Marc Stein: Clippers have emerged as serious thread for Durant

[Roy H.]

I think the Clips make sense.

The Knicks don’t if he wants winning to be part of his legacy. Good management is what puts these guys in positions to succeed.  It’s the difference between having Brook Lopez next to you, versus Michael Beasley.

[PhoSita]

It'll be funny if all the stars with the chance to move this summer end up heading West.

Butler and KD on the Clips, Irving and Davis on the Lakers with LeBron ...

Let the West be a total bloodbath.

[Fafnir]

Could also be as simple as the other stars he wants to pair with do not want to go to the Knicks.

[bopna]

He will follow Jerry West.

The Logo recruited him to  GS. It probably boils down to NY and the Clips depending on who he will be teaming up with.

The thing is.. Had he chosen Boston 3 yrs ago, he wouldnt be having anymore issues with legacy and perhaps will win a title specially in hindsight with Irving coming as well.. Definitely won't be branded a band wagoner.. He was just too impatient to win a ring... Yes he does have 2 now but those 2 will forever be riding the talent of Curr, Dray and Klay.

[rondofan1255]

Hoping LAC avoids a Baron Davis Elton Brand situation this summer where one is stranded

[Phantom255x]

I've said it for a while, I think the Clippers will be real serious players this summer in FA.

Everyone just assumes KD will go to the Knicks if he leaves, but I'd give the Clippers great odds as well.

If Kawhi leaves Toronto, I think it'll be for the Clippers.

[bdm860]

https://thebiglead.com/2019/05/22/kevin-durant-clippers-knicks-marc-stein/

Maybe he doesn't want to play with Irving?

Why couldn't Irving go to LAC with him?

Just spit balling here, LAC was targeting Kawhi first, but the longer TOR stays alive, the less likely he leaves.  So now the target becomes Durant/Irving instead.

And while Irving is supposedly on better terms with LeBron, it's not far stretched to envision him still taking pleasure of 1-upping LeBron, and what would be sweeter than doing that in LeBron's building/city?  Have an easier time envisioning Irving with LAC, over the rumors he'll sign with LAL.

I have never seen Irving linked to the Clippers (maybe he has been and I missed it). I believe some other players have been linked to LA (I believe both Leonard and Butler have, not sure about someone like Walker.

Irving also allegedly wanted to play in New York cause he is from there, so being on the other side of the country has to be a bit less appealing.

Could it still happen? Yea sure, but certainly seems to throw a wrinkle in the "irving and durant to new york is fact" that gets shared around like gospel. Seems more to me like nobody actually knows what they are doing.

Clippers tried to trade for him this year, so there's definitely interest on their end:

https://sports.yahoo.com/report-clippers-tried-to-acquire-kyrie-irving-at-trade-deadline-195350167.html

I mean I have never seen or heard of Kyrie talking about clippers and wanting to play there.

Have you ever heard him talk about playing anywhere (other than Boston when he made that announcement)? Unless you think these anonymous sources are actually the player themselves leaking it.

Don't really trust any of these sources to begin with (unless it benefits us, Pels owner definitely said "over my dead body" about Davis to the Lakers ), and of course it's the Lakers and Knicks that get the most clicks, so that's why you hear those the most.  Personally I don't remember reading any rumors about Durant going to GS or Paul going to HOU before those moves happened.  (Okay I do remember Durant rumors, but it was about it being possible for the Warriors to sign him rather than it actually being likely).  The big LeBron rumors in '10 were him going to the Bulls or Knicks or staying in Cleveland, Miami was an afterthought.

Just to continue to add to the possibility, here's a long Kyrie quote about Doc and the Clippers:



All this just to say, Durant going to the Clippers doesn't rule out Kyrie going there as well.  Where the rumors have been trending mean nothing.

[nickagneta]

The Clippers seem, to me, the best landing spot for Durant or Kawhi. Re-signing Zubac, Beverly and JaMychal Green would seem like it would make sense

Beverly/Sweet Lou
SGA/Shamet
Durant or Kawhi
Gallinari/Green
Zubac/Harrell

That is a very good team. Unfortunately, trying to sign 2 stars probably means giving up on Green, Zubac and Beverly re-signing unless the Clips can salary dump Gallo on someone.

[ETNCeltics]

I don't buy any of the rumors one way or the other. I don't think it's a solid assumption that Kyrie is automatically following Durant, it's not like they're lifelong buds. I could see Durant going to LA, but then Kyrie going to NY or Brooklyn. He's a weird dude, and predicting what he will do for certain is a fool's errand.

But I do think Wyc's comments (or lack thereof) the other day lead me to believe that he just wants to blow the whole thing up. Meaning bring back Tatum, Smart & Brown and jettison most everyone else. You'd have to think that if Kyrie leaves and there's no trade for AD (or some other star), Al will leave also. We're probably stuck with Hayward for at least another year.

You have to wonder if Brad and Danny are here much longer. Brad seemed miserable IMO, and I don't think he'd want to come back and coach last year's team again, he seemed much happier and relaxed when we had a bunch of overachieving misfits. And not that Danny is in danger of being fired, but if Kyrie leaves and AD isn't a possibility, does a guy that's accomplished all he has (and who has health issues) want to once again try to start building a team? I think he may very well retire soon.

[Fafnir]

The Clippers seem, to me, the best landing spot for Durant or Kawhi. Re-signing Zubac, Beverly and JaMychal Green would seem like it would make sense

Beverly/Sweet Lou
SGA/Shamet
Durant or Kawhi
Gallinari/Green
Zubac/Harrell

That is a very good team. Unfortunately, trying to sign 2 stars probably means giving up on Green, Zubac and Beverly re-signing unless the Clips can salary dump Gallo on someone.

They can keep Zubac in all odds, his cap hold is extremely small and then sign him using bird rights. They'll just use a pick to dump Gallo if they have two max FAs agreeing to come imo.

[celticsclay]

It'll be funny if all the stars with the chance to move this summer end up heading West.

Butler and KD on the Clips, Irving and Davis on the Lakers with LeBron ...

Let the West be a total bloodbath.

I love that your hypo for the lakers has a guy being traded to the one team his gm says he won't trade him to and a second guy signing to play alongside a guy he demanded a trade to get away from playing with (cause he called him once or something lol). I mean could you come up with something less likely?

[LarBrd33]

https://thebiglead.com/2019/05/22/kevin-durant-clippers-knicks-marc-stein/

Maybe he doesn't want to play with Irving?

if there’s any truth to this the only takeaway is that the Knicks aren’t a done deal and Boston might have a chance.

[PhoSita]

It'll be funny if all the stars with the chance to move this summer end up heading West.

Butler and KD on the Clips, Irving and Davis on the Lakers with LeBron ...

Let the West be a total bloodbath.

I love that your hypo for the lakers has a guy being traded to the one team his gm says he won't trade him to and a second guy signing to play alongside a guy he demanded a trade to get away from playing with (cause he called him once or something lol). I mean could you come up with something less likely?

I don't believe I commented on the likelihood, I just said it would be funny if it happened.

[Rosco917]

Danny should approach Durant's people because he liked the Celtics when he visited. The temptation of an instant ring was too much. If he is really done with Golden State, it certainly can't hurt.

[Irish Stew]

Durant and Leonard on the Clippers surrounded by a sufficient number of solid complementary players like Zubac, Williams, SGA, and/or Harrell would be a formidable contender and a joy to watch. Durant and Irving or even Leonard and Irving seems less scary, but certainly strong. It would be nice to have Durant and Leonard in the West.