In a rather surprising turn of events, Kevin Durant decided to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors last summer. Durant was criticized for his move as he joined the team that defeated him in the playoffs. The Warriors had already been one of the best teams in the league, and Durant made them even more dangerous. Right now, they are two wins away from winning another championship, and it seems that Durant's decision will pay off.
Kevin Durant is not the first player to form a super team, and he says that LeBron James paved the way for this year's Warriors team.
James left the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat in 2010 and he was also criticized for his free agency decision. It is also true that the Heat were not the first "super team" either, according to Durant, LeBron paved the way for other big-name free agents to join strong teams.
LeBron paved the way
"He paved the way," stated Kevin Durant for Bleacher Report, referring to his rival LeBron James. While James did join the Heat, their situations are slightly different as Durant joined the team that finished the regular season with the best record of all time. The Warriors team that Durant joined also had a 3-1 lead in the 2016 NBA Finals and were very close to winning a championship. However, Durant considers that he made the right choice, and it seems he will win a championship ring because of it.
“That’s what free agency is about—doing what you want to do. I commend LeBron. I commend LaMarcus Aldridge. I commend guys that stay, because they did what they wanted to do. That’s the power of free agency," added the Warriors forward. It is hard to disagree with him about this as he's talking about the importance of free agency and players' right to make their own decision.
At the end of the day, it is up to a free agent to pick the best destination for him, and that's what both LeBron and Durant did.
Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James
Durant and James are currently facing off in another NBA Finals series, and Durant's Warriors have a significant advantage over the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, it is not a smart idea to count LeBron James out, as he's made big comebacks many times in his career, including last year.
This is the second time that these two superstars are playing against each other. First time, it happened in 2012 when LeBron's Miami Heat ran over the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games. This was LeBron's first championship ring and there's a chance that Durant will get his first ring against James.
