How Much Do You Appreciate KD Now on the Warriors

[HurricaneKid]

If all the GS and Durant fanboys want to claim this is some sort of major achievement, go right ahead.
The fact remains he joined a team that had just won one title and barely lost another.
This situation of a player of his caliber doing what he did has never happened before.
It would have been something like Bird or Jordan joining the Showtime Lakers. But they didn't.
It's his perfect right as a person to do what he thinks best for himself. Nobody is arguing that.
But he joined a super team with the players in their primes and poised to win more titles.
He hurt the league's competitiveness.
I'll never give him credit. He doesn't deserve it.

Lebron James and Chris Bosh joining Miami, a team with a top-5 player who had won 47 games the year before is comparable, since that was two former 1st options in their prime joining an already solid team and taking a pay cut to play together.

I honestly don't think GSW would had won last year's finals with Harrison Barnes instead of Durant and this year against Houston. KD has been GSW's most consistent player through both play-offs.

This is just willfully obnoxious. The Heat started two non-NBA players the entire season. Carlos Arroyo, Erick Dampier, Joel Anthony, the husk of Mike Bibby all saw significant starts. Just look what 10 min of having bums on the floor does to NBA teams now. There were 120 min of bums on that Miami team.

Its just absurd false equivalence.

[Kurt Heimlich]

I appreciate that KD joined the best team and they are still the best team. It would have been more interesting to see him develop that thunder team into a championship team of it's own instead of hitching onto an already established dominant team but what can you do.

He spent 9 years trying to make OKC into a championship team, got beaten by LeBron's Superteam in a finals series while sticking solid with them when they were a home grown team, OKC didn't retain Harden or change their coaching or game planning after that title loss, and he had a career threatening injury at OKC from which he was brought back too early.

It is quite understandable OKC fans are upset, but OKC imo should have done more with him while they had him. Others may have wanted him to be as a dominant as possible as an individual player in the LeBron vein which is a reasonable ambition to have for him, but it is his life and he is entitled to his own ambitions, again imo. Disinterested fans of the NBA who value parity above all else definitely have a case, although I wonder how many there truly are interested only in a pure even competition and would be upset by their own team being dominant, particularly if fans of teams as lowly as GSW had been for several decades.

What I don't accept is that Lebron fans have any cause for complaint, and they seem to make up a significant percentage of those complaining.

Yeah not blaming KD at all. But I'm just talking about "how much I appreciate KD". And his impact on the league, after deciding to switch to an already historically great team, is taking the Warriors from +500 favorites to win the title to +1000 favorites.

[Theocy]

If all the GS and Durant fanboys want to claim this is some sort of major achievement, go right ahead.
The fact remains he joined a team that had just won one title and barely lost another.
This situation of a player of his caliber doing what he did has never happened before.
It would have been something like Bird or Jordan joining the Showtime Lakers. But they didn't.
It's his perfect right as a person to do what he thinks best for himself. Nobody is arguing that.
But he joined a super team with the players in their primes and poised to win more titles.
He hurt the league's competitiveness.
I'll never give him credit. He doesn't deserve it.

Lebron James and Chris Bosh joining Miami, a team with a top-5 player who had won 47 games the year before is comparable, since that was two former 1st options in their prime joining an already solid team and taking a pay cut to play together.

I honestly don't think GSW would had won last year's finals with Harrison Barnes instead of Durant and this year against Houston. KD has been GSW's most consistent player through both play-offs.

This is just willfully obnoxious. The Heat started two non-NBA players the entire season. Carlos Arroyo, Erick Dampier, Joel Anthony, the husk of Mike Bibby all saw significant starts. Just look what 10 min of having bums on the floor does to NBA teams now. There were 120 min of bums on that Miami team.

Its just absurd false equivalence.

Oh please. You throw in Aroyo but you get to ignore the fact that team had 3 super stars

Wade and Bron and Bosh. He didn't join Wade and scraps. He joined Wade and Bosh . But noooh if we wish to trash GSW then it was Mike Bobby and Aroyo.

[Arsenal]

ZERO appreciation.

ZERO respect.

[michaelm]

I appreciate that KD joined the best team and they are still the best team. It would have been more interesting to see him develop that thunder team into a championship team of it's own instead of hitching onto an already established dominant team but what can you do.

He spent 9 years trying to make OKC into a championship team, got beaten by LeBron's Superteam in a finals series while sticking solid with them when they were a home grown team, OKC didn't retain Harden or change their coaching or game planning after that title loss, and he had a career threatening injury at OKC from which he was brought back too early.

It is quite understandable OKC fans are upset, but OKC imo should have done more with him while they had him. Others may have wanted him to be as a dominant as possible as an individual player in the LeBron vein which is a reasonable ambition to have for him, but it is his life and he is entitled to his own ambitions, again imo. Disinterested fans of the NBA who value parity above all else definitely have a case, although I wonder how many there truly are interested only in a pure even competition and would be upset by their own team being dominant, particularly if fans of teams as lowly as GSW had been for several decades.

