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Durant with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2014

"My Next Chapter" is an article by National Basketball Association player Kevin Durant announcing that he would sign with the Golden State Warriors. It was published in The Player's Tribune on July 4, 2016, three days after Durant had become an unrestricted free agent.

The Warriors, meanwhile, had won a record-setting 73 games in 2015–16, led by the core of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, and Klay Thompson. However, they lost in that year's NBA Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The move was immediately controversial, with analysts and fans considering Durant's joining of an already star-studded team to be cowardice and damaging to the NBA's parity. Fans of the Thunder were particularly incensed at his departure, with some reacting with jersey desecration and vandalism near Durant's home.

Background

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Oklahoma City Thunder

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Kevin Durant

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Durant was drafted in 2007 by the Seattle Supersonics, which became the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008. During his nine seasons with the team he established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's best players, was a seven-time NBA All-Star, and led the team to a near-victory over the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 Western Conference Finals.[1][2] Durant was considered at the time to have developed strong ties to the Thunder and the city, stating that he would prefer to play his entire career for the Thunder.[3]

NBA free agency began on July 1, 2016. Durant's nine years in the NBA meant that he was an unrestricted free agent, and could sign wherever he wished. Due to a standard restriction called the "moratorium", players were not allowed to sign a contract until July 7. However, negotiations and agreements could take place during this timeframe.[4] This granted teams some time to discuss potential signings with Durant, who rented a property in The Hamptons to field offers.[5]

Golden State Warriors

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The Golden State Warriors had achieved nearly unparalleled success during their 2015–16 season. The team broke the record for most regular-season wins in NBA history, having gone 73–9 and reaching the NBA Finals.[6] After coming back from a 3–1 deficit to beat the Thunder in seven games during the playoffs, they themselves blew a 3–1 lead to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals, and entered the following season intending to avenge this defeat.

The Warriors featured one of the greatest scoring duos in the league's history: the "Splash Brothers" of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson

Other teams' attempts to court Durant

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Throughout Durant's last year with the Thunder, sports journalists considered the most likely outcome to be Durant re-signing with the team. The prospect of the Warriors obtaining him was considered a less-likely "nightmare" scenario, though very possible if Durant did not remain with Oklahoma City. Jason Patt of SB Nation gave the scenario a "4/10" chance of occurring and noted that Durant would have to sacrifice future pay, scoring opportunities, and his reputation as team leader to join the Warriors, a team with an already-established set of stars.[7]

Prior "blockbusters"

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Like other sports leagues, significant player moves are not unheard of in the NBA.

At the time, the most significant NBA free agency move of the past decade was 2010's The Decision, where LeBron James signed with the Miami Heat and announced this choice on national television. Like Durant, James was beloved by fans of his prior team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and was criticized for his perceived betrayal of the team and for joining a more star-studded organization (the Heat at the time had two superstars in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh; the latter had been acquired earlier the same year).

Summary

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It really pains me to know that I will disappoint so many people with this choice, but I believe I am doing what I feel is the right thing at this point in my life and my playing career.

Kevin Durant, "My Next Chapter"

The 353-word article was published in the The Player's Tribune on July 4, 2016. In it, Durant states that his decision to join the Warriors was based on his desire to move out of his comfort zone and to a new location that would maximize his potential to grow as a player and person. He briefly reflects fondly on his time with the Thunder, expresses regret that he will disappoint many fans with his choice, and concludes by stating that he will miss the team.[8]

The black-and-white photograph used as the header for the article, depicting Durant crossing his arms, was taken at the Hamptons property where he negotiated free agency deals.[5] The photograph would become an internet meme among NBA fans during Durant's first year with the Warriors, usually being edited to depict Durant joining whichever team the Warriors had recently lost to.[9]

Reactions

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Durant's decision was criticized as "taking the easy way out", joining a powerhouse team that had both won 73 regular season games in the previous season and defeated the Thunder in the playoffs.[10] Commentator Stephen A. Smith referred to the move as "weak" on Twitter,[11] and many NBA players used the platform to express surprise at the decision.[12] Much of the criticism was also attributed to a sense that Durant's move would make the league much less competitive, as the Warriors with Durant would overwhelmingly dominate the Western Conference, thereby preventing any other teams in the conference from making it to the NBA Finals, similar to how the Eastern Conference was dominated by teams led by LeBron James.[13] The decision and the criticism were compared to James's move to the Miami Heat in 2010 and the resulting reaction, respectively,[1] though the Warriors with Durant were projected to be much more talented than the Heat with James by virtue of being younger and having more star players.[13] Concerns were also raised over the sustainability of the Warriors' new roster, as they would have to cut "trusted" players like center Andrew Bogut to clear salary cap space for Durant, and new starting center Draymond Green would therefore need to endure greater physical punishment.[14]

Thunder and fans

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Fans of the Thunder were particularly incensed at Durant's percieved betrayal of the franchise in joining the Warriors.[15] The volume of backlash, which included vandalism in the area surrounding Durant's home,[16] led him to initially regret his move.[17]

Speculation on Durant's motivations

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Aftermath

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Durant with the Golden State Warriors in 2019

Warriors

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The Warriors entered their first season with Durant as massive favorites to win the Finals, and indeed, they left the regular season with a league-best 67–15 record, won fifteen straight games in the postseason, and defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in a Finals rematch, four games to one, setting the best playoff record in NBA history at 16–1.[18]

The 2017–18 season was more modest, though still dominant; the Warriors finished second in the Western Conference (third overall) with a record of 58–24. Although they reached the Finals, they lost five postseason games on the way, and were forced into a seven-game series with the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals. As for the Finals, which were yet another rematch with the Cavaliers, the outcome was even more lopsided than the previous year, as the Warriors won four straight games to sweep their opponent. The following season saw a slight further decline in regular-season wins, with a 57–25 record, and although they reached their fifth consecutive Finals, their playoff run saw major injuries to several players, including Curry, Durant, and Thompson. The latter two saw major leg injuries in the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors, and the Warriors ultimately lost the series in six games. This would be the franchise's last year with Durant.

