Style of play in NBA Finals

[Cusefan0307]

There was a story recently that said Durant is willing to take less than the max in order for them to keep Iggy and Livingston around. Curry will sign the max extension I would bet.

I think Patrick McCaw is going to eventually be a more than capable replacement for Iggy as well as he ages. I really like his potential.

 

[Alsacs]

I think Bird would have been a great player in this era as well. He was a big that played on the perimeter. Way ahead of his time. I'm not sure McHale, Walton or Parrish fit.

Bird would have been Dirk if he played today.

 

[Knicks411]

So Durant would opt out and sign for less? That would be kind of cool actually.

It may not be less than he's making this year, but maybe less than the max he could make. (Or he could take a slight paycut).

Sources: KD may give up money for GS core

So basically, he could sign for as much as $35 million this summer, but if he takes no more than 120% what he makes this year, the Warriors don't need to make cap space and renounce guys like Iggy or Livingston. Then he signs a max extension in a year or two.

 

[Eric15]

Bird would have been Dirk if he played today.

Agreed. There are individual players from prior decades who would still be stars today.

But when we're looking at entire rosters over the aggregate, the game is light years more advanced today than 30 years ago.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

It may not be less than he's making this year, but maybe less than the max he could make. (Or he could take a slight paycut).

Sources: KD may give up money for GS core

So basically, he could sign for as much as $35 million this summer, but if he takes no more than 120% what he makes this year, the Warriors don't need to make cap space and renounce guys like Iggy or Livingston. Then he signs a max extension in a year or two.

How does renouncing work exactly? I'm pretty sure Igoudala and Livingston are just standard unrestricted free agents.

 

[Alsacs]

It may not be less than he's making this year, but maybe less than the max he could make. (Or he could take a slight paycut).

Sources: KD may give up money for GS core

So basically, he could sign for as much as $35 million this summer, but if he takes no more than 120% what he makes this year, the Warriors don't need to make cap space and renounce guys like Iggy or Livingston. Then he signs a max extension in a year or two.

Durant could take 30 million per year for 4 years with an opt out instead of his max of 35 million.

Giving himself an opt out after 2 years would make himself eligible for a super max in 3 years.

 

[Alsacs]

How does renouncing work exactly? I'm pretty sure Igoudala and Livingston are just standard unrestricted free agents.

If Durant takes his max to resign the Warriors would have to renounce Livingston and others because the Warriors don't have Durants Bird rights until he is with team multiple years.

 

[Knicks411]

How does renouncing work exactly? I'm pretty sure Igoudala and Livingston are just standard unrestricted free agents.

Iggy and Livingston (and other FA, not just them) have cap holds that apply to the team's salary cap, unless you renounce their rights. It's usually a percentage of their most recent season salary. Basically what it does is prevent a team from using cap space to sign FA from another team, and then using their bird rights to keep their own FA.

So for instance, Iggy might have a cap hold of $5 million or whatever; if thg\ee Warriors want to re-sign him using bird rights, they have to keep that cap hold on their books, meaning he counts as $5 million against their salary cap even as he is a FA. If they renounce him, the cap hold comes off, but they can't use bird rights to keep him, and they'd need to use cap space, of which they'd have none.

 

[Melancer46]

The Warriors are going to have an interesting off-season. They don't have a whole lot under contract. Heck, Durant's 2nd year is a player option. Who's to say that if they close out the series that he doesn't opt out. Curry needs and deserves to get paid. They're going to need to retool their bench big time, and they'll need to do it all in free agency since I think they've got one 2nd round pick and that's it.

I believe the plan is for Durant to opt out and then re-sign and then supposedly they'll re-sign some of their bench guys with Bird Rights.

 

[Alsacs]

Holy Moly the Warriors are -3 for game 3.

That is insane. I gotta get some coin on Cleveland before that flips.

Cleveland is winning game 3 or this is a sweep.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

When defenders can't maul ball handlers 30 feet from the basket, and when defenders can't slide in and undercut players that are going to the basket, basketball is a beautiful game to watch.

Yet offensive players setting screens are allowed to essentially block a defender into another portion of the court.

And don't kid yourself. There is a ton of contact going on out there.

But the way the Warriors share the ball, (seems like they have 4 players out there who could be a diva and hog the ball), and make the right pass, quickly, is just beautiful to watch.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

No. They aren't. The Celtic team in I think '86 lost one game all year at home. They had a front court of Robert Parrish, Larry Bird , Kevin McHale and a healthy Bill Walton. Denis Johnson and Danny Ainge in the back court for defense. i love the warriors and they might have won a series. But to think the Celtics weren't in the same league is silly.

None of those front court players are quick enough to defend any of the front court players (except maybe David West) currently playing in this years finals. And that was my favorite team of all time. Those are my guys. Danny Ainge ain't stopping Klay or Steph. It would be a beat down.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

How much did you see of the '86 Celts? I bet not much. The Celtics would have owned the boards. Danny Ainge and Denis Johnson would have done okay against the Warriors guards. Not stopped them. No one can. But the Celtics would not have been overwhelmed.

