- Blowing a 3-1 lead to the Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals led to the Warriors recruiting Kevin Durant
- NBA fans were asked what would have happened had the Warriors won and if Durant then joined the Cavaliers
- Fans think the Cavs would have run through the NBA
Kevin Durant rocked the NBA world by joining the Golden State Warriors in 2016, but what would have happened had he ended up with the Cleveland Cavaliers? NBA fans were given a scenario where the Warriors won the 2016 title, after which Durant joined the Cavaliers. They were then asked if Cleveland would’ve won the title in 2017.
One believes the Cavaliers would have won three in a row, “Three-peat.”
A fan thinks the Cavaliers would have won every year until LeBron James retired, “They win the ring and every year till Bron retires.”
One joked they would win even with Charles Barkley as the fifth starter, “Put Charles Barkley as the 5th and they still win a championship.”
The Cavs would go undefeated as per one fan, “This team going 82-0.”
A fan believes this would be the greatest team ever, “Greatest team ever, and LeBron has 6-7 rings.”
There was no way anyone could have competed against this Cavaliers team. A squad led by just Durant and LeBron James would be almost unstoppable. Add Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to the mix, and they’d be simply unbeatable.
The problem, of course, is that there is almost no chance this could have happened unless Durant took a massive pay cut. The Cavaliers already had the highest payroll in the league in the 2015-16 season and occupied the top spot the following season as well.
What really helped the Warriors land Durant, was that Stephen Curry was only making $12.1 million in the 2016-17 season. That meant they had the cap space to give Durant a sizable deal, something the Cavaliers simply wouldn’t have been able to.
Kevin Durant Explained Why He Left The Thunder In 2016 For The Warriors
Durant had failed to win a title with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but they were still a very competitive team for much of his time there. They, of course, had a 3-1 lead over the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals in 2016, but Durant stated he was not happy with the way the Thunder played.
Durant explained that he left the Thunder for the Warriors, as he was tired of playing in their system and being the only one who could shoot threes. He felt he just played with a lot of athletes during his time with OKC and not skilled guys in terms of ball-handling and shooting.
The Warriors presented a lot of things that he wanted, and the brand of basketball that they played was also something that certainly appealed to Durant.
Kevin Durant’s Time With The Warriors
The moment Durant joined the Warriors, it was basically over for the rest of the league. They went to the NBA Finals in each of his three seasons, winning back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. Only an injury to Durant in the 2019 playoffs prevented a three-peat, as the Warriors lost to the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Finals.
The 2014 MVP then departed for the Brooklyn Nets in the offseason, bringing an end to a ridiculous three-year tenure during which he averaged 25.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game.
We’re unlikely to see a ridiculous stretch of dominance like what we saw from those Warriors ever again.
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