What I don't accept is that Lebron fans have any cause for complaint, and they seem to make up a significant percentage of those complaining.

Yeah not blaming KD at all. But I'm just talking about "how much I appreciate KD". And his impact on the league, after deciding to switch to an already historically great team, is taking the Warriors from +500 favorites to win the title to +1000 favorites.

Fine, that is an argument I can’t and don’t dispute, It undoubtedly would be more interesting for non-GSW fans for him to be elsewhere. It is the moral judgement many place on a career decision made as a free agent which annoys me, particularly given I see no evidence other players seek to handicap themselves which seems to be what was required of him.

Bottom line as has been said was that KD wanted to leave OKC for whatever reason, Harrison Barnes wanted Durant money to stay, GSW decided Durant for Durant money was a better option.

[BlueHeat]

KD is the scum of the sports world. Ruined the competitive balance of the league. Joined an all time great regular season team to earn cheap championships.

When I hear people say "Well, Lebron joined a superteam in Miami...." I roll my eyes. That team was an experiment. You never know whats going to happen when you put three dudes on a team that have never played a regular season together. The Kobe, Nash, Howard experiment was a complete failure. KD joined an all time great team. Cant say it enough.

[rasta_marley]

KD has just truly had one of the best playoff games offensively I've seen recently in Game 3 but personally, it's almost as if all his achievements have an asterisk due to him joining the Warriors. Pretty much peaked in last year's finals but nobody really appreciates it that much because he joined a 73-9 team. Anyone else feel like this? Or do people still appreciate how good he is regardless of him joining the Warriors?

Ya he ruined his legacy in my eyes. Hes not really facing adversity. So who really cares? Lat time he did was his last season with the thunder where they almost beat the warriors!!! Oh ya then he joined em lol.

Im rehashing old news but, plus hes playing next to thomson and... freaking curry!! Durant is tall hard to guard 1vs 1. But teams cant afford to sag off of curry or thampson even a little. Good on him that he is having a good playoff run but... so what?

I cant think of any team in recent memor who has 2 of probably the top 3 players in the league but all the other good talent om that team.

Im over it myself, at least houston made em work for it a bit.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J727AZ using RealGM mobile app

[HurricaneKid]

Lebron James and Chris Bosh joining Miami, a team with a top-5 player who had won 47 games the year before is comparable, since that was two former 1st options in their prime joining an already solid team and taking a pay cut to play together.

I honestly don't think GSW would had won last year's finals with Harrison Barnes instead of Durant and this year against Houston. KD has been GSW's most consistent player through both play-offs.

This is just willfully obnoxious. The Heat started two non-NBA players the entire season. Carlos Arroyo, Erick Dampier, Joel Anthony, the husk of Mike Bibby all saw significant starts. Just look what 10 min of having bums on the floor does to NBA teams now. There were 120 min of bums on that Miami team.

Its just absurd false equivalence.

Oh please. You throw in Aroyo but you get to ignore the fact that team had 3 super stars

Wade and Bron and Bosh. He didn't join Wade and scraps. He joined Wade and Bosh . But noooh if we wish to trash GSW then it was Mike Bobby and Aroyo.

The Warriors close with 2 top 3 players, the DPoY (and All NBA performer), another All NBA performer, and a FMVP fmr All-Star who is an elite defender. The Heat closed with 2 guys that shouldn't have been in the league, 1 MVP, a FMVP/All NBA, and an All-Star. Nevermind that Curry/Klay are the two most prolific 3pt shooters in the history of the game and provide spacing beyond anything imaginable to most players; just look at the resumes.

For people to not understand that teams play to their opponents weaknesses at this point is willfully CHOOSING to ignore facts in lieu of maintaining indefensible positions.

[SFour]

KD is obviously a great player, but it's hard to respect his championships when he took the easy road. The Warriors & Cavs are the only teams he shouldn't have joined, any other team would've been okay and more respectable. KD could win 3-4 championships but Dirk's ONE championship will still be more impressive.

[fanofthegreats]

No one respects or appreciates him.

[dynamic duo]

not very impressive winning with a team who were already title favorites without him and were 50 seconds away from winning back to back titles.

embarrassing that he doesn't have game 3 type performances more often considering how easy he has it playing with klay and steph.

the coward has no shame.

[gmoney411]

How long will GS fans keep pushing this narrative?

GS didnt need KD to get over any hump. They were literally 1 play away from being back 2 back championship. 1 draymond tech away. 1 silly Curry behind the back pass away. 1 shot away. or 1 lucky bounce. And that was due to some huge effort by Cavs to come back, which frankly GS allowed because GS got sloppy.

