Oso planning to go pro
Moses was traded after he signed a restricted free agent offer sheet. The Rockets matched, but then traded him.Drexler made his desire to be traded to a contender quite clear. My point is that stars have done what they needed to do to get themselves on contending teams to get their rings. Durant was a free agent, so his path was easier. But Moses and Clyde leveraged themselves how they could.
But the situations aren't comparable. The Rockets, in Malone's case, and the Blazers in Drexler's willingly parted with those players and received notable assets in return because they believed it was in their franchises' best interests.In the case of Durant (or LeBron to South Beach), their teams desperately wanted them back and got nothing when they left. Lumping trades which (in theory) are intended to benefit both teams in with free-agent decisions which benefit only one side is just not accurate.I'm not saying Durant, James, etc., shouldn't pursue their careers as they see fit, but how they left teams for better title chances elsewhere simply is not analogous to the examples you gave.
??? I never meant to compare what the other teams got in return. I was simply commenting on Merritt's statement: "It's not that he didn't "deserve" it and it's not like he didn't earn it. He's now the best player on the best team and the Finals MVP, but it still feels like he took a shortcut."My point is that players have taken such "shortcuts" throughout the history of the NBA. Instead of sticking around where they are, they have left to make their path to a ring easier.
I am one of the coaches with a good team this year. Between coaching these kids over the last few years in little league, travel ball through the league, and fall ball, my Co-coach and I had a situation this year where we had more parents requesting their kids be put on our team than we had room for. We deliberately took 3 of the smallest, least talented players at the tryouts out of a sense of .... guilt?...... decency? It will all change over the next year as our players move up into the next level. Next year, our kids will take their lumps all over again. But it will be a fun new challenge.
I never said that Durant was the first player to do this and I also said that I don't blame him for leaving OKC (i.e. Westbrook). The difference between Durant and your other examples is that OKC was a legit title contender who was 1 win away from the NBA Finals when Durant left to join the team that knocked them out. If Durant left for Boston or DC or somewhere else and won a title, it would have had a different feel to it. Drexler was traded to Houston midseason because Portland wasn't very good. Malone was on an average Rockets team when he signed his offer with Philly. Durant left one contender for another.
Let's be honest, that's also a d!ck move. "We're so good that we'll take the worst kids to give some other teams a chance to be good for a change."
FWIW, the Houston team to which Drexler was traded to finished the season as a 6 seed then got hot and won the title. Golden State was a 7-4 title favorite before adding Durant.
I've worked harder with them than the other kids. We have turned one into an 8 year-old pitcher who can compete with 10 year olds. One has turned into a complete hustling dirtbag who can be plugged in anywhere on defense. The third..... well, he gets lots of walks.
The Rockets were the defending NBA champions.
Nice job! Get the kids, coach 'em up, create a fun environment, send 'em to the next level. That's coaching youth sports.
And a 6th place team.
Fine. You're right. Durant is the first guy to chase a ring this way. A unique case. Unprecedented. In fact I doubt it ever happens again it's so out of this world strange.
I love that goose bump moment where a kid you have been working with takes a new skill out onto the field/court and executes it exactly like you have been working on. The first fly ball catch, the first crossover dribble, the first time the catcher throws out the runner at second with perfect footwork, the first perfectly executed back door lay up, the first double play. ....laughing all the way.....
If this GM search isn't the most Bucks thing I've ever seen...
You'd think after the messy Kidd hire they'd do better. Although if it ends up with a good GM, I don't think it matters much.
Sounds like everyone, including Cavs, trying to get their hands on Jimmy. Can we throw gar and pax into the deal?