This is not AT ALL intended to be a Durant over Oden thread. I was wondering something though. If Portland had selected Durant, how would he and Roy mesh on the floor. Who would be the #1 option? Would Durant be the player he is today with a better team around him to start, and a coach that prefers things be done in a particular way? (not a slam) I am curious to know what you guys think. Would Portland really be a better team? Would we have traded Batum and or Webster? Would Aldridge be upset at so many less touches?
I think Durant would be our #1 option. He's pretty much unstopable on offense. If he was playing with Roy and Aldridge, I think its obvious his #'s wouldnt be the same but he'd still be an All Star. No doubt we would have traded Webster by now.
I'm guessing Durant would be our leading scorer, Roy would still be the #1 playmaker and the one with the ball in his hands the most. Durant wouldn't be putting up stats like he is in OKC on here, but the Blazers would be a far better team... maybe championship caliber. As for Roy and Durant coexisting... not something I'd worry about. They are both professionals and need to work that out for what is best for the team. If Roy did complain, and kept complaining (I don't think he would since he would just have been in his 2nd year when we drafted Durant), we could always package him in a trade for Chris Paul!!!!!!!! Just my thoughts.
My guess is that Durant's scoring average might be a little bit lower (because of pace and a maybe a few less shots) but overall I think he'd be the number one option, Brandon would be more of a faclitator, and in many ways this team would function much as it does now, except there's a chance that Z-bo never would have been traded. I don't know what to think about the rest of the roster because so many changes have been made to try and build around Oden, Roy, and LMA. All in all though, we'd still have a fairly jump-shot centric team with the possible exception that Z-bo could still be here as the low post guy. I guess the real question is are we a better team now? Possibly. But maybe more importantly would we be a better team 3 years from now with a potential MVP candidate in Durant and a playmaking guard like Brandon as his wingman? It's an intriguing thought.
If Durant was on the Blazers, he would be injured. If he wasn't, then Roy would complain about lack of touches and all the Blazers fans will say how shitty Durant is defensively and he's just a stat-pushing ballhog who takes questionable jumpers outside the offense and how we should have drafted Oden, who would be leading the league in rebounds and blocks.
Roy is really unselfish, and as such I suspect he'd be willing to defer in the scoring department to Durant. However, he'd still be the man with the ball in his hand most of the time, creating for the team. I suspect Durant wouldn't be quite so high in scoring, yet still lead the team. I think Roy's scoring might suffer a bit, but not terribly. I think it's LaMarcus' stats that would suffer the most. Both are unselfish players that would find a way to make it work, so I don't think it would've been a concern. Portland would be a better team right now with Durant, though if Oden ever stays healthy I still think *that* team would be better.
I think like Roy in this instance. I think the two could have coexisted but I think the team would have suffered in the wins and losses department due to chemistry issues. Perhaps what should have happened on draft day 07, Portland selecting Kevin Durant with the number one pick and then shipping Roy out with some another piece or two for a legitimate big man or draft pick
True. Since Roy strongly prefers a slow down game and Durant is much better in a fast paced game, I wonder how well they would mesh with one trying to run and one trying to walk. '
We'd have our 1-2 punch for the next decade in Roy and Durant. One is the playmaker and the other is an unstoppable force on the offensive end. Like Jordan/Pippen. It'd also allow LMA to be what he really is -- a third option on offense. FML.
I don't think he'd be as good as he is now. McMillan would have put the clamps on him. So whilst the talent is there, IMO, he'd be a year/ year and a half behind where he is now. The McMillan system isn't so good at nurturing and instilling confidence in youngsters IMO.
