Several years ago, Kevin Durant was one of the more likable superstars in the NBA.
Not only was he a great player with a smooth spot, fluid athleticism and all-around skills, but he also seemed humble and approachable.
Many fans pointed to the speech he gave when he won the 2014 NBA MVP as an example of his character.
But that all changed when Durant joined the Golden State Warriors, a team that had just won a league-record 73 games, in the summer of 2016 as a free agent.
All of a sudden, he was blasted for supposedly not wanting to compete.
He seemed to justify that decision by leading them to back-to-back world championships and winning the Finals MVP both years, but now in 2022, he wants out again.
A man who seemed on his way to becoming one of the 10 greatest players of all time is now destroying his public reputation.
Durant Is Gaining A Reputation For Being Mentally Weak
When he left the Oklahoma City Thunder to join Stephen Curry and company, Durant was accused of taking the easy way out.
It was just like when LeBron James joined Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat in 2010, only worse.
To make matters worse, Durant left Golden State after just three years to team up with his good friend Kyrie Irving on the Brooklyn Nets.
For a minute, it seemed like Durant had an opportunity to salvage his image, as many predicted the Nets would win it all.
But in two years with Irving, Durant and the Nets have won just one playoff series.
Granted, Durant hasn’t really been to blame for Brooklyn’s woes, but the fact that he now wants to be traded has once again made him seem mentally weak and fragile.
Kyrie wanted out of Cleveland and Lebron James stayed and took his team to the finals.
Kyrie wants out of Brooklyn and Kevin Durant now wants to run to the top seeds in each conference.
Never EVER compare the 2 again. pic.twitter.com/f7l1zc8h4n
— JAY® (@JayLGK) July 4, 2022
One of the biggest supposed suitors for Durant is the Phoenix Suns, a team that reached the NBA Finals a year ago and had the best record in the league this past season.
If he gets sent to Arizona, his critics will once again accuse him of being a frontrunner.
There have even been whispers the Warriors may be interested in bringing Durant back.
If that happened, the criticism he would receive would be off the charts.
One Option Could Help Somewhat Salvage His Legacy
Another team rumored to be in the Durant sweepstakes is the Toronto Raptors, a team that is currently good, but not great.
If Durant ends up going north of the border, he would not be playing on a squad that would be stacked with talent, which would mean that he would actually have to earn his next championship ring.
ESPN's @BobbyMarks42 says the #Raptors are the "leader of the clubhouse" for Kevin Durant.
"For me, it's all about Toronto." pic.twitter.com/RMfWqPOprL
— Adam Laskaris (@adam_la2karis) July 5, 2022
Winning a title with the Raptors, especially if they were to give up Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes to get him, could effectively “validate” Durant’s two titles with Golden State.
Along with Curry and LeBron James, Durant is one of the greatest players of the past decade, and he is seemingly starving for recognition, as evidenced by some of the Twitter wars he has gotten into with fans.
If he truly wants the validation he feels he deserves, he should head north of the border and make the Raptors champions again.
Leave a Reply