Kevin Durant

“Theres much more to it and KD honestly doesnt have those skills.”

Can you say that after a couple of quarters of a preseason game? I wouldn’t have thought that Tayshaun Prince could’ve played point forward until he showed that he could after a few years in the league. It’s an interesting topic though. It’s kind of weird considering how far Westbrook has progressed in his ability to run the show.

Oh, and considering the title of this thread, thank God this isn’t a debate on whether or not KD is the best player in the league.

IMO, Durant is not the best player in the league. 

You are mistaken.  Kevin Durant is not a black hole.  He makes fantastic passes all the time, but considering the rate at which he scores and the efficiency at how he does it there would be no need for him to be setting his teammate up.

But obviously Scott Brooks has saw enough development in him in practice to have him do it in games.  Kevin Durant has always been a workhorse who has practiced like he was a guard since he has been in high school.  Better passing and dribbling is the natural next evolution of his game.

You have to remember that Durant is only 22 years old and would be a college senior right now.  He has more then enough talent, BB IQ and time to become a great ball handler.  He already has nice court vision.  

But he scores entirely too easy for him to ever become a facilitator.  

And this move has nothing to do with Westbrook it is just a coaching technique Brooks is trying out.

There is nothing more dangerous to a defense then when the ball is in the hands of the leagues leading scorer, and with him bringing the ball up it is already in them hands.

 Well my team is actually Detroit, so it would seem, sir, that you are the ignorant one.

Since when does "making your team mates better" solely equates in being able to dish assist after assist? I’d like to think that players love playing with Kevin Durant based on other player’s reactions to how they say he works hard and how he isn’t full of himself. A player’s drive, perserverence, and work ethic is enough to make his team mates better. Kevin Garnett didn’t record 8-10 assist per game to make his team mates better when they won the championship awhile ago. His prescence alone made his team mates play hard.

thats my boy TC

What’s the problem here? Durant has worked on his ball handling and ability to create for his teammates, and Brooks is putting the ball in his hands. I don’t see the problem. The time to experiment with new things is during the pre-season. It’ll make him a better player. 

I don’t have his assist numbers from the pre-season, but he looked comfortable creating for his teammates and throwing some nice passes vs the Heat.

 I thought he looked comfortable as well.  He’ll naturally grow into a role like that as he matures.  James, Kobe, Wade, Brandon Roy, Joe Johnson, Stephen Jackson, Iguadola, Paul Pierce, ect.  These are all high scoring wings who are or were at one point the number one option for their team but would bring the ball up the court on occassion and initiate the offense.  

You have to remember that Durant is still tapping into his potential, so it may be confusing when the drill starts digging at first but it will all make sense when the fruits are mined.

TC is that big ben if so awesome pic bro

im sorry i like durant but he wasnt the point guard during that game. being a point guard is much more then just bringing the ball up and passing or scoring which we already know he can do. so its not shock that he will bring the ball up alot during games like wade,odom,joe johnson but not to be confused with being the point guard

whats wrong wiht in the pre season experimenting using your best player too try sum time at the point

You are dang right it’s Big Ben.

Kevin Durant isn’t even a 3apg career player yet so to have him as the ball carrier would seem a bit strange but if the best player on the team has the ball it can give them more options to spread the floor as KD would draw a nearly automatic double team. LeBron has averaged 7 or 8 apg just by the nature of his game, Kobe is a 4.8 career apg which I thought may have been higher whilst Melo is barely a 3 apg player maybe because he has had a top PG alongside him for several years.

It also asks the question would a top team with one of their franchise players being a proven top offensive PG alongside a proven scorer lets say Nash and STAT at Phoenix over the years or Kidd and Carter at the Nets a few years ago be more effective than when the top players on the teams aren’t a PG? Lets say when there was rumours that Kobe wanted Jason Kidd alongside him but the Lakers wouldn’t trade Bynum would that have made the team more effective or Kobe more prolific with Kidd as his ball carrier?

Durant’sw 3 point range is improving so having him as a ball carrier gives him this option I suppose yet Ray Allen probably the most well known pure shooter in the league is also regarded as the best play off the ball so in effect he creates his own space to get his shots off and has never been a great ball carrier.