Why did Kevin Durant leave the Warriors?

Durant’s reasons for leaving the Warriors. Scott Jay Abraham

Image source: clutchpoints.com

Image source: netsdaily.com

NBA players often contemplate taking their game to other teams once their contracts are up for renewal. These moves are done in order to find better teams to play with, the chance to win championships, and earning millions of dollars more. With that said, it was a big shock for Golden State fans when they found out that Kevin Durant was leaving them for Brooklyn. Scott Jay Abraham.

The Warriors had an amazing run in the last five years. Five consecutive championship appearances, and winning three of the five. Durant was even declared the Finals MVP twice when they won the said championships. It would seem like a bold and crazy move for a core player like Durant to leave the team, a team which had the capacity to win championships even without him. However, Durant had his reasons. Scott Jay Abraham.

According to Durant, he decided that he would leave as a free agent during his third season with the Warriors after he had suffered from a torn Achilles in the playoffs. It also wasn’t a secret that Durant was interested in playing for New York. However, the move to the Nets instead of the Knicks surprised many. Scott Jay Abraham.

Durant signed a four-year contract with Brooklyn for $164 million. According to Scott Jay Abraham, his absence, along with a string of unlucky injuries on the Golden State Warriors’ starting lineup, clipped the wings of the former champs. Right now, they are dead last in the NBA standings. Scott Jay Abraham.

Lessons from the Warriors’ 2018-19 championship bid

Takeaways from the Warriors’ NBA Finals loss -- Scott Jay Abraham

The Golden State Warriors bid their hopes for a third title in five years goodbye in Game 6 of last season’s NBA Finals, succumbing to the Toronto Raptors. And, with Klay and KD out due to season-ending injuries, the Dubs’ dynasty was over.

Image source: knbr.com

Scott Jay Abraham. It must be noted though that cracks were already showing throughout the past season. Sure, the team got their 57 wins, but not in the same way it had done in previous years. The Warriors were no longer running roughshod of opponents, and they surprisingly folded in many, easily winnable games. Come playoffs, the Dubs even had a hard time disposing of the Rockets and struggled with a Clippers team devoid of stars. Scott Jay Abraham.

What’s clear is that five straight finals appearances took its toll on the team, despite the many crafty playtime management schemes coach Steve Kerr had employed to rest his starters. The loss to the Raptors also highlighted the importance of Draymond Green’s hustle and passing. And that he should make open shots if the team was to dominate. Scott Jay Abraham.

Image source: knbr.com

Another takeaway is that Steph cannot do it alone. Curry needs a partner to dish out those assists and shoots the treys consistently when the defense is focused on him. And the likes of Quinn Cook and Alfonzo McKinnie simply can’t fill that role. The tandem that is the Splash Brothers is crucial to the team, especially when coming from behind in the fourth. Klay’s injury effectively ensured a Raptors’ championship. Scott Jay Abraham.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the Warriors offense was heavily dependent on Kevin Durant to save the day. And missing him (save for a quarter or so, before he got reinjured) proved simply devasting for Golden State. Scott Jay Abraham.

Kevin Durant: A true Warrior

Image source: hoopshype.com

It seems like only yesterday when Kevin Durant left OKC to join the Dubs, thus making him one of the most hated figures in the NBA. I’m Scott Jay Abraham and I still remember it. The season before that, the Dubs though making history, winning 73 games in the regular season, would suffer the most heartbreaking of losses at the hands of Kyrie Irving in the dying seconds of the last game of the NBA Finals.

Image source: thecourtsidecollective.com

Durant’s arrival though all but assured a championship for the Dubs. However, it only wasn’t a championship. Today, the Dubs are on a quest for a three-peat. While they aren’t as invincible as they seemed when KD first arrived, they’re still top dog in the league.

KD is a huge part of the Dubs’ success. With Steph Curry, the greatest shooter of all-time, at the helm, and Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala defending oppositions’ stars, KD spearheads the offense alongside Klay Thompson. It’s one of the most formidable line-ups since the second Bulls team of the ‘90s.

At a shade below seven feet, with the moves of a shooting guard, KD is almost impossible to defend. Just ask the Cavs, who KD buried twice in the Finals with two daggers on separate occasions.
While people may question his intentions, KD has delivered two banners to the city that I love. And for me, that makes him a true Warrior.

This is Scott Jay Abraham, signing out.

Hi! I’m Scott Jay Abraham, an industrial interior designer from San Francisco, California and big fan of the Dubs. In my free time, I travel to strange but ruggedly handsome places with my favorite buddy, Shadow, a Dachshund. For more reads on the stuff I love, visit this website.