Kevin Durant a big boost for Golden State Warriors

Kevin Durant #35 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on against the Washington Wizards in the first half at Verizon Centre on November 10, 2015 in Washington, DC. PHOTO | ROB CARR |

What you need to know:

  • Most coveted free agent is another potent weapon to an already formidable Warriors offense led by Curry
  • Durant is a top three NBA player alongside Curry and James. Golden State have decapitated their main competition in the West and now possess an absurd level of talent to match LeBron in the finals. Cavaliers and the Warriors look set to continue their battle in a trilogy.

Well, well, well. Look at what we have here: Kevin Durant (Kevin Durant), former MVP and four-time NBA scoring champion, has decided to take his talents to Golden State Warriors, the team that beat him in the Western Conference Finals.

For Warriors, the dark cloud of a Game Seven NBA finals loss at home had a silver lining. The loss had the effect of making the once invincible Warriors seem mortal.

After the demands of winning 73 regular-season games, after surviving injuries to their best player, after being driven to the brink of elimination by the ugly defence, Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC) mounted an unsuccessful title challenge against Cleveland Cavaliers led by a rejuvenated LeBron James.

The better-rested Cavaliers were too much for Golden State in the final two games of the Finals. The three-point shot abandoned the Warriors at a crucial moment and they were no match from for LeBron’s bully ball under the basket.

Despite being the team that rewrote whole chapters of the record books, Golden State suddenly looked like they could be upgraded. Even at their brilliant best, they could still pretend there was room for improvement.

Enter KD, the best player of the second best team in the West. A six foot ten scoring machine who can shoot over the tallest defender with startling accuracy. Someone to fill the small forward position after the ghost of Harrison Barnes is exorcised from the Oracle Arena after his horrendous performance in the final two games.

Durant is a top three NBA player alongside Curry and James. There is only one small forward in the league better than Durant. He has the words “Chosen 1” tattooed on his body, has crowned himself “King” and he just won his third ring.

Durant has gone from being a member of a deadly duo to being the offensive thrust of the most fearsome basketball quartet ever assembled. The only squad with more elite shooters in its ranks is Seal Team Six.

The Warriors fearsome nuclear line-up just went thermonuclear. The deal is a product of the times. After a generous television rights deal, the league is swimming in it. Golden State have the room to afford a star of Durant’s quality even as they pay the maximum.

The socialist laws of the NBA meant to increase parity in the league force owners to spend a minimum amount of their earnings. Golden State also has the luck of having signed Curry on the cheap. Curry was given a middling deal due to his many past injuries.

Despite being a back-to-back MVP and owner of the best-selling jersey in the league, he isn’t even among the top three best paid players in his team. At the beginning of next season Curry will struggle to even rank among the top 100 earners in the league.  The new money and Curry’s cheapness allows the Warriors to afford this constellation of game-changing talents.

Questions of team chemistry abound. Who is the alpha? Curry is talented, but surely you have to feel he is going to be the B-side to Durant’s brilliance.

Can Curry be the secondary option? Will Draymond Green agree to fall in the rank to be the fourth best on the court? Golden State’s motto is “Strength in Numbers” and the depth of their bench is legendary, what does it say that they have to have a fire sale of the bench to get Durant? How many games will the new team depleted of reserves win?

The backlash against Durant will be vicious. OKC couldn’t even make the play-offs two seasons ago when he was recovering from surgery. James faced similar backlash when he switched teams. He couldn’t get past the Boston Celtics in the East during his first stint in Cleveland as he was deprived of much-needed help.

PEERLESS

Even when he managed to get to the Finals in 2007, San Antonio Spurs beat Cleveland like a drum, winning 4-0. James had to form a super team in Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to win a title. Even then they lost first in 2011 to the Dallas Mavericks before winning in 2012 against Durant and OKC. Warriors again look peerless.

Golden State have decapitated their main competition in the West and now possess an absurd level of talent to match LeBron in the finals. Cavaliers and the Warriors look set to continue their battle in a trilogy. Even after their shocking loss, the Warriors were favoured to win the West and beat the Cavaliers in the 2017 finals.

Now with Durant, the probability inches towards certainty.