Jersey Retirement Thoughts - KD

[alley oop]

KD's time in OKC is marked with failure. Let us not forget they he also blew a 3-1 lead last season. also whiffed in the finals against Lebron in 2012.
...

I hope he never wins a ring tho, the next Barkley alongside with Melo

Nonsense. He averaged a Finals leading 30.6 pts per game with a FG% of .548. James Harden had the subpar series.

[Dannys Chipotle Guy]

What has he accomplished with the Warriors to warrant this? People think KG shouldn't have his jersey retired here.

The bar to be a Celtics legend is a lot higher than OKC.

Where did I say OKC?

fwiw the bar to be a Warriors legend is also a lot lower than for Boston.

[action781]

Time heels wounds.

OKC should definitely retire KD's number. It'll happen.

Why?  What exactly did he do there that warrants jersey retirement?

[Big333223]

Time heels wounds.

OKC should definitely retire KD's number. It'll happen.

Why?  What exactly did he do there that warrants jersey retirement?

Is that post a joke?

He won a league MVP and 4 scoring titles with OKC. He was also the team's best play on a Finals team and 3 Conference Finals teams. He also spent 8 years with the franchise (9, if you count the year in Seattle). Durant is a lock to have his jersey retired by OKC when he retires.

GS is another question. That'll depend on how long he stays there.

[action781]

I just think of jersey retirement differently.  I think of it as an honor that a franchise bestows on a player, not a right that a player is entitled to based on individual accomplishments.  If I'm OKC, I don't honor him for bolting in free agency for the competitor when we were willing to pay him more.

I think of jersey retirement as when a new player comes to a team and wants that number, people think "Oh whoa whoa whoa, you can't be that number.  That's so-so's number!" because fans are still attached to the player even after they are gone.  They are numbers that it takes zero thought to recall what number they were.  I think #34 in Boston, #24 in LA, #21 in Minnesota, #23 in Cleveland, #3 in Miami, #21 in San Antonio (probably #9 and #20 as well), and #41 in Dallas are the few numbers I'd 100% like to see retired from the last decade.  I'm picky though.  Steve Nash I'd list as questionable since I couldn't recall his number right away.

[LilRip]

I just think of jersey retirement differently.  I think of it as an honor that a franchise bestows on a player, not a right that a player is entitled to based on individual accomplishments.  If I'm OKC, I don't honor him for bolting in free agency for the competitor when we were willing to pay him more.

I think of jersey retirement as when a new player comes to a team and wants that number, people think "Oh whoa whoa whoa, you can't be that number.  That's so-so's number!" because fans are still attached to the player even after they are gone.  They are numbers that it takes zero thought to recall what number they were.  I think #34 in Boston, #24 in LA, #21 in Minnesota, #23 in Cleveland, #3 in Miami, #21 in San Antonio (probably #9 and #20 as well), and #41 in Dallas are the few numbers I'd 100% like to see retired from the last decade.  I'm picky though.  Steve Nash I'd list as questionable since I couldn't recall his number right away.

This is a really interesting take on it. I can get behind this logic. The number, for it to never be worn again, needs to mean something that goes beyond the usual statistics. For example, even if Melo ends up never traded and he retires a Knick, I'm not convinced #7 is going up the rafters.

[greece66]

Time heels wounds.

OKC should definitely retire KD's number. It'll happen.

^  this

[bopna]

I just think of jersey retirement differently.  I think of it as an honor that a franchise bestows on a player, not a right that a player is entitled to based on individual accomplishments.  If I'm OKC, I don't honor him for bolting in free agency for the competitor when we were willing to pay him more.

I think of jersey retirement as when a new player comes to a team and wants that number, people think "Oh whoa whoa whoa, you can't be that number.  That's so-so's number!" because fans are still attached to the player even after they are gone.  They are numbers that it takes zero thought to recall what number they were.  I think #34 in Boston, #24 in LA, #21 in Minnesota, #23 in Cleveland, #3 in Miami, #21 in San Antonio (probably #9 and #20 as well), and #41 in Dallas are the few numbers I'd 100% like to see retired from the last decade.  I'm picky though.  Steve Nash I'd list as questionable since I couldn't recall his number right away.

This is a really interesting take on it. I can get behind this logic. The number, for it to never be worn again, needs to mean something that goes beyond the usual statistics. For example, even if Melo ends up never traded and he retires a Knick, I'm not convinced #7 is going up the rafters.

there is a better chance of Melo's jersey or number being retired as a Knick than KD's being respected in OKC.

do we all think Lebron's jersey gets retired in Cleveland had he not returned?, I doubt it, he was already being cursed there.

