Kevin Durant: Warriors 'Work Extremely Well Together', Not Superteam

[RealGM Wiretap]

Similar to LeBron James, Kevin Durant has dismissed the notion that the Golden State Warriors are a superteam. Durant credited the way the Warriors were constructed with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all being draft picks.

"First of all, if everybody wanted Steph, he would have been the No. 1 pick," Durant said. "A lot of people passed on him. A lot of people doubted Steph, saying he wasn't going to be this good. Klay Thompson, he was just supposed to be this OK shooter in the league, like that's what you thought of Klay Thompson when he came in. Draymond, nobody wanted him. He was a 6-5 power forward. [They said] he couldn't play in the league, he couldn't start in the NBA. Shaun Livingston had a crazy knee injury.

"Nobody wanted him. Nobody thought that he would get back to being Shaun Livingston. Andre Iguodala, he got traded a couple of times. Nobody wanted him. A lot of people didn't expect these guys to be where they are today. Superteam? No, we just work extremely well together. Coach puts us in position to maximize our strengths."

Durant said the Warriors' selflessness stands out to him.

"We make each other better and it's not about who gets the credit," Durant said. "It's like, really just about having fun playing ball and let's see how we can win together and that alone just helps the ego. So, sorry I went on a little rant, but that's how I feel about the team. A lot of these guys beat the odds and came out and played a great brand of basketball and put the team first. That should be rewarded, and it did get rewarded with a championship."

Via Chris Haynes/ESPN

[Jaivl]

Stupid logic, lol.

[LeMasta]

whats a superteam again?

[Shewasfly]

Other than saying they're not a super team (they are, 3 stars is a super team. The Cavs and the Heat were too) he is 100% correct in everything else he said. This idea that they are vastly superior and more talented than any other team in league history is the falsest thing I've ever seen so widely accepted. They just play extremely well together.

Believe me, no one would be clamoring for that bench that everybody claims is so deep and full of talent because most know they aren't going to be that good and that impactful in any other system. No one is going to build a team around Draymond Green to be pretending he makes that a team with a "big 4". Other than the not a super team comment, KD is right.

[MartinToVaught]

Kevin Durlusional.

[hyberx]

The answer is that Warriors are a real team for the last 3 years, not a Superteam which is when you just grab 3 established franchise players and jam them on the same team to make it work.

Before Kerr arrived 3 years ago, nobody talk about Klay and Green being all stars. Curry were the only one who barely got in. Kerr's system perfectly fitted these 3 together and made Klay/Green into all stars (of course adding the fact that these two are hard workers). Still, nobody would say they are franchise players like Wade, Bosh, Love, Irving were.

That is why it is so easy to fit in KD. There are no ego and no "not enough basketball to go around". Exactly what KD said, they work extremely well together because of Kerr's system, the Warriors organization's culture and management competence. These are the factors that make a team great for a long time to come, even after Curry and KD. In a few years, McCaw (the 2nd round rookie who has been playing meaningful minutes even in the Final) would likely be the next star or at least a key contributor on the team. Just like how great the Spurs organization have been for the last 10+ years, it is all about player development.

The difference between Warriors/Spur vs. the superteams of Heat/Cavs is that after LeBron leaves, there are not much left because such teams were built around LeBron and for LeBron. Look at the Cavs, after LeBron in 3 years or so they will have nothing left, trading away picks for short term roster boost. There are virtually no player development for these short term super teams, let alone an organization culture that would last.

[likashing]

The Warriors are a super team. Just built organically with a bunch of relatively low picks and got lucky signing a super star in KD.

It was just not built by getting a zillion #1 picks, so many that they could waste one on a bust, and then trading another #1 pick to get a 2-time All NBA forward to form a team.

[bballshinobi]

KD is right. A superteam is when you put 3 allstars together like KG+Ray+Pierce, Lebron+Wade+Bosh, or even his own KD+Westbrook+Ibaka. When you have 5 all-star caliber players with 2 starter caliber backups, you are not a super team.

You are NBA 2k on rookie mode with user sliders at 99 and PC sliders at 0.

[The Real Dalic]

He's just feeling insecure about his championship. He knows that people are putting an asterisk next to it. Making up bs just to make himself feel better.

[thamadkant]

Lol at this.


A superteam is not defined as a team put togetther by grabbing superstars from other teams.

Its defined as a team having multiple elite players who are amongst the very best in their position.


