Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Golden State Warriors in 2016 prompted a shift in power in the whole of the NBA because he joined the superpower team in the Bay who had the core of the championship team in 2015 and a game short of a back-to-back titles in 2016.
In his first season with them, Durant and the Warriors wrecked havoc the competition and won the franchise’s second title in three years, thus gifting KD his first ever championship and a finals mvp plum.
The following year, they went at it again by sweeping rivals Cleveland Cavaliers in the final who is led by LeBron James at that time, to collect their back-to-back titles. But disaster struck in 2019 as they not only failed to accomplish a rare three-peat, at the same time losing Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson in the finals through injuries which gave the Toronto Raptors the Larry O’Brien trophy.
That spark another shift in the league’s power as Kevin Durant along with other big names signing elsewhere to bring back the competitiveness of the NBA.
On Monday, Golden State Warriors team owner Joe Lacob voiced out his take on Durant’s decision to sign with the Brooklyn Nets last summer and not opting to run back the team that was deprived of a three-peat.
“I can’t get mad when Kevin Durant, who I felt pretty close with, decides to leave. Which, to me, made no sense. You’re the best organization, I hope he thinks, in the world. Winning, other great players, the new arena,” Lacob said via 95.7 The Game.
“To me, there was every reason in the world to stay. But I’m not going to be mad at him because it’s his life and he earned the right. And for whatever reason, he decided he wanted to leave. I can’t control that. I tried. But I can’t control that,” he admitted.
After Durant’s departure, Golden State was bugged by injuries and in turn became NBA’s worst team in terms of record with a lowly 12 wins so far. But everyone believes that GSW will be back with vengeance next season as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green teams up with newly-acquired forward Andrew Wiggins.
