Kevin Durant’s departure from the Golden State Warriors suddenly became a hot topic in the NBA this week. KD sat down with Draymond Green to discuss his departure from the Dubs, pointing out his argument with Dray (and how the Warriors handled it) as the biggest reason to leave the franchise in 2019.
Just like Durant, CJ McCollum explained this, saying that the team’s officials and the media played a big role in Durant’s decision to end his 3-year tenure in the Bay and go to the East coast to play with the Brooklyn Nets.
According to the Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard, nobody helped KD remain committed to the Warriors, ultimately leading to his departure from the team after winning two championships in three trips to the Finals. On his Pull Up by CJ McCollum show, he explained:
“The argument didn’t help, and the way they handled it probably didn’t help.”
“But also the media, the way they portrayed everything. The way they had to ask about it and watch how that relationship and dynamic would continue after that, played a factor.”
Still, McCollum claimed that Durant could have perfectly stayed in Golden State, and nothing would have changed for him.
“At the end of the day, KD is the type of a guy that if he wanted to stay, he would have stayed. His actions in previous situations and on previous teams that he probably felt like his time was up there. He had been there for a long time, he had won multiple championships, he had won multiple finals MVPs, he kind of got what he was looking for.”
“In the sense of playing on arguably one of the best teams ever created. Being able to learn a different style, being able to play a different style. I think he went in there an elite player, he left an elite player who understood the game better, who was a better all-around player from a defensive standpoint, to an offensive standpoint, to a creativity standpoint to a guy who can kind of orchestrate offense, manipulate a defense, yeah he stopped. But I think he took it to another level after he played alongside Steph, Dre, Klay.”
In the end, he decided to team up with Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn, creating a terrific duo in the Eastern Conference. One season later, James Harden joined them, creating another superteam in the league.
KD couldn’t reach the promised land last season, succumbing to the eventual champions Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the postseason. He’ll try to relive old glories next year with a fully healthy Nets team that will make a lot of noise.