Doesnt matter if Curry, Thompson or Green were drafted by Warriors... They turned out to be elite players then you add in some more elite or former elite players from other teams and you have a superteam.


Yes Warriors are extremely lucky to have drafted stars. But fact is the players they've drafted are elite stars and they also happen to fit perfect next to each other.

[oaktownwarriors87]

"We make each other better and it's not about who gets the credit"

We? Pretty sure they make each-other better. Durant is giving himself credit when he just jumped on board.

I'm pretty sure everyone on the Warriors but Durant looked worse this year than last.

[Tussin33]

Shaun Livingston injured his knee in 07..... He was on 7 Different teams between then and the Warriors... 8 Teams wanted him Kevin. And nobody wanted iguodala? lol like wtf is this dude talking about. Just because he's unselfish and comes off your bench doesn't mean nobody wants him. I'm pretty sure his contract is up too so I hope he leaves for one of those teams that don't want him.

[Tussin33]

Also, Iguodala was traded ONCE, not a couple of times. Steph Curry went 7th **** overall out of DAVIDSON..... how did nobody want him? I was pissed when my Wolves past on him and I'm just a fan . I hate Kevin Durant even more than I did before reading this.... didn't know that was possible.

[hyberx]

Lol at this.


A superteam is not defined as a team put togetther by grabbing superstars from other teams.

Its defined as a team having multiple elite players who are amongst the very best in their position.


Doesnt matter if Curry, Thompson or Green were drafted by Warriors... They turned out to be elite players then you add in some more elite or former elite players from other teams and you have a superteam.


Yes Warriors are extremely lucky to have drafted stars. But fact is the players they've drafted are elite stars and they also happen to fit perfect next to each other.

So the 2014-2015 Atlanta Hawks with 4 All Stars were a superteam to you? How many people said Spurs had a superteam with Duncan, Kawhi, Manu, Parker, then eventually LarMarcus?

Every team has elite players. When the team doesn't win because they have bad chemistry, negative culture, incompetent coaching, bad player development, they look like stiffs. When they fit together and are developed properly, they look like stars. Only focusing on the talent alone is why so many teams fail and why fans like you have no idea why your team is losing lol.

[thamadkant]

Lol at this.


A superteam is not defined as a team put togetther by grabbing superstars from other teams.

Its defined as a team having multiple elite players who are amongst the very best in their position.


Doesnt matter if Curry, Thompson or Green were drafted by Warriors... They turned out to be elite players then you add in some more elite or former elite players from other teams and you have a superteam.


Yes Warriors are extremely lucky to have drafted stars. But fact is the players they've drafted are elite stars and they also happen to fit perfect next to each other.

So the 2014-2015 Atlanta Hawks with 4 All Stars were a superteam to you? How many people said Spurs had a superteam with Duncan, Kawhi, Manu, Parker, then eventually LarMarcus?

Every team has elite players. When the team doesn't win because they have bad chemistry, negative culture, incompetent coaching, bad player development, they look like stiffs. When they fit together and are developed properly, they look like stars. Only focusing on the talent alone is why so many teams fail and why fans like you have no idea why your team is losing lol.

Having all stars doesnt mean superteam. Did I say All-star appearance classify a player as an elite star? First its a popularity contest second coaches vote in players they think are having great seasons.
So Hawks were not classified as a superteam.

Spurs?... 2007 is close to being a superteam except they only have 1 legit MVP candidate.
Leonard did not become a star until 2014 when Duncan was almost just a defender and Parker and Ginobili became just good players.


You actually comparing those teams to the Warriors team that have Klay Thompson who averaged over 20 ppg last season and was amongst best shooter and defender in the league? Draymond Green top 3 defender in the league and one of the best all rounders? Steph Curry who has been the best offensive guard the last decade and has won 2 MVPs the last year and the year before... And Durant who is considered top 3 player in the league for the last 7 years or so.


The warriors have been so good at developing their drafted players and also lucky in getting them.... But it doesnt prevent them from being called a super team... Why you even trying to debate it.

We all watch basketball and know the difference between this Warriors team and the teams you tried to compare them with..... The warriors without Durant was already a superteam by their accomplishment... With Durant they become a superteam by any means of the definition.

[ChokeFasncists]

I guess he's just saying they're not like the Heat Big 3?

Or maybe he's saying they're not like the Dream Team with Magic, MJ, Pippen, Bird and Barkley?

[likashing]

Be ready for more of these KD crap guys, cuz the Warriors are winning more rings in the next 5-10 years. I can't imagine if I get fed up on these like some ppl.

