Kevin Durant's legacy

[peja_the_legend]

Besides his NBA tenure,Durant is by far the best team USA player in its history.He singlehandedly led USA to two titles(World championship 2010,Olympics 2021).I'd argue he's the best FIBA player in general,ever.

[f4p]

His time with PHX is over. What does this run do to his legacy?

I believe it has to hurt. He left GSW to prove he could win in his own team. Not only did it not happen in BKN with the big 3, it also didn't happen with PHX and will end up with them missing the playoffs. Not that I believe that missing the playoffs is KD's fault but at this point seems like going away from GSW ended up hurting his legacy.

What are the overall thoughts of the GB on this?

Is his window to win as the man closed?

Weren't the suns something like 2-16 without Durant this year. Which would mean I think 33-29 with. Seems like he kept a clown show afloat if anything.

And the only reason he didn't win in Brooklyn is that he almost still somehow beat the eventual champs withput basically his 2 best teammates. All of this after tearing an Achilles and coming back about as well as anyone.

Plus, not sure how much anyones seasons after 35 should affect their legacy negatively. Doing anything good after that she is generally the exception, not the rule.

[Godymas]

Jokic and Giannis clear him with only 1 ring.

He kind of botched everything post GSW. He was cool
one year in Brooklyn and then it’s been let down after let down. The next few years are crucial for what he ends up as.

[f4p]

I respect that he's a student of the game and loves the game. Always played hard. He just wanted to hoop.

He had to fight fire with fire and do the super team thing since LeBron ruined the competitive integrity of the league.

Durant did a great thing by joining GS because if he didn't, LeBron might have won 2 more super team titles that would unfairly boost his legacy.

Basically, in a way, Durant saved the integrity of the league.

Ok, so an elite player joining a 73-win team that beat him a few weeks earlier because of his choking is admirable to you?

It doesn't seem any less admirable than a 73 win team calling an MVP in the parking lot AFTER GAME 7 to beg him to help them beat the bully who just punked them. Or driving out to the Hamptons to also beg that guy to join the team. I've never understood how KD was just looking for an easy chip (which is true ) but the warriors were just out here taking the hardest road.

[sp6r=underrated]

His time with PHX is over. What does this run do to his legacy?

I believe it has to hurt. He left GSW to prove he could win in his own team. Not only did it not happen in BKN with the big 3, it also didn't happen with PHX and will end up with them missing the playoffs. Not that I believe that missing the playoffs is KD's fault but at this point seems like going away from GSW ended up hurting his legacy.

What are the overall thoughts of the GB on this?

Is his window to win as the man closed?

To me he's the 21st Century Wilt. Most all-time greats have a narrow range but I can see strong argument for and against Durant all-time depending on how you look at things.

[f4p]

Besides his NBA tenure,Durant is by far the best team USA player in its history.He singlehandedly led USA to two titles(World championship 2010,Olympics 2021).I'd argue he's the best FIBA player in general,ever.

Yeah, unlike melo who basically just was a good jump shooter who got lots of good looks on Team USA and made them, Durant straight up took over on one or two teams and made those golds possible, especially that one world championship.

[Beethoven]

I respect that he's a student of the game and loves the game. Always played hard. He just wanted to hoop.

He had to fight fire with fire and do the super team thing since LeBron ruined the competitive integrity of the league.

Durant did a great thing by joining GS because if he didn't, LeBron might have won 2 more super team titles that would unfairly boost his legacy.

Basically, in a way, Durant saved the integrity of the league.

Ok, so an elite player joining a 73-win team that beat him a few weeks earlier because of his choking is admirable to you? I assume you’re trolling. I can’t even empathize with the kind of seared conscience one must have to unironically believe that. It’s like saying you respect Jack the Ripper because he killed hookers.

Jeez...wtf is wrong with you, man? Youre line of thinking seriously implies you need some help.

[Dubnation]

[Dubnation]

I respect that he's a student of the game and loves the game. Always played hard. He just wanted to hoop.

He had to fight fire with fire and do the super team thing since LeBron ruined the competitive integrity of the league.

Durant did a great thing by joining GS because if he didn't, LeBron might have won 2 more super team titles that would unfairly boost his legacy.

Basically, in a way, Durant saved the integrity of the league.