After the Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals, media personalities and fans' questioning of the team's need to sign Durant revived. Isiah Thomas defended the team's obtaining of a fourth superstar, saying that Durant's arrival and performance with Golden State "cemented" the Warriors as a dynasty rather than "being remembered as the team that went 73–9 and lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals".[19]

Durant

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Durant would go on to play for three seasons with the Warriors, winning two consecutive NBA championships with the team in 2017 and 2018.[20] He was booed during his first game against the Thunder as a Warriors player.[21] On July 7, 2019, he was acquired by the Brooklyn Nets in a sign-and-trade deal.[22]

Durant has more recently stated that he does not regret joining the Warriors, and in a Bleacher Report-hosted conversation with Draymond Green he said that he would "do that shit a million times".[23] Conversely, Durant has stated that he has no intention of returning to Oklahoma City, citing the treatment from the organization's fans and staff,[16] though relations have warmed as of 2023.[24]

Thunder

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Precedent for the league

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The impact of Durant joining the Warriors on the NBA's culture and its players' free agency decisions is a topic of controversy.

Notes and references

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ a b Hoffman, Benjamin (July 5, 2016). "Kevin Durant to Join the Golden State Warriors". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  2. ^ Amick, Sam (July 4, 2016). "Kevin Durant announces he will sign with Golden State Warriors". USA Today. Archived from the original on July 16, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  3. ^ Hamm, Jon (September 21, 2017). "Setting the Record Straight on the Kevin Durant Era in Oklahoma City". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on December 14, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  4. ^ Woo, Jeremy (June 24, 2016). "Your questions about how NBA free agency works, answered". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on August 2, 2024. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Andrews, Malika; Stein, Marc (May 16, 2018). "Inside the Hamptons House Where Kevin Durant Hosted N.B.A. Suitors in 2016". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  6. ^ Rapp, Timothy (February 2, 2017). "Michael Jordan Told Warriors Owner Joe Lacob 73-Win Season Was Meaningless". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  7. ^ Patt, Jason (February 2, 2016). "The NBA's nightmare of Kevin Durant signing with the Warriors is very real". SB Nation. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  8. ^ Durant, Kevin (July 4, 2016). "My Next Chapter". The Player's Tribune. Archived from the original on June 4, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  9. ^ Devine, Dan (January 26, 2018). "Kevin Durant's response to being picked for Team LeBron: memeing himself". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  10. ^ Gregory, Sean (June 8, 2017). "In Defense of Kevin Durant". TIME. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  11. ^ Verma, Atreya (July 4, 2016). "NBA Twitter Reacts to Kevin Durant Joining Golden State Warriors". Heat Nation. Archived from the original on February 5, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  12. ^ Greenberg, Neil (July 4, 2016). "Durant's decision to join Warriors sparks huge reaction, crashes Players' Tribune site". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Gallo, DJ (July 6, 2016). "How Kevin Durant lived long enough to see himself become a villain". The Guardian. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  14. ^ Lasaitis, Vytis (July 4, 2016). "Breaking Down How Kevin Durant Fits After Signing with Golden State Warriors". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on December 2, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  15. ^ Young, Royce (February 10, 2017). "What Kevin Durant left behind in Oklahoma City". ESPN. Archived from the original on July 24, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  16. ^ a b Moehringer, J.R. (September 10, 2019). "Kevin Durant's New Headspace". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on July 18, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  17. ^ Steinberg, Jon (September 25, 2017). "KD and the VCs: How Kevin Durant Became a Made Man in Silicon Valley". San Francisco. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  18. ^ Bourguet, Gerald (March 4, 2020). "5 reasons the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors are the greatest team of all time". FOX Sports. Archived from the original on August 14, 2024. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  19. ^ Dierberger, Tom (March 12, 2024). "Isiah Thomas Tells Draymond Green That Kevin Durant Saved Warriors' Legacy". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on April 15, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  20. ^ Almanza, Clemente (July 4, 2023). "On this day: Kevin Durant leaves the Thunder for the Warriors". OKC Thunder Wire. Archived from the original on July 11, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  21. ^ Caron, Emily (September 10, 2019). "Kevin Durant on Oklahoma City: 'I Don't Trust Nobody There'". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  22. ^ "Brooklyn Nets Acquire 10-time All-Star and Two-time NBA Champion Kevin Durant". NBA. July 7, 2019. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  23. ^ Feldman, Dan (August 20, 2021). "Kevin Durant on joining Warriors: 'I would do that s*** a million times'". NBC Sports. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  24. ^ Lovelace, Ross (April 4, 2023). "Kevin Durant Continues to Show Love to Oklahoma City: 'They're Building Something Special'". Fan Nation. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
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