Kevin Durant made the right decision, whether you like it or not.
After one trip to the NBA Finals in 2012 and four Western Conference Finals appearances, it was time for a change. Sure, Durant could’ve returned to Oklahoma City and still been a title contender in the Western Conference. But why wouldn’t Durant go to a team that’s favored to win it all?
This isn’t your granddad’s NBA when super teams were built on drafting players and trades, so deal with it. The Boston Celtics started this trend back in 2007.
Not only will the Warriors have the last three MVP’s on the same roster, but they’ll have a top-five shooting guard and a small forward who probably wouldn’t be scared of Goliath.
To most people it seems like Durant took the “if you can’t beat them, join them” approach, but that’s not true.
Rumblings of Durant signing with the Warriors started back in December 2015 when ESPN’s Chris Broussard took to Sportscenter to discuss that league executives thought Durant’s move to the Warriors was possible.
And The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported back in February that the Warriors were a threat to poach the former NBA MVP.
No one knows what type of relationship Durant had with Russell Westbrook or if he felt Westbrook wouldn’t commit to Oklahoma City long-term.
At least Durant cares about winning more than anything. Durant could have taken millions from Oklahoma City with a lower chance of winning championships. He could easily ended up like Karl Malone, who was is an all-time NBA great that stayed in Utah for 18 years, and ended up with no
championships to show for it.
Durant isn’t weak. If anything, he’s brave. Brave enough to actually go through with this signing knowing all the flak he would receive from fans, the
media and players around the NBA.
To also say Durant’s departure is another loss for small market NBA teams is ludicrous. The Thunder are still a top five team in the West and still have a superstar, who some would argue is better than Durant.
Oklahoma City tried its hardest to keep Durant. The Thunder were constantly active at the trade deadline, but all of those moves still didn’t get him a championship.
Durant’s decision is slightly different than LeBron James’. Durant wasn’t seen as the chosen one for Oklahoma City nor was he born and raised there.
While the Warriors set the NBA regular wins record last year, Durant isn’t joining that same team. Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli won’t be back. The Warriors will probably have to tweak a few things with their system to accommodate Durant.
So please save the “I’m no longer watching the NBA” nonsense. This team is going to be must-see tv, the NBA will be fine.
There’s a reason the NBA has something called free agency, and at the end of the day, Durant is a grown man that can make his own decisions.
Joshua Thornton is a 21-year old communication studies senior from Jacksonville, Florida.