Ok, so an elite player joining a 73-win team that beat him a few weeks earlier because of his choking is admirable to you? I assume you’re trolling. I can’t even empathize with the kind of seared conscience one must have to unironically believe that. It’s like saying you respect Jack the Ripper because he killed hookers.

Jeez...wtf is wrong with you, man? Youre line of thinking seriously implies you need some help.

Glad you said it. I was wondering if I was the only one who saw it that way.

[facothomas22]

He would've been viewed a forgotten star if he didn't pull one of the weakest moves in NBA history by joining a 73 win team. Basically modern day George Gervin with a MVP award.

[Dubnation]

He would've been viewed a forgotten star if he didn't pull one of the weakest moves in NBA history by joining a 73 win team. Basically modern day George Gervin with a MVP award.

A NON Championship team. 73 wins are irrelevant.

[Mogspan]

I respect that he's a student of the game and loves the game. Always played hard. He just wanted to hoop.

He had to fight fire with fire and do the super team thing since LeBron ruined the competitive integrity of the league.

Durant did a great thing by joining GS because if he didn't, LeBron might have won 2 more super team titles that would unfairly boost his legacy.

Basically, in a way, Durant saved the integrity of the league.

Ok, so an elite player joining a 73-win team that beat him a few weeks earlier because of his choking is admirable to you?

It doesn't seem any less admirable than a 73 win team calling an MVP in the parking lot AFTER GAME 7 to beg him to help them beat the bully who just punked them. Or driving out to the Hamptons to also beg that guy to join the team. I've never understood how KD was just looking for an easy chip (which is true ) but the warriors were just out here taking the hardest road.

It’s definitely less respectable IMO. The Warriors got punked, but as an organization, I don’t really blame them for recruiting a player of KD’s caliber. That’s their job. If there’s a reasonable chance of getting a free agent like KD on your team, you go for it. KD actually being swayed by their sales pitch, on the other hand… it’s like you have to have enough pride to not join an all-time, freakishly talented team against whom you just blew a 3-1 lead. Call it “toxic masculinity” (which I think can be a real thing tbf) or something if you want, but that’s an impossibly shameless move. The Warriors were just trying to retool, whereas KD was being a tool.

[OldSchoolNoBull]

Ok, so an elite player joining a 73-win team that beat him a few weeks earlier because of his choking is admirable to you?

It doesn't seem any less admirable than a 73 win team calling an MVP in the parking lot AFTER GAME 7 to beg him to help them beat the bully who just punked them. Or driving out to the Hamptons to also beg that guy to join the team. I've never understood how KD was just looking for an easy chip (which is true ) but the warriors were just out here taking the hardest road.

It’s definitely less respectable IMO. The Warriors got punked, but as an organization, I don’t really blame them for recruiting a player of KD’s caliber. That’s their job. If there’s a reasonable chance of getting a free agent like KD on your team, you go for it. KD actually being swayed by their sales pitch, on the other hand… it’s like you have to have enough pride to not join an all-time, freakishly talented team against whom you just blew a 3-1 lead. Call it “toxic masculinity” (which I think can be a real thing tbf) or something if you want, but that’s an impossibly shameless move. The Warriors were just trying to retool, whereas KD was being a tool.

No, I disagree with that. The Warriors didn't need to retool. That was a core that was one game away from being a back-to-back champion that won 67 and 73 games. It's like saying the Spurs, after winning in 2005 and losing in 2006, needed to retool by adding Kobe to the roster.

I will always criticize Durant for the move, but the Warriors deserve it too. I give Steph all the credit in the world for staying loyal to the Warriors through thick and thin in an era where big names were team hopping all over the place, but the one chink in his armor in that regard is that he was the one guy who could've stopped the Durant move, and he didn't. He and Draymond could've said to management "No. We nearly just won it all - we might have anyway if Draymond didn't get suspended - we don't need KD. We're good." But they didn't. They recruited and signed off.

[NZB2323]

It’s absolutely part of his legacy but so are his great moments. I have him in the 19-21 range.

[Dubnation]

It doesn't seem any less admirable than a 73 win team calling an MVP in the parking lot AFTER GAME 7 to beg him to help them beat the bully who just punked them. Or driving out to the Hamptons to also beg that guy to join the team. I've never understood how KD was just looking for an easy chip (which is true ) but the warriors were just out here taking the hardest road.

