In 2016, Kevin Durant faced a playoff loss that prompted one of the biggest moves of his career. He chose to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder and join the Golden State Warriors. Durant and the Warriors went on to reach three consecutive NBA Finals, winning two championships and earning two Finals MVP titles. However, in 2019, KD decided to leave the Warriors due to conflicts with teammates and a lack of chemistry.
Recently, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr discussed the departure of Kevin Durant from the Warriors. Steve Kerr opened up about his experience coaching Durant on the Dan Le Batard Show, expressing his love for coaching KD.
He mentioned that Durant expressed his desire to leave the team during the last year of his contract. Kerr also praised Durant for his contributions to the team and admired his skills as a player.
Those years were incredible. I loved coaching Kevin. I think that last year he was here, he was visibly wanting to move on. We could feel it, and that was his choice as a free agent. Everything that he gave to us and brought to us, we will be thankful for that forever… Kevin’s an incredible player and I am blessed to have coached him.
Steve Kerr via Dan Le Batard Show
Durant’s move to the Golden State Warriors faced significant backlash, as the team had just completed a record-setting season with a 73-9 record. KD arguably received more criticism for his decision than LeBron James did when he left his hometown of Cleveland to join the Miami Heat. However, after winning two consecutive championships with the Warriors, Durant managed to silence many of his critics.
After leaving the Warriors, Durant joined the Brooklyn Nets alongside Kyrie Irving and James Harden. Unfortunately, they were unable to replicate the Warriors’ dominance with Durant in their lineup. Since departing from Golden State, Durant has yet to secure another championship. Currently, he plays for the Phoenix Suns and is focused on winning the title in the upcoming season.
Kevin Durant was part of the Dubs dynasty
In 2016, Kevin Durant joined the 73-9 Golden State Warriors, which many considered the best team in NBA history. It was the first time two league MVPs played together in their prime. The team also featured one of the best two-way shooting guards in Klay Thompson and a Defensive Player of the Year in Draymond Green.
In their first two seasons, the Warriors cruised through the regular season, dominating every team that came their way. With the three-point revolution taking hold in the NBA, the Warriors boasted three of the league’s best shooters. In 2017, they set a playoff record by going 16-1 and eventually defeated LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals.
In 2018, the Warriors maintained their momentum and secured their second consecutive championship victory. However, in 2019, the team struggled with chemistry issues, as Durant had on-court disputes with Draymond Green.
Despite their star power, the Warriors still made the playoffs that year. Unfortunately, injuries to both Durant and Thompson led to their eventual loss in the Finals to the Kawhi Leonard-led Toronto Raptors. The 2019 finals loss marked the end to the dominant Warriors dynasty.
