If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them, and that is exactly what former MVP and 4x scoring champ Kevin Durant did. This morning (July 4th, 2016) Kevin Durant signed a polarizing 2 Year (1+1) contract with the Golden State Warriors for $54.3M.
Durant had joined forces with the devil. For 10 years he had been a part of the Supersonics/Thunder organization and let’s not get it twisted. All 10 of those seasons have been GLORIOUS. The Thunder made the conference finals 5 times, the playoffs 7 and the finals once. Sam Presti surrounded Durant with numerous tools and talented pieces to win like Serge Ibaka, James Harden, Russel Westbrook, Steven Adams, Enes Kanter and more. It’s not like Kevin Durant didn’t have the talent to win or the coaching, he just couldn’t finish.
To put this in perspective lets look at it this way. Let’s say you have a street ball team with some of your best friends, friends since childhood. You guys could never get over the hump and win the annual local tourney. One season you guys get 1 game away from making the finals and one of the main reasons you squandered the 3-1 lead vs your rivals is because your star player “choked” to an extent. Now how would you feel if the same player you’ve been playing with who in a way choked the 3-1 lead with you, left to join the winning team. That’s exactly what Kevin Durant did and it’s rather disgusting.
To be the best you have to beat the best, and Kevin Durant joined the best. It’s not like he joined the 3rd or 4th best team in the NBA or a bottom seed and then lured another big fish like LeBron did in Miami. He joined a team with 3 all-stars, and the back to back MVP. The fact of matter is Kevin Durant is now a villain whether you like it or not. Kevin Durant is not a leader. Kevin Durant is no longer a leader, he is a follower.