Now Its a completely different story I suppose if KD bolted and went East say the Cs, I am sure fans and management of OKC will be gutted but understand the move. But to join the enemy who just won 73 wins and defeated you in 7 games when you were up 3-1....uuuurghh that is something I dont think time can heal easily.

My gut tell me if KD stays and wins atleast 1 championship in GS then I see him being honored there. However, if KD fails to win anything in GS say for 5 yrs despite multiple allstar and Finals appearances, well im afraid KD will end up being a Ray Allen...a superstar in his prime where his number wasn't retired by any of the 2 franchises he played for.

[Ilikesports17]

I just think of jersey retirement differently.  I think of it as an honor that a franchise bestows on a player, not a right that a player is entitled to based on individual accomplishments.  If I'm OKC, I don't honor him for bolting in free agency for the competitor when we were willing to pay him more.

I think of jersey retirement as when a new player comes to a team and wants that number, people think "Oh whoa whoa whoa, you can't be that number.  That's so-so's number!" because fans are still attached to the player even after they are gone.  They are numbers that it takes zero thought to recall what number they were.  I think #34 in Boston, #24 in LA, #21 in Minnesota, #23 in Cleveland, #3 in Miami, #21 in San Antonio (probably #9 and #20 as well), and #41 in Dallas are the few numbers I'd 100% like to see retired from the last decade.  I'm picky though.  Steve Nash I'd list as questionable since I couldn't recall his number right away.

This is a really interesting take on it. I can get behind this logic. The number, for it to never be worn again, needs to mean something that goes beyond the usual statistics. For example, even if Melo ends up never traded and he retires a Knick, I'm not convinced #7 is going up the rafters.

there is a better chance of Melo's jersey or number being retired as a Knick than KD's being respected in OKC.

do we all think Lebron's jersey gets retired in Cleveland had he not returned?, I doubt it, he was already being cursed there.

Now Its a completely different story I suppose if KD bolted and went East say the Cs, I am sure fans and management of OKC will be gutted but understand the move. But to join the enemy who just won 73 wins and defeated you in 7 games when you were up 3-1....uuuurghh that is something I dont think time can heal easily.

My gut tell me if KD stays and wins atleast 1 championship in GS then I see him being honored there. However, if KD fails to win anything in GS say for 5 yrs despite multiple allstar and Finals appearances, well im afraid KD will end up being a Ray Allen...a superstar in his prime where his number wasn't retired by any of the 2 franchises he played for.

Id argue he was still primish in Boston Milwaukee and Seattle.

[Big333223]

Durant's jersey is a lock to be retired in OKC.

Just look at Vince Carter. Carter played 6.5 seasons in Toronto, won absolutely nothing, and left under much worse circumstances but ask a Raptors fan today if they want Carter's jersey retired and I guarantee they will say "Of course."

Durant did a lot more for OKC than Carter ever did for Toronto. It'll happen.

[boscel33]

This is not a cut and dry question to answer.  I say, for sure in OKC, but if he wins a title and leaves GSW after a year, why would they retire his #?

[action781]

Durant's jersey is a lock to be retired in OKC.

Just look at Vince Carter. Carter played 6.5 seasons in Toronto, won absolutely nothing, and left under much worse circumstances but ask a Raptors fan today if they want Carter's jersey retired and I guarantee they will say "Of course."

Durant did a lot more for OKC than Carter ever did for Toronto. It'll happen.

Fans have strange relationships with athletes if they want VC's jersey retired in Toronto.  I'm not saying they don't (I googled it, apparently they really might), but I just find that very odd.  But again, maybe I'm too picky.

[Big333223]

Durant's jersey is a lock to be retired in OKC.

Just look at Vince Carter. Carter played 6.5 seasons in Toronto, won absolutely nothing, and left under much worse circumstances but ask a Raptors fan today if they want Carter's jersey retired and I guarantee they will say "Of course."

Durant did a lot more for OKC than Carter ever did for Toronto. It'll happen.

Fans have strange relationships with athletes if they want VC's jersey retired in Toronto.  I'm not saying they don't (I googled it, apparently they really might), but I just find that very odd.  But again, maybe I'm too picky.

As Celtic fans, we get to be picky.