The NBA world may never be the same, well at least for two more seasons that is. Kevin Durant announced that he will sign a 2yr/$54M Free Agent contact with the Golden State Warriors.
The backlash he is sure to receive will be on the LeBron James level of hate when he left the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat. But there is a difference in the signings. James wanted to form a team with his friends as he had no real intention of playing anywhere else. Durant wants to win and what better team than the one that has been to two straight NBA Finals, won an NBA record 73 games last year and have possibly the best Big 3 in the league now?
Durant did what he had to do. He has put it all on the line for nine seasons, won awards and other accolades but that elusive championship has been the issue. It was the same with James but different circumstances. James left home, if Durant was drafted but the Washington Wizards and pulled this move maybe we can put him on James level but he wasn’t. Durant tried, he put 110% into the Thunder and after what happened in the Western Conference Finals this past season he knew a change needed to be made.
But why the Warriors? Better question is, why not the Warriors?
I know he is torn between leaving the only family he has known but as a player he knows when they done all they could do as a unit. The West is loaded with teams like the Portland Trail Blazer and Minnesota Timberwolves improvements over the last two years and you still must worry about the Spurs and Grizzlies but when you know your time is up are you suppose to stay due to an obligation? This is the same league where your team will ship you off for younger parts or to shed your contract. There is no loyalty in sports. Durant made the right basketball decision.
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He will no doubt have to deal with backlash but be mindful of where that hate is coming from. Fans of the NBA are dragging Durant’s name thru the mud for his decision, what for? Where was this same hate last season when LaMarcus Aldridge did the same? Who you really need to be angry at is YOUR team. Don’t be mad at the Warriors for having the cap space, right players and coach to lure Durant away. Send an email to your teams PR Department asking why they hired a coach with no experience or drafted “risk” players or paid players like Mozgov $64M, this is not how you win, not how you attract the real Free Agents. This is how you keep your fan base on social media angry, and that is why Durant is going to get so much heat.
It’s not his fault, so what he went with the enemy in the Warriors, it was up to every other team to stop that from happening, and they couldn’t. He did what was best for his career, not your fantasy team or the color scheme of his next KD sneaks. So take your head out of your butt and your hurt feelings and try to figure out why your team lost out on the Durant Sweepstakes. I’m pretty sure had he picked the Celtics, Knicks, Clippers or your team this would be a totally different discussion.
Congrats KD and welcome to Golden State.