The legacy of NBA star Kevin Durant is a complicated one. There is no denying the immense talent that he possesses as he is one of the greatest scorers the game has ever seen. He can score from anywhere on the court with relative ease, shooting jump shots over opponents who are too small to bother him.
He will assuredly be entering the Hall of Fame after his career is over, but how he is viewed by fans and his peers could differ. In the modern NBA, jumping from team to team has become a regular practice and no one knows that as well as Durant.
When leading the Oklahoma City Thunder, Durant fell short alongside Russell Westbrook and James Harden against the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. Harden sought a larger role and was traded to the Houston Rockets. Durant and Westbrook tried to carry the team as a dynamic duo, but eventually, it was Durant seeking opportunities elsewhere.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors & Brooklyn Nets Updates
He ended up joining the Golden State Warriors, who had eliminated him and the Thunder from the playoffs. It was a super team as he played alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. He won two NBA Championships and took home the Finals MVP both times.
Looking to achieve greatness on his own, Durant left the Warriors as a free agent, joining the Brooklyn Nets after he ruptured his Achilles. He hasn’t come close to finding the same level of success and forced his way out of Brooklyn this past season, landing with the Phoenix Suns.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors & Brooklyn Nets Updates
While Durant is free to do as he pleases, he has to also face the repercussions of his actions. That sometimes includes scathing opinions from all-time greats, as Julius Erving recently offered his opinion on the team jumping Durant has done.
“They have not helped the game and they have not helped to keep the parity within the game when you build these super teams… [Lillard] wants a chance at a championship & he doesn’t think he can get it there, so, that’s a good reason. Wherever he goes, he probably will finish his career [there]. Look at how many times [Kevin] Durant has hopped around. No, for real…”
Erving certainly isn’t the only former player who feels that way. If players of his era had the same mindset as players nowadays, there are a lot more greats who would likely have championship rings that were denied the chance to win the NBA Finals during their career.
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