"Shaq and Kobe breaking up" - Kevin Durant catches stray from former NBA champion for quitting Warriors
Kevin Durant will go down in NBA history as one of the greatest, but not without “what if” moments in his career. Durant joined the Golden State Warriors in 2017 but left the team just after three seasons, recording two championship wins and three consecutive trips to the Finals. Warriors legend Rick Barry was confused about KD’s decision to leave the Warriors despite having success with the team.
Kevin Durant decided to leave the Warriors in 2019, which received criticism across the league. The two-time NBA champion’s last season with the Warriors wasn’t as good as it had been for the first two seasons. He was involved in an on-court spat with co-star Draymond Green and later tore his Achilles while trying to get back from a calf injury in the 2019 NBA Finals.
Durant's decision to leave the Warriors wasn’t just about his position in the team but also about proving his worth outside of the Dubs. Like many others, Barry was confused about Durant’s decision to leave the Warriors, a championship team under Steve Kerr. He said that if he were in KD’s position, he would give up a part of his salary to play on a team like the Warriors.
"That's why you're supposed to be playing in team sport, isn't it? To win titles," Barry said on 'The Icons Club'. "That's why I don't understand some of the moves some of these guys have made when they're on these amazing situations. Shaq and Kobe breaking up, KD leaving the Warriors, I mean, I would give a part of my salary to have played on that Warriors team.”
He wasn't alone among NBA legends questioning Kevin Durant's decision to switch teams. Hakeem Olajuwon also found it perplexing how modern-day players find it convenient to switch teams to contest for titles.
Previously, Hakeem Olajuwon voiced the same opinion about KD leaving the Warriors. He was also confused by the continued habit of players to change teams to win a title rather than being loyal to one team that drafted them.
Kevin Durant fires back at fan who criticized him for leaving Warriors
Kevin Durant could have possibly won multiple championships alongside Steph Curry in Golden State. On top of that, he also had the chance to win multiple Finals MVPs, which could have included him in the GOAT debate. However, KD clearly has no regrets about leaving the Warriors.
However, NBA fans are still sore with the 2014 MVP's decision to leave the Warriors. In a recent “X” (formerly Twitter) exchange, when a fan tried to remind the Phoenix Suns star of the reason for getting hate among fans, Durant said fans get mad at him easily and he likes that control.
While it is true that Durant would have won more championships with the Warriors, the Warriors remained Curry’s team. His on-court altercation with Green was the final nail in the coffin and anybody in Durant’s position can reasonably understand his decision.
Since leaving the Warriors, Kevin Durant has joined players like James Harden and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn but failed to win the title. He is still searching for his third title, now with the Suns alongside Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.