Why Golden State Warriors' championships won with Kevin Durant will always be debated in NBA circles
The Golden State Warriors' championships have become a topic of conversation among NBA fans. The organization cemented itself as a dynasty last year with their championship win over the Boston Celtics. With this victory, Steph Curry and company secured four titles in a seven-year window.
The Warriors' championship runs were memorable due to their roster construction in 2017 and 2018. After falling to beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, the Warriors went out and signed Kevin Durant.
At the time, KD was considered one of the best players in the world. Pairing him with Steph Curry gave the Warriors two MVP-caliber talents. On top of that, they still had All-Star like Klay Thompson and Draymond Green on the roster.
As expected, the Warriors had a vice grip on the league. No other roster had the talent to match them on any given night, let alone a seven-game series. LeBron James did all he could in the Finals, but he didn't come close to taking down the Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors' championships with Kevin Durant should not been seen as unfair
Some people don't like to admit it, but the Golden State Warriors' championships with Kevin Durant are legitimate. For starters, the majority of the title-winning core was homegrown talent. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green were all drafted and developed by the organization. They only had to sign one star player to fill out their roster.
Previous superteams like the LeBron James lead Miami Heat had to build their roster through free agency. The same could be said about the late 2000's Boston Celtics featuring Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.
What lined up perfectly for the Warriors was the rise in the salary cap during the summer of 2017. Without it, they would not have been able to land Kevin Durant in free agency. Another factor is Stephen Curry signing a team-friendly contract extension.
How the offseason unfolded might have been controversial, but the Warriors didn't do anything wrong. In the end, free agents are able to sign wherever they want. The Golden State already had a championship-caliber core prior to Durant's arrival. He went to the team that offered him the best chance of adding a title to his resume.
The Golden State Warriors' championships will always be remembered. There may never be a collection of talent like that on one roster ever again.