<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Which will go down as the most loathed team in NBA history?</p>— Greg Rajan (@GregRajan) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregRajan/status/750101127199281153">July 4, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Well, LeBron James faced similar criticism when he left Cleveland, but time, a whole lot of winning, and the entire "prodigal son returns" thing erased any and all ill will. People will certainly get over this, too.
It's totally a different situation. Lebron met up with 2 other guys and led that Heat squad as the best player. Durant got beat up by the Warriors and then decided to jump on their coattails because he's a beta b**** like that.
Every person I've talked to has said they've lost respect for kd I hope this effects his jersey/show sells to a new low
THis is completely different from Lebron. KD had a top 5 player on his team, and was up 3-1 on GSW. He is running away ala Dwight Howard.
He didn't take me on a rollercoaster. He went on TV to announce where he would go while raising money for kids. big whoop. Nobody forced us to watch.
LeBron isn't a prodigal son. He tried to win in Cleveland and went to a team that was .450 for a few seasons. Not an NBA championship team.
the comparison would be if lebron left Cleveland to join the Celtics a year after they beat him on rout to a championship. Even then the Celtics didn't break the record for most wins in a season and have the back to back MVP.
This isn't similar to Lebron at all. Lebron left a team where he did everything. He went to another team that wasn't good but joined with other stars. MIami wasn't the place to be at all. KD left a team with another top 4 player (if Lebron had a top 4 player in CLE he would never have left) to anotehr team that beat him, where he actually choked. GS won without him before, and broke records without him. GSW doesn't need him. And he still joined them. That's just pathetic.
Yep. Exactly. The issue with Durant now is that if he wins one or five with GSW it won't change the fundamental truth about him. Which is he's not the one to shine in big moments. He's a far cry from that. And he'll have very little chance to change that perception for the rest of his career. Maybe no chance. Depending on next year. He's basically take himself out of the running for top top tier. Have there been super teams before? Sure. But a lot of caveats there. No super team like this Warriors team. No 73-9 super team. Those teams were organically grown with the clear leader being that guy. Larry had amazing teammates obviously. But nobody would question who the leader of that team was as far as importance. That's Larry. Same with MJ. And all the great great greats. Even if KD is obviously the best player on next years GSW he won't be that. I just don't understand the decision from a legacy perspective. No one grows up thinking maybe one day I'll go down as having joined the one of the best teams ever and finally winning a ring. Lol.
Exactly. Lebron was still the best player on the Heat and in the world. He won 2 MVPs. Durant will never win an MVP again, nor will he be widely considered the best player on that Warriors team, or even most valuable. His legacy will take a big hit regardless of whether he wins rings or not b/c he wasn't the catalyst to them winning, since they already won without him with the same core.
This is what happens when you criticize players for not winning a ring despite being great players. No doubt KD heard all the rumblings about not winning a ring and took the easiest way to get one. He didn't want to be in that Karl Malone / Charles Barkley tier of greatest players to never win a ring. I understand his decision. I don't respect it, but I understand.
