Kevin Durant is widely regarded as one of the best offensive players the NBA has ever seen. Despite his achievements as a two-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, featuring two Finals MVPs, there have been questions raised about his legacy.
In the most recent iteration of such criticism, Max Kellerman discredited Kevin Durant’s rings by comparing their value to those of LeBron James and Stephen Curry. While discussing the matter with Rich Paul on the “Game Over Podcast,” he stated:
“In KD’s case, the championships are not like, for example, LeBron’s championship in Cleveland. This is because he entered a situation where that team [the Warriors] is now so much better, probably than any team ever, that there’s no room for them, if they’re healthy, to lose.”
Kellerman emphasized his point by comparing the roster strength of the 2016-17 Warriors with Durant to the 2016-17 Cavaliers. Although Rich Paul claimed that the Cavs had a “shot” at winning, the 4-1 series score from the NBA Finals that year suggests otherwise, effectively adding to Kellerman’s argument.
He continued:
“KD, overall skills, may be the best player ever, right? Both sides of the ball, overall package, he might be the best player ever. But he’s never considered by almost anyone the greatest player ever because the way you prove greatness is through leading a team to a championship. But because he parachuted into a championship- he put them so far over the top, they couldn’t lose.”
Paul made some solid points to defend Durant’s legacy, stating that the superstar made a smart career choice. What Kellerman focused on were the results of Kevin Durant’s move to the Warriors and the events that followed his departure.
Once Kevin Durant joined the Warriors, who were coming off the best single-season record in NBA history, Golden State immediately became the favorites to win the title. For two years running, the Dubs were the most formidable team in the NBA.
After Golden State was riddled with injuries and internal feuds by the 2018-19 season, Durant’s move to the Brooklyn Nets marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. However, unlike the Warriors, who went on to win the title in 2022, Durant failed to achieve the same success.
Despite moving to Brooklyn to partner up with Kyrie Irving and James Harden, injuries debilitated the team, limiting the chances of actually contending. In his next stint with the Phoenix Suns, the team failed to live up to its potential, with last season being particularly underwhelming as the Suns failed to make a playoff appearance.
To some extent, Kellerman’s critique may garner support from NBA fans, primarily due to what the Warriors have been able to achieve without Kevin Durant. Still, considering that Durant was arguably the best player on the best team at the time, there is a need to give credit where it is due.
Even at this stage of his career, Kevin Durant’s legacy, while noteworthy, remains open to debate. Unfortunately, with his title window closing fast, the superstar’s opportunities to prove his naysayers wrong are also reducing.
