Kevin Durant going to the Golden State Warriors was one of the biggest headlines of the 2016 offseason, but if he wins the title, his decision will be justified
Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder before the start of the season to pursue a ring with an already loaded Golden State Warriors team. The determining factor of if it was a good decision or not will depend on if Durant wins a title this season.
It will also be a benefit if he is able to beat LeBron James in the Finals in the process. LeBron beat the Durant-led Thunder when he was in Miami for his first ring and now Durant will be able to follow in LeBron’s footsteps to do what LeBron did to him.
The Warriors swept the San Antonio Spurs after beating them in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday night, inching Durant that much closer to his goal. The Warriors have gone 12-0 in the playoffs. They are the first team to do so in the history of the NBA. Signing KD is definitely the result of this accomplishment.
Durant knows he has to win a ring this year or the move will be negatively criticized for the rest of his career. The facts are clear — Durant needs a ring. He knows he will not be mentioned with one of the greats unless he gets one.
His brand also needs to expand and seeing what LeBron has done after winning multiple rings with his brand, Durant wants to cash in too. LeBron reportedly signed a lifetime contract with Nike worth $1 billion, which is said to be the largest single-athlete guarantee in Nike’s history. Durant, who is also signed with Nike, would also like that too and he knows that it won’t be possible if he can’t elevate his brand by winning championships.
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These days players are doing whatever it takes to get a ring. That is not a bad thing because of the heightened pressure that the players of today feel to compete with the legacy of the former players and to also take their brands to new heights with how popular the sport is globally these days.
Those summer trips to China feel better when you have a ring. Also with the best NBA players playing on the USA team, they are more exposed to the world so if they have the rings then that helps them when they play on Team USA.
Durant’s move to Golden State wasn’t one of the greatest power moves ever made by a basketball player, but he knew after making one of the most selfish and sorry moves in the history of the NBA that he had to win a ring and it had to be this season or the world would come down on him.
The scene in Oklahoma City was similar to that of Cleveland when LeBron left in 2010. They burned Durant’s jersey and when he returned to OKC he heard it from all of the fans. Russell Westbrook was the voice of the fans on the floor. He was seen jawing with Durant on separate occasions. There was no love lost between the two.
The only thing that could rival the hate between the two would be Kobe Bryant vs. Shaquille O’Neal when Shaq left to play at Miami. The two have since made amends and have even been seen in a recent commercial for the 2K basketball video game.
If Durant wins how many ever rings that he wins at Golden State and wants to come back to OKC down the road, that would be a step into the right direction. LeBron did it. Why not Durant?
But if he comes back empty-handed, that would be a major hit to Durant’s legacy. Durant knows his job isn’t done until he wins a ring where he is now. LeBron didn’t win his first year being in Miami so Durant could possibly be empty-handed this season and he would be ready to go next year.
Valley of the Suns
LeBron’s decision in 2010 made this transition okay for Durant to do what he did because he is not the first one to do it. Their cases are different, but the concept is not foreign to NBA fans thanks to LeBron.
Durant averaged 25.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game this season. This was even while he was on the loaded Warriors team. His season was good enough to make it to the All-NBA Second Team, while Westbrook’s magical season was good enough to put him on the first team.
Durant cannot have his cake and eat it too. When he was on the Thunder he had all the personal success that elevated his career. From winning MVP to getting his shoe deal he had all the success but just no ring. Now he is in position to win a ring but all the personal accomplishments have taken a backseat.
Going to Golden State put his ranking as the one of the top three best in the NBA at a risk. Last year it was LeBron, Stephen Curry and Durant in that order, but this year Westbrook may have taken that third spot. That would be satisfaction for Westbrook if he is able to win the MVP and solidify his spot as one of the top three players in the world.
Durant had a 3-1 lead last year against the Warriors and lost that lead, and he decided to join that team. Combine that fact with the fact that Durant didn’t talk to Westbrook before making that decision to ultimately go to Golden State is why Westbrook is mad at Durant and as long as they are not on the same team, they will always be compared.
The next step for Westbrook is to beat Durant during next season. The Warriors swept the Thunder during the regular season, so Durant’s move was justified in the sense that he was right that the Warriors are the better team.
Now Durant has advanced to the Finals, waiting to see if LeBron will advance to meet him. If LeBron meets Durant in the Finals for the second time after beating him 4-1 in the 2012 championship series, then he can say he finally had enough to beat LeBron and Westbrook wasn’t enough.
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Durant should want nothing more than to beat LeBron in the Finals. That would solidify his championship and add credibility to his ring. If you can beat the best player at your position and in the league then you have truly earned your reward.