Kevin Durant knows his legacy is shot, and in a way I feel for him

[BigKen]

Should make for some interesting negotiations as it seems fairly hypocritical for the owners to bitch about Harden and Kyrie while not doing anything about the Rockets and Wall.

The answer is simple...........................Follow the money.

Harden and Kyrie are "costing" teams and therefore the NBA money with their bullshit antics. The Rockets, Heat, and others will make the NBA future money with their actions.

There will come a day when a player strike will destroy everything they've earned. The players keep saying that they are the game, but they fail to understand that the owners will be the owners long after the players are gone.

Like Johnathan Kraft said to the NFLPA before the latest CBA. "You don't want to play in the NFL? Fine. Start your own league. Just remember that the NFL owners actually OWN all of the professional football rights in every NFL city. Find 32 owners and 32 cities that will be able to support an annual $175M player budget and annual stadium and support budget of $300M, without major network contracts."

Doesn't take much to get both sides to understand just how good things are right now. Or to see how quickly MLB went from #1 to #4 and is being threatened in the #4 slot by MLS.

 

[redseat]

How could you feel bad for a guy who demanded his way out, got paid a shit ton and didn't even play?

 

[tabascojet]

Kd needs to go to Cleveland and win a title there. Ultimate bandwagon!

 

[thunderc]

I took it as he is suggesting that Harden and Kyrie are weakening the NBAPAs position in the next CBA to the point that a lockout may be imminent. The owners are going to want protections to prevent players doing what Harden and Kyrie have done to force their way out.

What will be interesting is that the NBAPA will likely push back with things like perfectly healthy players like John Wall not being allowed to play because the team is tanking.

Should make for some interesting negotiations as it seems fairly hypocritical for the owners to bitch about Harden and Kyrie while not doing anything about the Rockets and Wall.

Let’s not forget Ben Simmons either. Hypocritical or not a lockout is coming.

 

[ElPatron1]

The answer is simple...........................Follow the money.

Harden and Kyrie are "costing" teams and therefore the NBA money with their bullshit antics. The Rockets, Heat, and others will make the NBA future money with their actions.

There will come a day when a player strike will destroy everything they've earned. The players keep saying that they are the game, but they fail to understand that the owners will be the owners long after the players are gone.

Like Johnathan Kraft said to the NFLPA before the latest CBA. "You don't want to play in the NFL? Fine. Start your own league. Just remember that the NFL owners actually OWN all of the professional football rights in every NFL city. Find 32 owners and 32 cities that will be able to support an annual $175M player budget and annual stadium and support budget of $300M, without major network contracts."

Doesn't take much to get both sides to understand just how good things are right now. Or to see how quickly MLB went from #1 to #4 and is being threatened in the #4 slot by MLS.

Most of these "professionals" barely have a high school degree. They play a child's game for a living. The players couldn't create their own league, they are hardly qualified to even work at McDonalds.

The Owners are mostly successful highly educated business men. They have all the leverage, and should know it imo

 

[tlance]

Most of these "professionals" barely have a high school degree. They play a child's game for a living. The players couldn't create their own league, they are hardly qualified to even work at McDonalds.

The Owners are mostly successful highly educated business men. They have all the leverage, and should know it imo

Yeah, just about every word in this post is wrong and reeks of jealously.

Basketball might be a “child’s game” for you, but that is because you aren’t good enough to play it at high levels. These guys are the best in the world at their craft, and the public is willing to shell out money to watch the best in the world.

Most people go through school to set themselves up for a good career. NBA players do the same. It is just that some of the best had the opportunity to leave school early for a high paying job.

And if you were offered a multi-million $ contract after your freshmen year of college, you would jump at it also. Would be stupid not to.

Doesn’t mean that they are less intelligent than you.

Do the owners have leverage? Yes. Because the players lack the infrastructure to create their own league. But the players have leverage too. Because the superstars are not replaceable. And people wouldn’t pay nearly as much to watch an inferior product when they know the top players aren’t out there.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

And it seems to me he won't actually leave Brooklyn, I think they will keep him. Could be wrong of course.

But anyone who thinks KD's 'legacy' will be anything less than top 20 all time player is being ridiculous.

Nobody is debating his basketball achievements, we all understand how great of a player he is. But if I'm not mistake legacy refers to what people think of him. And right now that stock has dropped.

The "if you can't beat 'em join 'em" move to Golden State was an eyebrow raiser, but we all understood he had ever right to do it. Same thing when he signed with the Nets and attempted another "super team".

But now it's different. Brooklyn gave him EVERYTHING he asked for, including paying him top dollar for an entire year when he could not play. To demand out now, well sorry that does affect his legacy. I feel a lot differently about him now than before he pulled this. Between all of this, his burner account and all that crap he comes of as crying ass bitch who is never happy.

 

[DJ]

Most of these "professionals" barely have a high school degree. They play a child's game for a living. The players couldn't create their own league, they are hardly qualified to even work at McDonalds.

The Owners are mostly successful highly educated business men. They have all the leverage, and should know it imo

Sooooooooooooooooo jealous.

 

[ElPatron1]

Yeah, just about every word in this post is wrong and reeks of jealously.

