“I can win without you KD, you have yet to show that you can win without me’ - NBA analyst believes Steph Curry helped KD to win a title, says he would prefer young talent over veterans
Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors are coming off another NBA championship, their fourth in the last eight years. Despite winning it all, they want to win next year and have flirted with the idea of trading for Kevin Durant.
Durant was not happy with the Brooklyn Nets. However, he decided to stay with the team after talking to Joe Tsai, the owner of the franchise.
Shannon Sharpe recently spoke about the two-time NBA champion on "Undisputed." He pointed out how he hasn't won without Steph Curry and the Warriors yet.
“I can win without you KD, you have yet to show that you can win without me," Sharpe said.
Since leaving the Warriors, Kevin Durant's biggest success was reaching the second round of the playoffs. His last season was especially bad as the Nets were swept in the first round.
Kevin Durant can't win without Steph Curry
Since his trade to the Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Durant's career hasn't been really great. He sat out the entire first year with the team due to an injury, but he bounced back a season later, averaging 26.9 points per game.
That year, he almost led the team to the conference finals. Unfortunately, Giannis Antetokounmpo and his Milwaukee Bucks outlasted the Nets and advanced. The Bucks ended up winning it all, which made things even worse for Durant and the Nets.
Steph Curry would’ve welcomed Kevin Durant’s return to Warriors, @ShannonSharpe isn’t surprised one bit:
“Steph Curry knows Kevin Durant makes his job easier and it greatly increases their chance of winning. Steph Curry isn’t threatened by KD, he’s the more accomplished player.” https://t.co/LVRUFToRCs
Last season, Kyrie Irving sat out more than 50 games due to his refusal to get vaccinated. Durant also missed a lot of games due to injuries, and in the end, the Nets were swept by the Boston Celtics.
Winning without Steph Curry is extremely tough for Durant. He's dealt with a lot of problems and has played in what's considered an easier conference. Unfortunately, his results have been disappointing.
When he was with the Warriors, Kevin Durant was still one of the best players in the world. In three years in the Bay Area, Durant won two championships and received two Finals MVP awards.
Warriors don't want to risk their future
If the Warriors traded for Kevin Durant, they would have lost a lot of flexibility and a lot of young players. Shannon Sharpe believes that Steph Curry is satisfied with the roster that surrounds him now and he'd rather have those guys instead of KD.
Unfortunately, the Warriors will probably have to part ways with some of their players. Jordan Poole is a fantastic young player who averaged 18.5 points per game last season. Unfortunately, his contract expires next summer.
Steph Curry may also lose Andrew Wiggins as his teammate. Wiggins played a huge role in the last championship run by the Warriors, but his contract will also expire in less than a year and he will demand big money.
Joe Lacob has complained about the luxury tax in the NBA and may not be willing to pay a huge amount of money to keep the team together.