2018-2019 NBA Thread

DickTrickle

Definitely NOT Furor Planedefiler
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14,879
Btw, Durant still has a player option on his contract. Everyone assumed he would exercise it to get to free agency, but considering he's probably going to be gone the entire year, there's at least a non-zero chance he takes it now.
 

Brahma

Obi-Bro Kenobi-X
12,064
42,998
Btw, Durant still has a player option on his contract. Everyone assumed he would exercise it to get to free agency, but considering he's probably going to be gone the entire year, there's at least a non-zero chance he takes it now.

Didn't know that. Funny thing is, that if he opts out anyway. STILL would be the number one free agent.
 

Origin

Molten Core Raider
874
773
Guaranteed he still gets max offers despite his injury. The year after this, free agency is pretty shit.
 

Brahma

Obi-Bro Kenobi-X
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42,998
Btw, Durant still has a player option on his contract. Everyone assumed he would exercise it to get to free agency, but considering he's probably going to be gone the entire year, there's at least a non-zero chance he takes it now.

Actually he opts out, he goes to 38m, Wow.
 

Ambiturner

Ssraeszha Raider
16,040
19,501
You pointed out the only exception.

rosedraft.jpg
 
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Jozu

Bronze Baronet of the Realm
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6,268
Durant will never be the same.

Not because he tore his achilles, but because by the time he will be ready to play again, he will be 32,or very close to it. He wont be the 28-29 year old version of himself that was a Finals MVP and an ascending player. LeBron James is 34, and was till effective as fuck last season, even having suffered an injury himself. Durant on the other hand is built differently, and his body isnt as adept as absorbing physical punishment and nightly wear and tear.

So even if he never had the achilles injury, he still suffered that calf injury, which caused him to miss a month in the playoffs. So he was showing some slight signs of age, and he could of had nagging lower leg injuries going forward even if he never tore his achilles. Its father time that is working against Kevin, just as much as the achilles. He isnt 25 or 26 anymore, where he had the luxury of time and youth. He is only 30, but 33 comes quick, and he is going to be rusty. No one knows how effective he will be on he comeback.

Lets say he plays it conservatively and sits out all of next season. Comes back in 2021. He will be 32 and coming off a long layoff. Just the down time of rehab is robbing him of a prime calendar year during the apex of his career. Its just terrible timing for him.
 
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Jovec

?
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291
Durant will never be the same.

Not because he tore his achilles, but because by the time he will be ready to play again, he will be 32,or very close to it. He wont be the 28-29 year old version of himself that was a Finals MVP and an ascending player. LeBron James is 34, and was till effective as fuck last season, even having suffered an injury himself. Durant on the other hand is built differently, and his body isnt as adept as absorbing physical punishment and nightly wear and tear.

Achilles aside, it is less about age and more about minutes. LeBron's issue isn't so much his age, but his minutes played. KD is currently #129 with 31,305 minutes. He will miss a year sure, but that is about 2,500 less game minutes on his body. LBJ is #17 with 45,235 minutes. If LeBron can play 69 games next year @ 35 min per, he would pass Kobe and be #8 for all time minutes played and only at age 35. LBJ also has a different playstyle than KD, who doesn't play as physical.

Even the minutes arguement is simplistic, because sometimes it about the specifics of the minutes rather than the volume. Minutes played in the finals, after 82 regular season games and 3 rounds of the playoffs, have to take a larger toll than those same minutes in some meaningless midseason game.
 

Drakurii

Golden Baron of the Realm
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toronto has no offense outside of 3 pointers. that's a bad sign
 
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Jozu

Bronze Baronet of the Realm
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6,268
Klay Thompson might be a better shooter than even Curry at this point. He has been clutch, and is now 3rd all time in playoff 3pm made, only Ray Allen and Curry ahead.

I think Curry is a better pure scorer and a better player overall but not by much. Klays defense is WAY better though, the guy can body up most positions on the floor where Curry is a liability in some situations. Klay is also a microwave scorer, when he gets hot, his scoring capacity Iis higher than any player in the history of the game. Holds records for most points in quarter, 3pm made in a playoff game, etc.

It's just incredible that Thompson is even in the discussion given how prolific Steph is, and they play on the same team.

If Klay had his own team and was the focus of the offense I'm not sure if he would be more effective, but if the Warriors end up winning Klay could win MVP if he has a huge game 7.

And I dont even like Klay Thompson.
 
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Sterling

El Presidente
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7,898
Curry's a better shooter, but Klay is a great perimiter defender. He's also the player that gets the hottest of anyone in the league. If you had to pick a player to score 15 points in 3 minutes, he's the dude.
 

Jozu

Bronze Baronet of the Realm
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Klay showing the league they were fucking retarded leaving him off All NBA team.
 
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Alex

Still a Music Elitist
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7,446
Need a classic Toronto choke job here. This injury luck has been rough these Finals.
 

Drakurii

Golden Baron of the Realm
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45,319
not sure what the ratings are without LeBron James playing in the finals but this shit is maximum entertaining