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Why Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant’s Free Agency Destination Won’t Matter

By Tiffany Davis

May 28, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) reacts during the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors in game six of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
May 28, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) reacts during the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors in game six of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Whether Kevin Durant stays with the Oklahoma City Thunder or leaves this summer, the result will be the same.

In Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference Finals. the Oklahoma City Thunder played very good ball for three quarters, keeping the Golden State Warriors off the foul line and limiting their field goal shooting to less than 50 percent.

Warriors guard Stephen Curry didn’t get a bucket until late in the second quarter and uncharacteristically missed some free throws (he’s a 91 percent free throw shooter) whenever he did make it to the charity stripe.

Even Kevin Durant‘s grandmother made a surprise appearance to see her grandson hopefully punch his ticket to the NBA Finals as the Western Conference champions.

For three quarters,  it looked as if things were headed in that direction, as OKC started the fourth with an eight-point lead.

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Then the Thunder did what they tended to do all season: they reverted back to hero ball.

And *groan* blew their lead in the fourth quarter. Again:

The Warriors took advantage of the third quarter and used the first three minutes to tie the game at 57-all.

Then the Thunder allowed Splash Brother No. 2, Klay Thompson, to get even hotter as he broke the NBA record for made three-pointers in the playoffs (he sank 11; the previous record was nine).

Then the Thunder kept sending Curry and Thompson to the free throw line, where they converted most of their free throws.

And the Thunder, seeing yet another flight  into Oakland now looming, tried to overcorrect in the worst way:  by jacking up ill-advised shots and not sharing the ball. You know, the very things that doomed them in Game 2.

(Or maybe the Seattle curse is still going strong. Who knows?)

Durant was the greatest culprit, taking random threes and other ill-advised shots in the hopes of swinging the momentum back to OKC in one fell swoop.

Russell Westbrook was guilty of this as well and the Thunder–who had done such a good job of rebounding for the last three quarters– let Golden State grab most of the rebounds and get second-chance points. And, once again, turned the ball over.

(And why was Steven Adams sitting in the final minutes of the game–he hadn’t fouled out– when they NEEDED him out there? Thunder rookie head coach Billy Donovan gets a side-eye for that one.)

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Of course, this further fuels the fire of whether Durant will bounce to more championship-rich waters if Oklahoma City doesn’t get a ring this year or, at the very least, make it to the NBA Finals to face the well-rested

Cleveland Cavaliers

.

Durant may very well decide to move on and get his slice of the exploding salary cap dollars, or he may decide to stay in OKC where he can get more money and remain in his comfort zone. Speculation has been rampant ever since the season began on Oct. 27.

It won’t matter where Durant ends up, though, because the end result will be the same. Or, as my high school English teacher liked to say, “No matter where you go, you’ll always be there.”

Durant is supposed to be the leader of his team. Yet he has consistently reverted back to type in high-pressure situations: taking wild shots, rushing shots, trying to force the game.

It says something that his wild card teammate, Westbrook, actually exhibited more patience in Games 5 and Game 6 (though that’s not saying much, considering the outcomes).

The definition of insanity is doing the same things and expecting different results. One would think that Durant had figured this out over the course of the regular season, and during the playoffs.

I’m sure Donovan has pointed this out in the countless film sessions all season, and especially in the playoffs. The same thing always happens: Durant  (and, to an extent, Westbrook) mends his ways for a game or two, only to backslide to his preferred hero ball.

Instead of letting the most capable scorer (which would be Westbrook) get the ball in the last few minutes, Durant kept the ball … and took yet another off three. Combined, he and Westbrook were 3-for-23 from three-point range, and made 20 of 58 shots.

Seriously?

And we won’t mention the turnovers via bad passes, and the foul trouble (Durant had three by halftime). Golden State capitalized on that, coming back from what had once been a 13-point deficit to win by seven points, and force a Game 7 in Oracle Arena on Memorial Day.

This puts the Warriors on the brink of even more history if they manage to become the 10th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a playoff series.

This again begs the question: at what point did Durant figure out that his way wasn’t working, and he needed to try something different?

At what point did he, as a team leader, realize that there were 11 other dressed players on his team (besides Westbrook) that could take some of the weight and get them rolling again?

Mind you, most of those other players had a hand in keeping OKC in the hunt (Serge Ibaka, Andre Roberson, the Stache Bros–Adams and Enes Kanter)

At what point did Durant realize that he needed to get out of his own way?

I understand that the ever-elusive championship is so close, Durant can taste it.

I understand that the reward for all of the games missed due to injury; the whispers about whether or not Durant can win a ring with this current team, or about whether he is still the player he once was (at the grand old age of 27).

I’m sure all of this is in the back of Durant’s mind, as much as he tries to block out the extraneous noise. And I understand that he wants to be the one to personally bring glory of this magnitude to OKC.

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But if these playoffs have shown us anything it’s that Durant, for all his recovery from injury, hasn’t changed where it counts.

For that alone, it doesn’t matter if he stays in Oklahoma or goes to Golden State, or San Antonio, or Boston, or any of the other teams rumored to make a run at him this summer. All of his playing prowess will be negated by the very bad habits he seems unable to shed.

And the ring will continue to be out of reach until he becomes a more effective leader, and a smarter player.

Hero ball has its basis in mistrust, and it was clear in Games 5 and 6 that Durant didn’t trust his teammates (other than Westbrook) to help deliver them a title. Again, which makes one wonder why Durant plays a team sport at all?

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If you don’t trust, things go awry as one person (or even two) can’t possibly do it all (the Thunder refuse to get this in their collective spirit).

Despite Durant’s star power, team front offices need to really consider this willful myopia before throwing max money at someone who doesn’t know how to follow, which means he will always have problems successfully leading whatever team he ends up joining. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Then again, bad ball habits haven’t seemed to stopped Durant’s former teammate, James Harden, any. His ball-hogging ways in Houston have netted him an even more lucrative shoe deal with adidas and (Currently? Formerly?) Khloe Kardashian.

Perhaps Durant should reach out to Harden over the summer to get some pointers.

The Western Conference has always been a bloodbath, and it’s not getting any easier. The East has gotten stronger this past season, as well. Doing what Durant has always done will get him what he’s always gotten: a clear view of the Finals from the TV in front of his living room couch.

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Instead of changing his geographical scenery in search of a championship ring, Durant needs to first work on changing himself.