The shortcut to a championship — as Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller both called it — began with Kevin Durant claiming that, in fact, he isn’t taking any shortcuts.
“This is the hardest road,” Durant said during his introductory press conference with the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. “This is not the easiest road.”
He actually said that with a straight face. There is no point arguing with the NBA’s most famous mercenary, who in the prime of his career left a title contender for an even better title contender. LeBron James did it twice. Now it’s Durant’s turn, and as sure as you can say “Super Team,” there will be more free agents to follow.
And there is little the NBA can do to stop it short of confiscating every player’s cellphone. There are stories circulating that the Golden State Warriors players were actively recruiting Durant throughout the season with Draymond Green leading the charge. The guy that kicked Steven Adams in the groin essentially punched the rest of Oklahoma City in the stomach.
There is something unethical about chasing a title while simultaneously chasing a pending free agent who will replace one of your current teammates.
Both Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes were very aware of the chatter surrounding Durant last season and addressed it during the NBA Finals. Maybe that would partially explain Barnes’ dreadful performances in Games 5, 6 and 7 against the Cavs. It certainly could not have helped.
Green being suspended for Game 5 also didn’t help. In theory, that was part of a franchise changing moment for the Warriors. If Green plays in Game 5, the favored Warriors likely win and there’s a strong chance that Durant doesn’t sign and Golden State keeps its team intact.
But the Warriors lost and received the greatest consolation prize in league history: Durant.
What's worse: Durant's 'Next Chapter' or LeBron's 'Decision'?
“When I met these guys, I felt as comfortable as I’ve ever felt,” Durant said. “It was organic. It was authentic. It was real. It was feelings I couldn’t ignore.”
Kinda sounds like the season finale of “The Bachelor.” Organic? Authentic? Evolution as a man? Kevin Durant seems like a nice enough guy, but he has to understand it’s going to be difficult to take him at his word. This is the guy that would regularly declare “I’m no frontrunner.” When LeBron went to Miami in 2010, he took to Twitter to criticize players for shying away from competition.
“I trusted my gut, I trusted my instincts,” Durant added on Thursday. “It’s an unpopular decision, but I can live with it.”
That remains to be seen, of course. In recent years, Durant has proven to be incredibly thin skinned and has waged a small battle with the media that helped to create his pristine image. That’s over now.
Bosh says Durant and Curry will have to iron some things out
If in five years Durant has led the Warriors to two, three or maybe even four championships there will be some that will still call him a sellout, but there will be no denying that his controversial decision to leave Oklahoma City for the Golden State Warriors worked.
Until then, Durant had better get used to being the villain in every NBA town other than the Bay Area. It’s one thing for a 34-year-old Dwyane Wade, winner of three titles, to make a curious move to Chicago, a non-contending team. Wade, though, is chasing money and in the long run he’ll regret leaving Miami even though he did Pat Riley and the Heat a huge favor for departing when he did.
Durant left in his prime for the team that beat him in the Western Conference Finals after the Thunder had taken a 3-1 lead. And what makes it worse is that he was texting the competition all season.
He is currently in Stage 1 of post-free agency: anxiety. LeBron went through it as well. The public will turn against him and that will lead to the next four stages: anger, bitterness and then — assuming the Warriors win — Durant will experience jubilation and redemption. Just ask LeBron.