[hyberx]

Lol at this.


A superteam is not defined as a team put togetther by grabbing superstars from other teams.

Its defined as a team having multiple elite players who are amongst the very best in their position.


Doesnt matter if Curry, Thompson or Green were drafted by Warriors... They turned out to be elite players then you add in some more elite or former elite players from other teams and you have a superteam.


Yes Warriors are extremely lucky to have drafted stars. But fact is the players they've drafted are elite stars and they also happen to fit perfect next to each other.

So the 2014-2015 Atlanta Hawks with 4 All Stars were a superteam to you? How many people said Spurs had a superteam with Duncan, Kawhi, Manu, Parker, then eventually LarMarcus?

Every team has elite players. When the team doesn't win because they have bad chemistry, negative culture, incompetent coaching, bad player development, they look like stiffs. When they fit together and are developed properly, they look like stars. Only focusing on the talent alone is why so many teams fail and why fans like you have no idea why your team is losing lol.

Having all stars doesnt mean superteam. Did I say All-star appearance classify a player as an elite star? First its a popularity contest second coaches vote in players they think are having great seasons.
So Hawks were not classified as a superteam.

Spurs?... 2007 is close to being a superteam except they only have 1 legit MVP candidate.
Leonard did not become a star until 2014 when Duncan was almost just a defender and Parker and Ginobili became just good players.


You actually comparing those teams to the Warriors team that have Klay Thompson who averaged over 20 ppg last season and was amongst best shooter and defender in the league? Draymond Green top 3 defender in the league and one of the best all rounders? Steph Curry who has been the best offensive guard the last decade and has won 2 MVPs the last year and the year before... And Durant who is considered top 3 player in the league for the last 7 years or so.


The warriors have been so good at developing their drafted players and also lucky in getting them.... But it doesnt prevent them from being called a super team... Why you even trying to debate it.

We all watch basketball and know the difference between this Warriors team and the teams you tried to compare them with..... The warriors without Durant was already a superteam by their accomplishment... With Durant they become a superteam by any means of the definition.

2014 Duncan were almost just a defender and Parker/Manu were just good players? Now it is obvious that you are one of those who just the greatness of a player merely by their PPG stat. Is that case, just like some other geniuses pointed out, Green is nothing but merely a good player, lol. The fact is that Spurs were better as a team over their previous 2013 championship years and those 3 guys' stats are not much different per 36 minutes. They just stepped back to focus on defense and let Kawhi shine more on offense. After that year they added LA, another legit franchise player, on top of all these guys.

If your definition of a super team is merely their PPG, then David Lee's 18 PPG were part of the Warriors superteam during Mark Jackson's last year along with Klay and Curry. That team lost in the 1st round. If your definition of a superteam is how many wins they racked up the last couple years, then there are many such superteams with 60 or so wins in the history of the league.

The whole superteam thing started with Boston when they got 3 franchise players together. Same with LeBron's Heat/Cavs. How many of you actually think Klay and Green are franchise players before this year? Trying to redefine the term to minimize what Warriors accomplished as a real team the last 3 years, most organically, is downright silly.

[Unwell]

Lol! Lol! Lol! I think he should just stop talking to the media. Lebron James never went to a contending team.....be it through draft, trade or free agency, he never went to a 73-9 team that just beat him after he had them up 3-1. It's sad that another man has to be brought up in order to give this guy credit. It's not the same as Lebron and it has nothing to do with Lebron, it's about the sport, nobody cared when Shaq went to the Lakers, people can go to better teams but going to the 73-9 team that you shouldve beat is something else. Only Ray Allen and Kevin Durant has done this and nothing will make it "cool" or "ok" he's weak and delusional.

[dautjazz]

This is stupid. I understand that the Warriors weren't put together like the 2004 Lakers, 2008 Celtics, 2011 Heat, or 2015 Cavs, where they made 2+ big acquisitions in one year, like well known all-star level talents, but they became a super team much like OKC could of been if they were able to keep Harden, through the draft. Sure they were fortunate to get their talent later in the draft than where you usually get all-star talents, but by the time they traded for Iggy, there was no doubt that they were becoming a very good young team, and to say that a 73-9 team with Curry, Thompson, Green and Iggy wasn't already a super team is ridiculous. Obviously they had to let Barnes go. They could of won the title had they kept Barnes instead of Durant, that's how damn good they were.