5 Things to Consider about Durant Move

Before You Judge Him, Consider These Factors…

1 — Karma is Real

Is it sad for Oklahoma City fans, especially kids, that Durant is skipping town? Yes, it absolutely is. But isn’t it even sadder that OKC owner Clay Bennett ripped the Seattle Supersonics away from Seattle fans in 2008, especially kids? Yes. Everyone in Oklahoma City needs to appreciate what they do have. Their days of Kevin Durant are over, but at least they have a franchise. According to Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, the NBA has no plans to expand soon, so OKC probably has a better shot of seeing Durant in a Thunder jersey before Seattle sees an NBA team in its town.

2 — Stephen A. Smith Has an Ax to Grind

If you watched the “Breaking News” about Durant’s decision on ESPN, you probably saw Stephen A. Smith calling KD’s decision “the weakest decision” he’s ever seen “from a superstar.” Smith is catching a lot of criticism from other ESPN pundits, but none have brought up the Durant-Stephen A. beef from about a year ago, when Smith called out Durant in a very unprofessional way. Smith reported that KD was leaning toward signing with the Lakers as a free agent (which ended up being totally incorrect, as the Lakers never even received a meeting with Durant this offseason), and Durant essentially said Stephen A. was totally incorrect (which, again, he was), which prompted a threatening message from Smith toward KD. So before you agree with Stephen A., know the facts — that guy has an ax to grind here.

3 — Russell Westbrook is a Ball Hog, Especially in the 4th Quarter

There’s no doubt that Russell Westbrook is one of the best players in the NBA — but there’s also no doubt that Westbrook likes to hog the ball in fourth quarters. This has been issue for quite some time in OKC, and it’s reasonable that Durant could be sick of it. Granted, Westbrook has gotten better at sharing over time, but even in these most recent Playoffs, onlookers were shocked at some of the random bricks Westbrook threw up when he could have, and often should have, passed to Durant. Can you really blame Durant for choosing a team that passes the ball efficiently, and has no problem sharing the shots?

4 — Victor Oladipo Sucks

I am an avid Orlando Magic fan. I have not missed an Orlando Magic game in years, and even that time was for an emergency.

Victor Oladipo sucks. Sure, he’s an aggressive defender, and an upgrade for OKC’s perimeter defense over Dion Waiters, but that’s about it. I’ve been shocked at some of the reaction to the Magic-Thunder trade (Serge Ibaka for Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova, and Domantas Sabonis), because many are lauding it for the Thunder, and yet Oladipo really doesn’t make them a better team. He can’t shoot, he can’t control the ball or bring it up the court effectively, and he’s not even a great finisher at the basket.

In fact, he wasn’t effective for the Magic until they brought him off the bench. Is that trade supposed to sway Durant to stay in town? Is he supposed to be excited to have a guy who’s arguably worse overall than Dion Waiters?

5 — San Francisco is San Francisco — OKC is OKC

Durant’s decision was supposedly only about winning, but even Durant himself recognizes the limits of OKC as a city to live in. In an HBO Durant documentary that aired last year detailing Durant’s 2014 offseason, KD discussed the Thunder’s pursuit of Pau Gasol, and how OKC as a city dissuaded Gasol from joining the club (around 26 minutes into the doc).

Durant knows, as we all do (even OKC natives) that San Francisco is a better location for experiencing cultural diversity, enjoying entertainment and leisure, and exploring business opportunities. What’s wrong with that? Ask anyone in OKC if they would like to live in San Francisco during their twenties and thirties. Unless they have family in OKC that they can’t leave (Durant’s family is either in the DC area or can travel with him), were born and raised in OKC (Durant wasn’t), or have some sort of ties to the energy, aerospace, or biotech industries (Durant plays basketball for a living), then they’ll quickly answer “Yes.”

Can we stop blaming this guy for making a smart decision?