NBA '17

[tower912]

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.

[Pakuni]

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.

[GGGG]

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.

[MerrittsMustache]

???  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 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.

[MerrittsMustache]

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.

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." 

[Pakuni]

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.

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.

[tower912]

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." 

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.   

[GGGG]

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.

The Rockets were the defending NBA champions. 

[MU82]

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.

Nice job! Get the kids, coach 'em up, create a fun environment, send 'em to the next level. That's coaching youth sports.

[Pakuni]

The Rockets were the defending NBA champions.

And a 6th place team.

[MerrittsMustache]

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.

[tower912]

Nice job! Get the kids, coach 'em up, create a fun environment, send 'em to the next level. That's coaching youth sports.

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.....

[GGGG]

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.

[Pakuni]

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.

Now now, aren't we a little piqued?
Your efforts to draw parallels between Malone, Drexler and Durant were doomed from the start. All three situations were markedly different.

[MU82]

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.....

Yep, it's a true joy to see that light bulb come on!

[wadesworld]

If this GM search isn't the most Bucks thing I've ever seen...

[cheebs09]

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.

[cheebs09]

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.

I got up to speed. What a mess.

[wadesworld]

Let's hire someone to lead our search for us and then hire someone who wasn't even on the very initial list of potential candidates that you might even want to consider contacting about the job...

[GGGG]

I know nothing about this guy.  I know nothing about the other guys.  Time will tell if its a good hire or not.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Will the Celtics trade that #3 (from Philly) for JFB?

[MUBurrow]

I would be surprised if they did - I think if the Celts deal for a star was going to go down this year, they just would've flipped the #1 overall as the centerpiece to the deal. I think they're going to follow the Morey model of just continuing to try to accumulate assets, and where you can't get additional assets, trade current picks for future picks to kick the can until the right deal comes along. More likely that additional Lakers/Kings pick is a piece of the package that turns into that cornerstone veteran-type player.

[jesmu84]

Sounds like everyone, including Cavs, trying to get their hands on Jimmy.

Can we throw gar and pax into the deal?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Sounds like everyone, including Cavs, trying to get their hands on Jimmy.

Can we throw gar and pax into the deal?

I'd trade them for a bag of those synthetic basketballs the NBA used for half a season that the players hated.

[jesmu84]

GarPax strikes again!

https://twitter.com/AndyGlockner/status/878041165949304832

https://twitter.com/AmicoHoops/status/878048620053790720