out to AD.

As far as all time high.. they still lag behind Nascar. The thing is they know this yet they're content with the current system.

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

What's the old saying? Can only go up.. The playoffs, just by looking at the scores, was a joke. With this 3 star's to a team thing .. it becomes stud team or dud team. I expect some star to eventually reach out to AD.

As far as all time high.. they still lag behind Nascar. The thing is they know this yet they're content with the current system.

The fact that Nascar is even considered a sport in that poll concerns me. But it's also moot. The NBA doesn't have to be anyone's "favorite" sport to get huge ratings and attendance. And superteams increase both.

I didn't watch a single Philly or Laker game outside of the games they played the Pistons. But, I watched at least a dozen Golden State games just because they were on. Basketball is a lot more fun when the players are really good at basketball. And that's what the NBA is banking (correctly, per the ratings) on. Sports are almost always about region and bandwagon. Fans watch games of their own team, and then watch the best action otherwise.

Let's be honest, this formula certainly didn't hurt in the 90's, when it was basically one great team and a bunch of also-rans. The Bulls were basically the Warriors back then, two top 5 players in the league, plus the kind of supporting cast that every other team would kill for. The only difference is that at least now there are 2-3 other teams good enough to beat GS. The Bulls would have swept 8 straight championships had Jordan not "retired" (or gotten caught for betting on games, depending on what you believe). You want to talk about a watered down league with 25+ teams that didn't even need to show up, you should be talking about the 90's.

 

[Mitchrapp]

The fact that Nascar is even considered a sport in that poll concerns me. But it's also moot. The NBA doesn't have to be anyone's "favorite" sport to get huge ratings and attendance. And superteams increase both.

I didn't watch a single Philly or Laker game outside of the games they played the Pistons. But, I watched at least a dozen Golden State games just because they were on. Basketball is a lot more fun when the players are really good at basketball. And that's what the NBA is banking (correctly, per the ratings) on. Sports are almost always about region and bandwagon. Fans watch games of their own team, and then watch the best action otherwise.

Let's be honest, this formula certainly didn't hurt in the 90's, when it was basically one great team and a bunch of also-rans. The Bulls were basically the Warriors back then, two top 5 players in the league, plus the kind of supporting cast that every other team would kill for. The only difference is that at least now there are 2-3 other teams good enough to beat GS. The Bulls would have swept 8 straight championships had Jordan not "retired" (or gotten caught for betting on games, depending on what you believe). You want to talk about a watered down league with 25+ teams that didn't even need to show up, you should be talking about the 90's.

Sorry to disagree but games are fun when teams are competing. GS vs the Spurs might be worth watching but most games aren't. Just because the Bulls won those Titles doesn't mean it was a water down league.. Complete opposite. If you remember that time you'd know..

And no, the NBA and their fan base are the same as always. It's not better.

 

[tomdalton22]

LOL....Durant and the Warriors got blown out in their first game