Kevin Durant Joins the Warriors for "Basketball Reasons"
By: Steven Ngati
Somewhere, Chris Paul has to be salty right? He wasn’t allowed to go to the Lakers to team up with an aging Kobe Bryant, but LeBron got to go play with his buddies in South Beach and now Kevin Durant is joining a record breaking squad to form something of the like we’ve never seen before. Four superstar players all under 30 years old, all in their primes. Where is David Stern and his “basketball reasons” when you need it? As a Spurs fan, I’m devastated by this move and like fans of other teams I’m wondering how in the world can we match up with the new look Warriors? This is the biggest real life cheat code that I’ve ever seen in pro basketball. (Side note: Speaking of cheat codes, if I see you come out with the Warriors in 2K17, I will instantly lose all respect for you as a person. I felt the same way about people who used the Patriots in Madden 08 and people who used the Seahawks online in Madden 15. Please, don’t be THAT guy.)
As a basketball fan, I’ve never been more excited to see a team play than the 2016-17 Warriors. In terms of basketball IQ and personality, the fit should be seamless. Not to mention, you have Steve Kerr who is one of the best offensive minds in basketball on your bench. On paper, this group looks unstoppable and I’m curious to see how opposing teams handle them in the regular season. (BTW, what is going to be their nickname? In Miami, the last super group was called The Heatles. So far I’ve heard Core Four, Fantastic Four, The Four Horsemen and the Death Stars, after Kerr’s signature Death lineup. We’ve got some time so I’m curious to see what people come up with.) We’re going to see teams try some of the most ridiculous lineups and coverages to see if anything can fluster the Warriors. Other teams may play the Warriors straight up with no adjustments to avoid showing their hand until playoffs. Last season Popovich and the Spurs showed the blueprint on how to at least contain the Warriors’ offensive attack by switching everything on their pick n rolls. It was a good strategy and teams like Milwaukee and Minnesota had some success pestering the Warriors attack with their athletic big men, but since Pop showed his hand in March everyone in the league started playing the Warriors with the switch everything strategy so often that they had adjusted to it by playoff time. With Durant now in the picture, I think any advanced strategies to counter the Warriors will be shelved until April.
As a 28 year old entering the prime of my own professional career I understand and applaud Kevin Durant on his decision. Durant has gotten mixed reviews from social media, ESPN and sports blogs alike over the last 48 hours. A lot of fans and analysts seem to be upset and asking the question; why would he run to the team that beat him in the playoffs after being up 3-1? My answer to that question is simple. The Warriors began recruiting Durant before the All-Star break of last season. They didn’t set up their cap space situation by accident. They had been openly discussing the possibility of adding Durant for months. He was heavily courted by an outstanding franchise featuring great players that he could see himself playing with into his 30’s. Even if OKC never played the Warriors in the playoffs, it wouldn’t have mattered because he was already in play to join them. What’s funny to me, is we judge athletes almost solely on championships won and the last I checked, Kevin Durant hadn’t won a title yet. Keep in mind, he is joining a team that lost in the Finals last year. I could understand being upset about this if the Warriors were coming off back to back championships, but they’re not. They lost in the same 3-1 scenario that Durant did and they felt like they were missing something. If I left a company where I peaked, I mean truly accomplished everything I possibly could, to pursue a dream or another goal at a better company that offers personal upside, why would I say no? Wouldn’t you say yes and look forward to celebrating with your friends on Facebook or LinkedIn about your new opportunity? Why is this any different? Durant’s goal is to win a championship and he is putting himself in the best possible position to achieve that goal. People are mad because he didn’t do it on their terms. We’ve heard excuses like, “he didn’t win by himself,” “he jumped on another bandwagon”, and my personal favorite, “these millennials, guys in the 80’s and 90’s never joined together, superstars carried their own teams.”
Remember when Barkley tried to "cheat" his way to a title with guys that had already won a ring? God I love the hypocrisy!
The league has always been top heavy; only 10 teams have won the title since 1980. Kevin Durant doesn’t want to be Karl Malone, John Stockton, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing or Reggie Miller. Barkley and Malone were so desperate to win that they joined super teams in their late 30’s and still didn’t get a ring. Many of those guys retired with no titles because they weren’t on super teams. People need to realize that if you weren’t on the Lakers, Bulls, Celtics or Pistons over a 15 year period, you had no shot. Super teams never ruined basketball before and it won’t ruin basketball now. Aren’t we supposed to learn from those who came before us? Durant has nine years of experience coming up short. It’s about time he made a change for the better, before it’s too late. Besides, at the end of the day, competitive balance does not fall in Kevin Durant’s job description; competitive balance falls on the shoulders of owners’ who are busy giving bums and washed up players massive contracts.
The first thing Durant said when free agency began was that he would make the best basketball decision for his future. His decision wasn’t about marketing opportunities, joining friends, or playing for his hometown team. It was strictly, “basketball reasons.” How can you argue with Durant’s decision from the soul perspective of trying to win a championship? I’ve seen fans conveniently bring up Durant’s tweet being critical of LeBron’s Miami decision from 2010. So what? People change. He was 21 years old when he said that. How many dumb things did you say when you were 21 that you wish you could take back?
I agree with Jemele Hill of ESPN, when she says it’s actually a BOLD move for him to go the Warriors because of the pressure and expectations that will now be heaped on his shoulders. It seems as though people are starting to prioritize the degree of difficulty in winning over just winning. As great as this Warriors team looks on paper, it will be a challenge to take on everyone’s best shot and keep guys healthy. Durant missed most of the 2014 season due to foot problems and now has a permanent screw embedded. Steph Curry has had ankle issues his whole career and messed up his knee during the playoffs. Health concerns have to be factored into the risk of this move. With a top heavy roster, there will be a sense of urgency for the Warriors to win a title considering an injury can derail everything.
Bottom line, it’s hard as hell to win in this league and after the Miami Heat assembled their super team the league adjusted. The Heat were a success, and still only went 2-2 in the NBA Finals. When Durant raises the Larry O’Brien trophy as an NBA champion I hope people appreciate his dedication and willingness to do whatever it takes to win at the highest level. The Warriors have made their power move and now the fun part begins. I can’t wait to see how the league will adjust yet again.