It’s definitely less respectable IMO. The Warriors got punked, but as an organization, I don’t really blame them for recruiting a player of KD’s caliber. That’s their job. If there’s a reasonable chance of getting a free agent like KD on your team, you go for it. KD actually being swayed by their sales pitch, on the other hand… it’s like you have to have enough pride to not join an all-time, freakishly talented team against whom you just blew a 3-1 lead. Call it “toxic masculinity” (which I think can be a real thing tbf) or something if you want, but that’s an impossibly shameless move. The Warriors were just trying to retool, whereas KD was being a tool.

No, I disagree with that. The Warriors didn't need to retool. That was a core that was one game away from being a back-to-back champion that won 67 and 73 games. It's like saying the Spurs, after winning in 2005 and losing in 2006, needed to retool by adding Kobe to the roster.

I will always criticize Durant for the move, but the Warriors deserve it too. I give Steph all the credit in the world for staying loyal to the Warriors through thick and thin in an era where big names were team hopping all over the place, but the one chink in his armor in that regard is that he was the one guy who could've stopped the Durant move, and he didn't. He and Draymond could've said to management "No. We nearly just won it all - we might have anyway if Draymond didn't get suspended - we don't need KD. We're good." But they didn't. They recruited and signed off.

Nearly only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Sport is an absolute. You either win or lose. There is no moral victories, or almost, etc. You know better than this.

Winning a championship is very hard. Franchises are tasked to win by any means necessary. It's malpractice if they don't.

[f4p]

It doesn't seem any less admirable than a 73 win team calling an MVP in the parking lot AFTER GAME 7 to beg him to help them beat the bully who just punked them. Or driving out to the Hamptons to also beg that guy to join the team. I've never understood how KD was just looking for an easy chip (which is true ) but the warriors were just out here taking the hardest road.

It’s definitely less respectable IMO. The Warriors got punked, but as an organization, I don’t really blame them for recruiting a player of KD’s caliber. That’s their job. If there’s a reasonable chance of getting a free agent like KD on your team, you go for it. KD actually being swayed by their sales pitch, on the other hand… it’s like you have to have enough pride to not join an all-time, freakishly talented team against whom you just blew a 3-1 lead. Call it “toxic masculinity” (which I think can be a real thing tbf) or something if you want, but that’s an impossibly shameless move. The Warriors were just trying to retool, whereas KD was being a tool.

No, I disagree with that. The Warriors didn't need to retool. That was a core that was one game away from being a back-to-back champion that won 67 and 73 games. It's like saying the Showtime Lakers, after winning the title in 1980 and losing in CF in 1981, needed to retool by adding Larry Bird to the roster. Come on.

I will always criticize Durant for the move, but the Warriors deserve it too. I give Steph all the credit in the world for staying loyal to the Warriors through thick and thin

Hmm, when exactly was the thin? He's had 2 (and sometimes 3) hall of fame teammates since 2012 , with only 2021 and Klay's injury being the only time there was only 1 actually playing. Seems like he would have been crazy to ever leave.

in an era where big names were team hopping all over the place, but the one chink in his armor in that regard is that he was the one guy who could've stopped the Durant move, and he didn't. He and Draymond could've said to management "No. We nearly just won it all - we might have anyway if Draymond didn't get suspended - we don't need KD. We're good." But they didn't. They recruited and signed off.

Exactly. People like Steph so they handwave all of this away but a guy who had one of the greatest seasons of all time just gave away his team at his absolute peak to win easy titles. And he could have stopped it. I mean really, he should have stopped it. Another 2017 title without KD helps his legacy a lot more than the 2 KD titles (well, maybe not with the braindead ringz crowd). Instead, he basically just selected "pass" on adding to his legacy from 2017 to 2019 when they should have been peak years to do so. Now again, people like Steph so they now just pretend KD didn't matter at all and really those are Steph's titles, but it was a weak move to avoid the trilogy with LeBron and act like KD just forced his way onto the team as if Steph and the warriors had no choice but to give him a max contract.

