It\u2019s been difficult to get a sense for where Kevin Durant will be playing basketball next season. The electric Warriors forward has one of the\u2026<\/b>
\nIt\u2019s been difficult to get a sense for where Kevin Durant will be playing basketball next season.
The electric Warriors forward has one of the most unique personalities in the NBA. When he left the Thunder for the Warriors in 2016, it was considered a surprise by some and opened him up to new levels of criticism, while also putting him on the path to two NBA Finals MVPs and back-to-back titles.
In a Bleacher Report piece trying to understand if and why fellow stars are shying away from playing alongside LeBron James, Durant offered enlightening answers not only about James, but perhaps his own priorities.
\u201cSo much hype comes from being around LeBron from other people,\u201d Durant told the website. \u201cHe has so many fanboys in the media. Even the beat writers just fawn over him. I\u2019m like, we\u2019re playing basketball here, and it\u2019s not even about basketball at certain points. So I get why anyone wouldn\u2019t want to be in that environment because it\u2019s toxic.
\u201cEspecially when the attention is bulls\u2013t attention, fluff. It\u2019s not LeBron\u2019s fault at all; it\u2019s just the fact you have so many groupies in the media that love to hang on every word. Just get out of the way and let us play basketball.\u201d
This is not a criticism of James, as much as it is the situation around him. But that does not make it any less damning for those hoping Durant would consider playing alongside James. Durant has been linked to the Lakers, Knicks and Clippers as possible destinations if he decides to opt out, as expected, and leave a ready-made NBA title contender behind.
\u201cIt depends on what kind of player you are,\u201d Durant, 30, said when asked about what it would be like to play alongside James. \u201cIf you\u2019re Kyle Korver, then it makes sense. Because Kyle Korver in Atlanta was the bulk of the offense, and he\u2019s not a No. 1 option at all, not even close. So his talents benefit more from a guy who can pass and penetrate and get him open.
\u201cIf you\u2019re a younger player like a Kawhi [Leonard], trying to pair him with LeBron James doesn\u2019t really make sense. Kawhi enjoys having the ball in his hands, controlling the offense, dictating the tempo with his post-ups; it\u2019s how he plays the game. A lot of young players are developing that skill. They don\u2019t need another guy.\u201d
Durant has already grown frustrated with the questions about his future, which are mushrooming with rumors that this will be his last season with Golden State. And that speculation also caused a rift between him and outspoken teammate Draymond Green.
One reason it is believed that Durant would be willing to leave the Warriors is because he\u2019ll never be beloved as much as Steph Curry, Klay Thompson or Green. He had that adulation with the Thunder, but a team that could not quite get past the Warriors in the postseason.
Is there a team where he could have both? This might be as close as we get to a clue before July\u2019s free agency.<\/p>\n