The rumor that Kevin Durant could actually join the Golden State Warriors is burning up the NBA.
While that may sound like wishful thinking is actually backed up by one of the most respected authorities in hoops rumors, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.
"The truth is that they're the most intriguing destination to him," Wojnarowski claimed. "If Durant leaves the Thunder, the Warriors are the significant frontrunners to sign him, league sources told The Vertical."
The key word there is "significant." The links of Durant to the other aspiring teams are flimsy at best, but it seems clear that Durant thinks highly of what the Golden State Warriors has achieved.
As it would be expected, the admiration is mutual. There have been multiple sources that mentioned that the Warriors would also make their run at acquiring Kevin Durant, some of which have been mentioned in this previous report.
The Warriors do not have the cap space at this time to sign Durant outright but it is possible. They may stand to lose some players like Harrison Barnes or Festus Ezeli and they may even try to trade Andrew Bogut or Andre Iguodala. But no one would question any move that will unite the last two MVPs in the league.
On Kevin Durant's side, the Warriors are probably the only team aside from the Cleveland Cavaliers (or maybe San Antonio Spurs with Kawhi Leonard) who can give Durant an upgrade from Russell Westbrook. Any other team that Durant joins will see him joining forces with an inferior second player from the team that he left. That does not seem like a step in the right direction.
While this may be a dream for the Warriors and Durant fans (and a nightmare for everyone else), ESPN's Max Kellerman says Durant joining forces with Stephen Curry and his gang would be "worse than LeBron James' decision" to join the Miami Heat in 2010.
Kellerman noted that LeBron James was harshly criticized for joining forces with another superstar just to get a championship. It was often perceived as a sign of surrender or even cowardice.
Durant joining the Warriors would be worse, as the Warriors are already a champion team or even back to back defending champions when KD steps onboard. He will also relieve his alpha dog status. While Durant is not known to have an ego, he will still be judged for "taking the easy way out."
The argument raised against that was that a championship is still a championship and it does not become "tainted" if a player actually transfers to another team to "chase" it.
Many players in NBA history could not win a championship until they joined other stars to make a powerhouse team. Wilt Chamberlain could be an example and for something more recent, Kevin Garnett with the Celtics.