10 NBA players who turned their back on their franchises

1) Kevin Durant

Former Oklahoma City Thunder turned Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant spent the first nine seasons of his surefire first-ballot Hall of Fame career turning the franchise into a perennial contender. Of course, that became old news once he opted to sign with the Golden State Warriors, which turned him into a hated figure after being the darling of the NBA for years.

The fact that he signed with a bigger market team that already had three future Hall of Famers and had just beaten the Thunder in the playoffs the month before definitely didn't help things. Thunder fans haven't forgotten or forgiven their one-time superstar for seemingly turning his back on the franchise that he helped establish in Oklahoma City after their departure from Seattle.

In Durant's defense, he played out his contract and signed elsewhere; he doesn't owe the Thunder anything beyond that. While Thunder fans understandably took it personal that their one-time idol left for a flashier franchise, he accomplished more than many have in a career in nine seasons with their team. 27.3 points per game, a Rookie of the Year, five all-NBA first teams and an MVP is a heck of a run and Thunder fans may eventually come around, but it's going to take a lot of time.