“In the end this boils down to LeBron vs KD, and KD is taking, I think an unfair beating” - NBA analyst says Kevin Durant’s legacy is being affected by LeBron James’ 'billion blind witnesses'
When it comes to debating the best player currently, LeBron James and Kevin Durant are two of the names that come to mind. Both forwards have dominated in their careers and are well on their way to being Hall of Famers.
For guys like LeBron and KD, legacies are something commonly brought up. Some feel that the Brooklyn Nets star has greatly damaged his reputation with his antics in the offseason.
At the end of June, Durant put in a request to be traded. After months of no traction, he worked things out with the team and is now apparently fully committed to helping lead the Nets to a championship.
https://t.co/wQfhrKqUeM
During a recent episode of "Undisputed," Skip Bayless weighed in on the LeBron vs. Kevin Durant debate. While he agrees that KD's legacy has taken a hit, he feels the LA Lakers star has too many blind followers.
"What's operating here is the billions of blind witnesses out in force. They're the ones who are saying, 'see, we told you so he's not as good as LeBron James.'
"So in the end this boils down to LeBron versus KD, and KD is taking, I think, an unfair beating for what just happened in Brooklyn."
.@RealSkipBayless says KD's legacy was NOT damaged by what's happened in Brooklyn:
"What's operating here is the billions of blind witnesses saying: 'See! We told you KD is not as good as LeBron James. LeBron would've never demanded out.'" https://t.co/b9WHtxYOPd
Also Checkout:- LeBron James contract
Is Skip Bayless right about Kevin Durant taking an unfair beating for his actions this summer?
LeBron James is not in a much better position than Kevin Durant when it comes to legacies. Outside of winning a championship in the bubble, his tenure with the Lakers has fallen far short of expectations. While the Nets were swept in the first round of last season's playoffs, LA failed to even secure a spot.
Bayless might feel that Durant is taking an unnecessary beating for what transpired this summer, but it's hard to defend that take. What he tried to pull with the Nets was an extreme case of player empowerment.
For starters, Durant is signed through the next four seasons. He agreed to a max extension last year and then demanded to be traded the summer before it started to kick in. All around, it wasn't a great look.
Another factor that hurt Durant was that Brooklyn gave him and Kyrie Irving a free reign. The former MVP hand-picked Steve Nash as head coach and then wanted to have him removed this summer.
Bayless might feel the shorts at Kevin Durant are unwarranted, but a strong case could be made otherwise.