Golden State Warriors: Signing Kevin Durant A Realistic Option
Following a devastating loss in the Finals to end a historic season, the Kevin Durant to Golden State Warriors rumors are looking more and more realistic.
Following a sour ending to an otherwise fantastic season, a once-infallible Golden State Warriors team had its greatest weaknesses exposed.
The star duo of the Splash Brothers had incredibly underwhelming performances, key role players like Harrison Barnes were largely unreliable and those that were — such as Shaun Livingston and Leandro Barbosa — were held out in crucial minutes in questionable coaching decisions.
Now, management will have to assess what — if any — changes need to be made to a roster that won the most total games of any team in NBA history.
Several players from the squad are set to hit free agency this summer, including Barnes, Festus Ezeli and Mareese Speights.
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While all of these players would likely love to stay in the Bay, the devastating Finals loss indicates that some upgrades may need to be made to what was thought to be a solid roster.
Throughout the final four games, the Warriors seemed to lack a player who could consistently find his rhythm on offense. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green each had one hot outing, but failed to provide continuity in their scoring output.
The Warriors needed someone else who could not only create their own shot, but do so at such a volume that they could carry the load should the other stars have an off night and go toe-to-toe with an offensive juggernaut like Finals MVP LeBron James.
Enter prolific scorer and perennial All-Star Kevin Durant.
Durant’s coming off of a resurgent year where his offensive prowess was as good as ever with averages of 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game on shooting splits of .505/.386/.898.
Since their loss in the Finals, the rumors of Golden State gearing up for a run at the four-time scoring champ have gone into overdrive.
While it is entirely possible for the 2014 League MVP to decide to re-sign with an Oklahoma City Thunder team that came one game short of defeating the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, the only thing that might trump his loyalty to the franchise that drafted him at this point may be his desire to win a championship.
If that proves to be the case, adding Durant to an offensively loaded Warriors team would be a match made in heaven.
Durant would not only provide the Warriors with a go-to scorer outside of the Splash Brothers, but he may trump the two as the team’s primary scoring option, thus opening up more catch-and-shoot opportunities for the two best snipers the league has to offer.
He would also undoubtedly be an upgrade over Barnes when playing off-ball as he too is an excellent three-point shooter.
For these reasons, adding Durant to the Death Lineup with Curry, Thompson, Green and veteran Andre Iguodala would take its deadliness and firepower to new heights.
Durant’s 8.2 rebounds a night would also greatly benefit a Warriors team that struggled in that area late in their playoff run and his five assists would likely increase playing alongside such prolific shooters.
While the whispers of a Durant-GSW connection were merely that at the start of the season, it’s become increasingly apparent that the Warriors need a force that can counter the behemoth that is LeBron James in order to win another championship and this is their best shot to obtain one.
It also proves enticing for Durant as this could be his best chance to win the ring that has long eluded him over the player that so many have put him in direct comparison with throughout his prime.
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It’s still just a rumor, but the Warriors signing KD could become a reality really soon.