Basketball might be a “child’s game” for you, but that is because you aren’t good enough to play it at high levels. These guys are the best in the world at their craft, and the public is willing to shell out money to watch the best in the world.

Most people go through school to set themselves up for a good career. NBA players do the same. It is just that some of the best had the opportunity to leave school early for a high paying job.

And if you were offered a multi-million $ contract after your freshmen year of college, you would jump at it also. Would be stupid not to.

Doesn’t mean that they are less intelligent than you.

Do the owners have leverage? Yes. Because the players lack the infrastructure to create their own league. But the players have leverage too. Because the superstars are not replaceable. And people wouldn’t pay nearly as much to watch an inferior product when they know the top players aren’t out there.

What part was wrong? What part was jealous? It's just the truth.

How many superstars are in the NBA? 99% are replaceable with thousands and thousands of new players every year.

Have you heard Lebron speak?

The only leverage the players have is because the owners got soft.

 

[tlance]

What part was wrong? What part was jealous? It's just the truth.

How many superstars are in the NBA? Most are replaceable with thousands and thousands of new players every year.

Have you heard Lebron speak?

Literally everything.

They aren’t stupid. Many, if not most get better, higher paying jobs than the average college graduate after their playing careers are done.

And no, nobody is paying to watch G leaguers when guys like LeBron and Giannis are not playing.

Owners and players need each other. Which is why collective bargaining in the NBA is very much a give and take and the owners can’t dictate terms like they do in the NFL.

 

[trojanfan12]

What part was wrong? What part was jealous? It's just the truth.

How many superstars are in the NBA? 99% are replaceable with thousands and thousands of new players every year.

Have you heard Lebron speak?

The only leverage the players have is because the owners got soft.

lol

And yet....Lebron has become a billionaire while still playing.

So, at the very least, he has been smart enough to hire the right people to help/advise him on the best way to make his money work for him to generate more revenue.

It sounds like your issue with Lebron and other players has more to do with you disagreeing with their political/societal beliefs and opinions than their actual intelligence.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

What part was wrong? What part was jealous? It's just the truth.

How many superstars are in the NBA? 99% are replaceable with thousands and thousands of new players every year.

Have you heard Lebron speak?

The only leverage the players have is because the owners got soft.

If you actually believe 99% of all players are replaceable I suggest you check the attendance figures of the G- League or the alternative leagues in football. Then look at the TV ratings for the G- league. Oh wait, there is no TV deal to watch these players. Wonder why?

There is a reason those leagues struggle to make money, the quality of play is far worse because the players are far worse and it's clear to see.

 

[ElPatron1]

If you actually believe 99% of all players are replaceable I suggest you check the attendance figures of the G- League or the alternative leagues in football. Then look at the TV ratings for the G- league. Oh wait, there is no TV deal to watch these players. Wonder why?

There is a reason those leagues struggle to make money, the quality of play is far worse because the players are far worse and it's clear to see.

The average career of an NBA player is 4 years. That is a TON of turnover. If players weren't easily replaced they would have longer average spans in the NBA.

 

[tlance]

The average career of an NBA player is 4 years. That is a TON of turnover. If players weren't easily replaced they would have longer average spans in the NBA.

The rank and file are easily replaced. Especially toward the end of a roster.

The stars are cannot be.

It is the stars that drive the revenue that the league makes, and it is the stars like LeBron who get the role players paid.

 

[Wamu]

What part was wrong? What part was jealous? It's just the truth.

How many superstars are in the NBA? 99% are replaceable (1)with thousands and thousands of new players every year.

(2)Have you heard Lebron speak?

The only leverage the players have is because the owners got soft.

1. You really think there are thousands and thousands of basketball players good enough for the NBA? You also said in a different thread OBJ's a HOFer. You say funny things.

2. What an absurd thing to say.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

The average career of an NBA player is 4 years. That is a TON of turnover. If players weren't easily replaced they would have longer average spans in the NBA.

How many posters need to explain to you why you are wrong? Your figures represent the bottom third of each roster, as has been explained to you. Those guys come and go which results in your "average career" gotcha moment stat. But for the majority of NBA players they can not be simply replaced with no drop off, that's idiotic.

 

[broncosmitty]

Kd needs to go to Cleveland and win a title there. Ultimate bandwagon!

That would definitely be an opportunity to let his nuts swing.

Atlanta would be even better.

That’s like winning a SB in Jacksonville. Or Atlanta.

 

[Shanemansj13]

What part was wrong? What part was jealous? It's just the truth.

How many superstars are in the NBA? 99% are replaceable with thousands and thousands of new players every year.

Have you heard Lebron speak?

The only leverage the players have is because the owners got soft.

Sorry to tell you man but the players are gaining more leverage every single day even if don't have the intelligence of a business man/owner. An example, they can force their way out of a situation and even force their way to certain team they want to play for. The owners need the players just as much if not more than the players need the owners. It's mutual. Without the stars and superstars the owners have empty seats.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Kd needs to go to Cleveland and win a title there. Ultimate bandwagon!

Lebron already topped anything KD could ever do in CLE. He would be living in the shadow.

 

[tabascojet]

Lebron already topped anything KD could ever do in CLE. He would be living in the shadow.

You know what a bandwagon is right?