[OldSchoolNoBull]

It’s definitely less respectable IMO. The Warriors got punked, but as an organization, I don’t really blame them for recruiting a player of KD’s caliber. That’s their job. If there’s a reasonable chance of getting a free agent like KD on your team, you go for it. KD actually being swayed by their sales pitch, on the other hand… it’s like you have to have enough pride to not join an all-time, freakishly talented team against whom you just blew a 3-1 lead. Call it “toxic masculinity” (which I think can be a real thing tbf) or something if you want, but that’s an impossibly shameless move. The Warriors were just trying to retool, whereas KD was being a tool.

No, I disagree with that. The Warriors didn't need to retool. That was a core that was one game away from being a back-to-back champion that won 67 and 73 games. It's like saying the Spurs, after winning in 2005 and losing in 2006, needed to retool by adding Kobe to the roster.

I will always criticize Durant for the move, but the Warriors deserve it too. I give Steph all the credit in the world for staying loyal to the Warriors through thick and thin in an era where big names were team hopping all over the place, but the one chink in his armor in that regard is that he was the one guy who could've stopped the Durant move, and he didn't. He and Draymond could've said to management "No. We nearly just won it all - we might have anyway if Draymond didn't get suspended - we don't need KD. We're good." But they didn't. They recruited and signed off.

Nearly only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Sport is an absolute. You either win or lose. There is no moral victories, or almost, etc. You know better than this.

Winning a championship is very hard. Franchises are tasked to win by any means necessary. It's malpractice if they don't.

You are a Warriors fan. You can't be objective about this.

The point is if the Warriors had run back the 2016 team in 2017(or just added new depth or whatever), they would've still been one of the favorites to win it all. They did not need KD.

[OldSchoolNoBull]

Hmm, when exactly was the thin? He's had 2 (and sometimes 3) hall of fame teammates since 2012 , with only 2021 and Klay's injury being the only time there was only 1 actually playing. Seems like he would have been crazy to ever leave.

Well, 2020 and 2021 when Klay was out and the Warriors weren't in the hunt, and then honestly 23 and 24 and the first half of this season prior to the Jimmy trade when the Warriors weren't anything special.

[Dubnation]

No, I disagree with that. The Warriors didn't need to retool. That was a core that was one game away from being a back-to-back champion that won 67 and 73 games. It's like saying the Spurs, after winning in 2005 and losing in 2006, needed to retool by adding Kobe to the roster.

I will always criticize Durant for the move, but the Warriors deserve it too. I give Steph all the credit in the world for staying loyal to the Warriors through thick and thin in an era where big names were team hopping all over the place, but the one chink in his armor in that regard is that he was the one guy who could've stopped the Durant move, and he didn't. He and Draymond could've said to management "No. We nearly just won it all - we might have anyway if Draymond didn't get suspended - we don't need KD. We're good." But they didn't. They recruited and signed off.

Nearly only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Sport is an absolute. You either win or lose. There is no moral victories, or almost, etc. You know better than this.

Winning a championship is very hard. Franchises are tasked to win by any means necessary. It's malpractice if they don't.

You are a Warriors fan. You can't be objective about this.

The point is if the Warriors had run back the 2016 team in 2017(or just added new depth or whatever), they would've still been one of the favorites to win it all. They did not need KD.

So 'run it back' as in stay put and not want to improve at all. Say that out loud, and see how silly that sounds.

In fact, lets hold the rest of the Association to the same standard. Boston should be 'punished' for adding Porzingis since they were 'close' in 2022. How do you feel about that?

[f4p]

Ok, so an elite player joining a 73-win team that beat him a few weeks earlier because of his choking is admirable to you?

It doesn't seem any less admirable than a 73 win team calling an MVP in the parking lot AFTER GAME 7 to beg him to help them beat the bully who just punked them. Or driving out to the Hamptons to also beg that guy to join the team. I've never understood how KD was just looking for an easy chip (which is true ) but the warriors were just out here taking the hardest road.

It’s definitely less respectable IMO. The Warriors got punked, but as an organization, I don’t really blame them for recruiting a player of KD’s caliber. That’s their job.

It can't be "the warriors got punked, not the players" but also " KD got punked, not the thunder". I mean the warriors didn't call KD after game 7. Draymond did. The Hampton 5 isn't the warriors front office, it's Steph and draymond, etc. "oh, I totally want to be a competitor and show everyone we only lost because I, Steph, was injured , but what can I do but accept this insanely easy title or titles by adding Kevin Durant because my organization wants it. but remember, I totally don't want this."

This explanation is basically trying to have your cake and eat it too.