It wasn't that Cavs were so much better than GS that they needed another MVP/ top 3 type player to "catch up". Stop making excuses so you can believe that KD going to GS is not a weak beta move. Even KD on his burner accounts think its a beta move that needs to be defended at every corner.

I am a Warriors fan but I agree with this analysis. It would have been interesting if he had gone to Boston instead. I completely understand not wanting to stay in Oklahoma City though. First, you have to play with Russell Westbrook who is the biggest ball hog since Kobe Bryant. Second, I'm sorry it's Oklahoma City - not exactly a diverse cultural mecca. The Bay Area attracted Durant as much as the Warriors did. Life does go beyond basketball.

Maybe he didn't want to live in Boston either. You only get one life, how long are you obliged to be somewhere you don't want to be however much you are paid?.

Because if you make the choice he did this is the life you get. A life with constant criticism about how you broke the league. You don't get to be a superstar NBA player that makes millions without all of the judgment and public opinion that comes with your decisions when it comes to basketball. It's fair for every media member and fan to trash his decision and downplay his accomplishments. He knew exactly what he was signing up for or should have.

[LeMasta]

KD is probably going to finish as one of the top 25 OAT and simultaneously the biggest cupcake of all time. What he did was the softest move in sports history and that should be largely remembered when talking about his legacy.

[rasta_marley]

Appreciate KD ?? No, hell no.

This was the one guy that had a chance to neutralize both LBJ and the GSW juggernaut. Had he stayed in OKC or went to Boston maybe... The last two seasons play out very differently. Joining an already all time great team and now acting like he has earned his way to the promise land? Nah, i cant appreciate the path of least resistance.

Him joining boston would have been seriously awesome. Instead hes just the guy who choked when up 3 to 1 on gs and joined em after losing.

Or a okc rematch would have been cool too. Thats how he coulda proved how good he was. Now its just eh whatever.

[tyguy]

Lebron James and Chris Bosh joining Miami, a team with a top-5 player who had won 47 games the year before is comparable, since that was two former 1st options in their prime joining an already solid team and taking a pay cut to play together.

I honestly don't think GSW would had won last year's finals with Harrison Barnes instead of Durant and this year against Houston. KD has been GSW's most consistent player through both play-offs.

This is just willfully obnoxious. The Heat started two non-NBA players the entire season. Carlos Arroyo, Erick Dampier, Joel Anthony, the husk of Mike Bibby all saw significant starts. Just look what 10 min of having bums on the floor does to NBA teams now. There were 120 min of bums on that Miami team.

Its just absurd false equivalence.

Oh please. You throw in Aroyo but you get to ignore the fact that team had 3 super stars

Wade and Bron and Bosh. He didn't join Wade and scraps. He joined Wade and Bosh . But noooh if we wish to trash GSW then it was Mike Bobby and Aroyo.

Chris Bosh wasn't a superstar. You had two superstars, one all star and a bunch of below replacement level players. This is a major false equivalence.

[HotTubMike]

Championships are championships when you play at a MVP tier.
No ring means more than another.

False.

Legacy matters.

People say we won't remember how KD won his rings in 20 years but that's false. A lot of us will remember his move as the softest professional sports move we've ever seen.

It will stain his legacy forever.

Makes me think of watching the former player analysts on TV... Shaq, Kenny Smith, Chauncy Billups, Jalen, Barkeley, Pierce... they like to rib each other about their careers... you think when Durant's generation takes over those roles they won't be snickering and slighting Durant for how he won his championships? You think that won't bother him? He has shown himself to be the most sensitive dude ever. It's gonna haunt him forever.

Dude is freaking stained.

[contestedlayups]

Appreciating it is one thing, but considering players like Durant or Lebron or whomever who jump ship to go to the best opportunity available as one of the greats of all-time is out of the question. I personally have no problem with it, as it has and always will raise the level of competition across the NBA landscape. However, once these players who do these things are brought up in the GOAT discussion, or where they rank all-time, that automatically should go against their candidacy for moving up in the ranks. I understand that the NBA has evolved over time, but there's a reason why Kobe and Jordan are so revered: they played their entire careers with the same franchises (essentially) and brought them massive success, despite their occasional failures.

[Lalouie]

kd saving gsw from one loss short of a probable sweep means what exactly?

[nmc_13]

He has an amazing skill set. Any smart fan knows its one of the greatest combinations of size and skill we've ever seen.

But he will never be considered in the greatest of all time debate because he chose to go to a team like Golden State. His true capabilities and influence on a team will forever be hidden/undermined. In another world, if he stays with OKC and gets over the hump in the west, or goes to a less talented team and wins with them, he would be considered top 3 ever at the end. Its a damn shame.

[wco81]

I'm realistic enough to accept that if we still had Harrison Barnes, we are not likely to be winning a third championship. We may not of even won last year.

So yes, I appreciate him and what he brings to my team immensely.

As long as the NBA's shenanigans aren't too extreme, like they were in 2016, no problem.