Boards are only necessary when the other team misses. The Warriors don't. Sure, the Celt's forward would have grabbed some offensive boards, but those buckets are only worth two points as long as you don't foul. Even Draymond could be trained to not foul in that situation.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Yeah, you are right. Those players couldn't make any adjustments. A better question would be, what rules would they be playing under? Because the Celtics in todays rules would also have looked different if they weren't being held and pushed around. who on the warriors was going to guard Bird and McHale? let alone Walton and Parrish at center?

I could see Durant and Draymond holding their own against Bird and McHale. Bird's shot would have been contested well by Durant's length, and KD is far quicker.

Walton and Parrish could never have kept up with the speed of the Warriors. They would be gassed 10 minutes into the game. And in foul trouble early.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Tristan Thompson is a max player that is paid to rebound and he being outrebounded by Steph Curry in this series 16-8.

 

[RF2044]

I could see Durant and Draymond holding their own against Bird and McHale. Bird's shot would have been contested well by Durant's length, and KD is far quicker.

Walton and Parrish could never have kept up with the speed of the Warriors. They would be gassed 10 minutes into the game. And in foul trouble early.

Right. Those three hall-of-famers would have no chance competing with their counterpart on Warriors. ; )

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I think for the most part all those guys would be really good now. McHale would probably be more of a 5, but he'd be the best low post scorer in the league. Bird would still be Bird. Peak Bill Walton was amazing.

I could see Walton shooting threes like a modern Kevin Love. That's probably one factor that doesn't get talked about. Those players were all talented and would adapt to shoot outside like today's bigs have.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Right. Those three hall-of-famers would have no chance competing with their counterpart on Warriors. ; )

McHale and Bird weren't exactly known for their conditioning.

But I may have slightly overstated my point for effect.

 

[Alsacs]

Right. Those three hall-of-famers would have no chance competing with their counterpart on Warriors. ; )

McHale would be fine today. He wouldn't be super athletic but his posting skills would be elite.

Bird would have been Dirk like in his shooting would have been fine.

Celtics biggest problem would be against Chris Paul/Kyrie/Westbrook PGs would who abuse Ainge and Johnson.
Remember none of those guys in the 80s except Kareem did Pilates and took care of their bodies with nutritionists.

Hell Bird got into a fight between between games 1 and 2 of the 1985 Finals with a bartender in Boston.

It hurt his knuckle and helped lose that series.

 

[dasher]

McHale would be fine today. He wouldn't be super athletic but his posting skills would be elite.

Bird would have been Dirk like in his shooting would have been fine.

Celtics biggest problem would be against Chris Paul/Kyrie/Westbrook PGs would who abuse Ainge and Johnson.
Remember none of those guys in the 80s except Kareem did Pilates and took care of their bodies with nutritionists.

Hell Bird got into a fight between between games 1 and 2 of the 1985 Finals with a bartender in Boston.

It hurt his knuckle and helped lose that series.

Johnson wouldn't have been abused. He went against lightening fast guards back in the day. The logic of todays athletes being so far superior. They are better. But greats are great. Hmm I guess Muhammad Ali would have no chance against Wladimir Klitschko in a heavy weight bout. My money would be on Ali. and he was fighting in the 60's.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

McHale would be fine today. He wouldn't be super athletic but his posting skills would be elite.

Bird would have been Dirk like in his shooting would have been fine.

Celtics biggest problem would be against Chris Paul/Kyrie/Westbrook PGs would who abuse Ainge and Johnson.

All you all keep talking like the matchups at each position matter way more than they do. In todays PNR era, it really has nothing to do with who tries to check Kyrie or Steph initially. The warriors (or Cavs) would make the Celts switch and then you have McHale 30 feet from the basket trying to stay in front of Steph. That ain't happening. I think McHale or the Chief would literally have their ankles break from trying to stay in front of him. And they would never stay in front of Kyrie. That kid is insane with his handles.

 

[Knicks411]

Johnson wouldn't have been abused. He went against lightening fast guards back in the day. The logic of todays athletes being so far superior. They are better. But greats are great. Hmm I guess Muhammad Ali would have no chance against Wladimir Klitschko in a heavy weight bout. My money would be on Ali. and he was fighting in the 60's.

I don't think there were a lot of PG in the mid 80's comparable from a quickness POV to guys like Steph, Russ, and Kyrie.

 

[dasher]

All you all keep talking like the matchups at each position matter way more than they do. In todays PNR era, it really has nothing to do with who tries to check Kyrie or Steph initially. The warriors (or Cavs) would make the Celts switch and then you have McHale 30 feet from the basket trying to stay in front of Steph. That ain't happening. I think McHale or the Chief would literally have their ankles break from trying to stay in front of him. And they would never stay in front of Kyrie. That kid is insane with his handles.

they play at the other end of the court too, don't they. The celts post those guys up and get them in foul trouble. Works both ways.

 

[dasher]

I don't think there were a lot of PG in the mid 80's comparable from a quickness POV to guys like Steph, Russ, and Kyrie.

Yeah, they were all slow. Once again, Klitschko beats Ali, right?

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I don't think there were a lot of PG in the mid 80's comparable from a quickness POV to guys like Steph, Russ, and Kyrie.

Yeah, I can't imagine Magic staying in front of Kyrie. The fact that Klay does it as well as he is doing it really is a testament to how great a defender he is.