And just like that...we have a new super team
In 2010, after LeBron James inked his lucrative deal with the Miami Heat, the polarizing figure of the NBA was vilified for his move. His decision to jettison his hometown team from Cleveland in hopes of securing a title with the revamped Miami Heat, instantly made him enemy number one. At the time, Kevin Durant shook his head in dismay after learning of James’s departure, exclaiming how players in the league need to be competitive, instead of team-hopping. Six years later, Durant surprisingly followed in James’s footsteps.
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Kevin Durant will sign with the Golden State Warriors
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After mocking James for his decision to spilt, Durant followed in his footsteps agreeing to sign a 2-year, $54 million contract with the Golden State Warriors. Durant—who was courted by six teams during free agency—was torn between his team the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Warriors.
Many believed that Durant would stick with OKC for his 10th season, electing to sign a two-year deal with a player option, but instead he decided to join a team that ousted his Thunder squad in the Conference finals.
Durant explained his decision to leave to ‘The Players Tribune’
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This past Monday (July 4th), Durant exclusively revealed his decision to The Players Tribune in hopes of providing clarity for those in dire need.
“The primary mandate I had for myself in making this decision was to have it based on the potential for my growth as a player — as that has always steered me in the right direction,” he wrote.
“But I am also at a point in my life where it is of equal importance to find an opportunity that encourages my evolution as a man: moving out of my comfort zone to a new city and community which offers the greatest potential for my contribution and personal growth. With this in mind, I have decided that I am going to join the Golden State Warriors.”
The end of an era in OKC.
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Durant and Westbrook spent well over eight years together and were deemed to be one of the most formidable duos in NBA history. While they had no problem notching gaudy numbers on the stat sheet, they couldn’t land that elusive title. They squandered an opportunity this past season when they had Golden State on the ropes after securing a 3-1 lead. Prior to that, they only made one Finals appearance, when they lost 4-1 to LeBron’s Miami Heat in 2012.
