General NBA Discussion

[Bendit]

That franchise effectively had 3 of now the top 5 players in the entire NBA and managed a single Finals appearance out of it, and a 4-1 series loss at that. Absolutely criminal, OKC fans should be burning effigies of everyone in that front office.

Even if they couldn't keep the band together or max everyone's potential together, what they've ended up with after losing both Harden and Durant makes the Vince Carter trade look like a steal of a deal. Harden AND Durant. Shit, you should be able to get an entire starting lineup of All-Stars out of that.

I wouldn't put the Harden & Durant departures on quite the same level (re front office mis management). Harden leaving (actually trading) for what is now a laughable $ difference is truly unforgivable. I think OKC threw away a legitimate opportunity to win the whole thing. KD at the time was the undisputed head of the troika (with Harden & Westbrook) and Ibaka was just blooming. What a team!

The fall out from that deal imo is that Westbrook started to assert even more his equivalence to KD and the beginning of a fraying of their relationship at least in the bb sense (who should have the ball more kind of thing). Durant's departure seemed to mirror the Bosh one out of Toronto. Management were frozen in place unable to gauge KD's intentions and fearful of fan reaction if they traded him ...as well as getting true value especially after the Harden debacle. So, I sort of sympathize with Presti who probably had ownership breathing all over. The CBA changes too well may have played a part (spreading the wealth, cap restrictions).

Westbrook is an amazing player but I wonder if he is malleable enough to work/play (especially as the PG) on a championship winning team. He may have been the real reason KD decided to leave. Funny how things work out.

[rocwell]

Probably safe to say this beef isn't being settled anytime soon. pic.twitter.com/vK9tcqtir4

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 12, 2017

[The Great One]

After what i saw last night, Russell Westbrook should be the one crying about not having any help...not LeBron James.

I mean, seriously, LeBron has Irving and Love and Korver, Thompson, Smith. Who's OKC's second best player? Adams?

Thunder don't have any scorer on their team other than Russ and they literally don't have any 3pt shooters on their team.

The fact, that they are still.this competitive in a very tough conference shows you how good of a player Russell Westbrook is. Without him they'd probably be battling the Nets or the Celtics for that #1 draft pick.

[KeonClark]

Probably safe to say this beef isn't being settled anytime soon. pic.twitter.com/vK9tcqtir4

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 12, 2017

One thing we can say definitively. Westbrook would kick the shit out of Durant in a real life fight. lol

[Jangles]

Westbrook just can't get over this it seems. Durant looks to be handling things professionally while Westbroook continues being childish.

[Scraptor]

Westbrook just can't get over this it seems. Durant looks to be handling things professionally while Westbroook continues being childish.

You sure about that? Durant has been super awkward in avoiding Westbrook this weekend.



Meanwhile Westbrook answered every question about Durant as though it was a question about Fashion Week.

[Hotshot]

Westbrook just can't get over this it seems. Durant looks to be handling things professionally while Westbroook continues being childish.

Honestly I am tired of the media using that to sell stories like they are the TMZ. They did the same with Kobe and Shaq and others. They were team-mates and now aren't cause they are playing on a different team, if they don't like each other now so what!!? who cares!! the media needs to stop with trying to sell a story and "bait" them about saying they don't like each other.

[Apollo]

If this scene had background music it would be this:

LOL

[S.R.]

Wow, Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss out in LA.

[S.R.]

Wow, Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss out in LA.

Magic president of basketball operations. Guess he's not just there for the window dressing.

[Hotshot]

They hired Kobe's agent to be a GM of the Lakers.

[KeonClark]

Honestly I am tired of the media using that to sell stories like they are the TMZ. They did the same with Kobe and Shaq and others. They were team-mates and now aren't cause they are playing on a different team, if they don't like each other now so what!!? who cares!! the media needs to stop with trying to sell a story and "bait" them about saying they don't like each other.

As soon as people stop wanting to read about it the mess will stop talking about it. Just like everything else.

[rocwell]

They hired Kobe's agent to be a GM of the Lakers.

That's a great fucking move.

[S.R.]

Holy shit some crazy post-deadline games.

T-Ross 4/17 in his first game with the Magic, starting at SF.

Lou Williams 27 points in 25 minutes off the bench for the Rockets, who launch 51 three pointers and demolish the Pelicans even though...

Cousins and Davis put up 27 and 29 points apiece but get slaughtered anyway because nobody else on the team can score/they can't stop the Rockets' barrage of baskets.

Fun stuff!

[The Great One]

Pistons retiring Rip Hamilton's number?