National Basketball Association

Kevin Durant's Decision and the Effect on the Golden State Warriors and NBA

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Kevin Durant spurned the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the Golden State Warriors during the offseason — what kind of effects will it have on the NBA?

He’s hardly the first NBA player — superstar or otherwise — to change teams during an offseason, but Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Golden State Warriors may have the most resonating effects we’ve ever seen.

It’s not that Durant decided to change teams, as we’re just two years removed from LeBron James deciding to leave the Miami Heat to head back home to the Cleveland Cavaliers, you know the team that he left four seasons previous, where they burned his jerseys and prayed for his demise.

THIS ISN’T DURANT TAKING HIS TALENTS TO THE BAY

James leaving for South Beach was different. He left a successful Cavs team to join a Heat franchise that had won 47 games and were bounced in the first round of the NBA playoffs in five games. That team had Dwyane Wade, Michael Beasley and Jermaine O’Neal as their top scorers.

LeBron did create a “Big Three,” joining Wade and then-Toronto Raptors star Chris Bosh, to bring not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, well ok, they produced two NBA Championships. But still, they all came together and had to mold a new roster. They didn’t have the luxury (or salary cap flexibility) to add two of the best 15 players in the game without a lot of sacrifices.

Basketball: Miami Heat Welcome Party: (L-R) Miami Heat LeBron James (6), Dwyane Wade (3), and Chris Bosh (1) on stage at American Airlines Arena. Miami, FL 7/9/2010 CREDIT: Jeffery A. Salter (Photo by Jeffery A. Salter /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X84475 TK1 R1 F23 )

As we’re all aware, the Heat dynasty lasted four successful years, with four NBA Finals appearances and two championships. The lasting effect on the league was one of short-term deals and flexibility among players. We’ve seen a proliferation of these 1+1 deals where a player signs for a healthy sum, but leaves the door open in the second year. Some of this was cap related, as the explosion of salaries was seen on the horizon, but in the case of stars, they’re gonna get their money one way or another.

THE WARRIORS GO FROM GREAT TO GREATEST

The Warriors are coming off of arguably the best two-year span we’ll ever see, in which they won the NBA Championship (2014-15), then set the record for the best regular season in NBA history. They were a blown 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals from being denoted the best team ever.

Arguably the biggest loss in terms of player personnel from that team was Andrew Bogut. They’re returning their top six this season, with Draymond Green, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston — that’s three All-NBA players in Green, Curry and Thompson, an All-Defensive first-teamer in Green, a former All-Defensive first-teamer in Iguodala and the league’s best backup point guard in Livingston.

To that already stacked lineup, they added the former NBA MVP (2013-14) and four-time scoring champion who just so happens to be in his prime. It’s a foregone conclusion then, right? Let’s check with the NFL’s Denny Green (RIP) on this one.

Conventional wisdom (read: anyone who isn’t playing devil’s advocate) will tell you the Warriors are going to run away with the chip. Some are even going so far as to say the league won’t be fun to watch, because the Warriors are going to run roughshod over everyone. I couldn’t disagree more.

The league (and all of professional sports) is at it’s best when there are proverbial Goliaths for David to slay. The Cavaliers and their Big Three were hated and roundly booed everywhere they went — but they also sold out arenas all over the NBA, because people frothed at the mouth with the idea that their team could knock them off.

Even some players are jumping into the discussion, giving their opinion on Durant’s decision and how they would do things differently.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard had some choice words, when asked by SiriusXM Radio whether he’d ever consider making the jump. “I wouldn’t do it. That’s just not who I am. I might have too much pride for that or be too much of a competitor where I couldn’t bring myself to do it, but it also makes it more fun. You get to take a monster down and that’s always fun.”

If anyone knows what the David vs. Goliath scenario looks like, it’s the 6-foot-3 guard out of Weber State who was turned away from major college programs, then overlooked as a guy with shaky decision-making skills, who is now one of the premier scoring point guards in the league (25.1 PPG in 2015-16).

September 26, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) and guard Stephen Curry (30) pose for a photo during media day at the Warriors Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

WHAT IF THEY DON’T WIN?

This is a fascinating question. The Warriors took a legendary squad and added another legend. It appears that the only thing standing in the way of a Warriors title is one or two major injuries to their key guys, but we’re talking about professional sports here. There are chemistry issues, playing time battles, egos and many other variables to deal with.

Remember how much of a lock it was that the 2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers were going to win the NBA Championship? Kobe Bryant just entering his prime? Shaquille O’Neal on the backside of his prime? Gary Payton, Karl Malone, Horace Grant, Derek Fisher and Rick Fox to provide veteran know-how? It’s in the bag! That team fought through minor injuries and won 56 games, coasted through the first three rounds of the playoffs, then got roundly whooped by the Detroit Pistons. Shaq left town, and we’ve wondered “what if” since then.

Durant’s on one of the 1+1 contracts we mentioned earlier, meaning he’s under contract this season, then has a player option for next year. While it’s unfair to believe that Durant isn’t willing to take a secondary role (he did to Russell Westbrook on many nights), it does say something that he took the first train out of Oklahoma City when he saw a great opportunity. What happens if Curry and Durant don’t mesh? There’s only one basketball, and Klay’s gonna need his looks as well. Add in a volatile Draymond and this team is not only dangerous, but combustible.

It’s not exactly a hot take to say that the Warriors are likely to win the NBA Championship (Bovada has them at -125, an overwhelming favorite), but if history has taught us anything, it’s that no matter how big the hype, things don’t always work as planned.

Are the Warriors locks or will putting together one of the strongest starting fives we’ve ever seen backfire? Let us know in the comments or over at @LocalPOV on Twitter.

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