Considering the Warriors success after replacing Kevin Durant with Andrew Wiggins what does this have to say about Durant's importance to the Warriors dynasty?
Written by: Geoffrey Radoff
26 May, 2022
Before Kevin Durant joined the Warriors in 2016, he was known as one of the most talented players in NBA history, but his lack of a championship was something that people would always point to. He was put in the same category as players such as Tracy McGrady, Chris Paul, and Charles Barkley. While these players are still Hall of Famers they still receive constant slander due to their lack of success at the highest level. Kevin Durant saw all this and decided that since he couldn't get it done in OKC it was time to leave. On July 4, 2016, he lit the world on fire when he signed with the best team in the league, the Golden State Warriors. Even though they were the best team in the league they had lost in the championship the year before to LeBron and the Cavs in what was arguably the greatest Finals series of all time. So even though the Warriors were the best team in the league it's not like they were unbeatable before Durant joined. After Durant joined though, they were easily the best team in the history of the league. While they did have a close call in the WCF vs. the Rockets besides that they had it pretty light and won the Finals convincingly and did the same the next year. In these Finals, the #1 option for the Warriors was clearly Kevin Durant as he won back-to-back Finals MVPs. After Durant seem to "lead" them to these rings, two points seemed clear. One, the Warriors needed Durant if they wanted to win these rings. Then Two, now that Durant has multiple chips under his belt, he is a top 15 player of all time.
But after seeing KD and the Warriors lose in 2019 and now in the championship without him we have to start asking questions. First, how bad did the Warriors need Kevin Durant? The simple answer is, not that much. While Durant of course made it easier for the Warriors to win those rings he was not crucial. The two years before they got him they won the championship and then lost in 7, but still had the most regular-season wins in NBA history that year as Curry won back-to-back MVPs. While KD did ball out in the 2017 Finals averaging 35 points, the Warriors were also capable of beating LeBron without KD. What Durant really was was just the nail in the coffin to beat LeBron and the Cavs. People always knew this but also couldn't get over the fact that the year before they got KD they couldn't get it done and once Durant came they won so, therefore, the Warriors needed Durant. But actually, we just didn't let the Warriors get another swing without Durant. Now we are seeing this Warriors team without Durant do pretty much exactly what they did with him and honestly this year there have been no close calls unlike in 2017 with the Rockets. Now Durant was just bounced in the first round while having another star in Kyrie Irving by his side and he also lost last year with what was supposed to be a "Super Team" in Brooklyn. So now we are starting to realize that Kevin Durant needed the Warriors and they were just doing him a favor by letting him join the team. This is not to say he wasn't balling while on the Warriors, but he was also balling on OKC and they couldn't win. It was the Warriors that got KD those rings not the other way around. Now realizing this he still stands as one of the greatest scorers of all time but we have to realize that unless he wins a ring n his own he does not deserve to go down as a winner.
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