The Kevin Durant hate: Justified or Not Justified

[AHF]

On 8/6/2022 at 9:57 PM, TRW said:

I believe the NBA is a different league than in the past but I had no problem with KD signing with the Golden St. Warriors. KD completed his contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder and became a free agent. I will say it again, KD honored his contract and then became a free man. As a free man, he had the right to sign with any team he wanted. I find it funny and hypocritical that people blame KD for going to a stacked team when the so called "King" has/had stacked teams since he left the Cavaliers the first time. I don't see the LeBron hate that KD gets but IMO they're very similar. Now as we fast forward, everybody wants to criticize KD again for wanting to leave Brooklyn. I'm not saying KD is right this time but James Harden did the same thing twice within the last two or three years and I didn't see many people criticizing him. In Houston, "the Beard" said "he couldn't play with a bunch of losers." James Harden divorced Houston and Brooklyn. So LeBron James and James Harden get a pass but KD doesn't get the same courtesy. JSMH at this hypocrisy. 

Not Justified 

I don't follow your logic here.

1. Since They Both Got Hate for Joining Super Teams There Is No Hypocrisy:  Bron got a lot of hate for pressing the "easy" button and moving to Miami to enjoy a stacked team.
2. KD Marketed Himself as a "Loyal to OKC" Guy and Dissed LeBron for Leaving:  KD was one of Bron's haters and threw shade at him in two ways.  First, he made the tweet a week after LeBron made his announcement criticizing the fact that everyone wanted to run to other franchises like the Lakers instead of winning themselves.  Second, he specifically contrasted himself to LeBron by preaching his loyalty to Oklahoma.
3. KD Was Already on A Title Contender:  The Thunder were up 2-0 in the WCF and had already been to the NBA Finals.  They were already title contenders and were still good enough to win 48 games a year the next 3 seasons after KD left whereas Cleveland was a house of cards without LeBron (winning 19 and 21 games the next two seasons) and were moving in the wrong direction (losing badly to Boston in the second round).  LeBron also went to a team that had proven nothing whereas KD joined a team that won a title 1 year before and 73 games that season.  (I.e., they were already historically good without him)

Now I'm not a fan of the super team approach at all but LeBron got every bit as much "hate" as KD when he made the move.

(Harden got criticism too but I just don't think he is as relevant since he is arguably not even a top 20 player anymore.  His power play moves are just much lower stakes so he gets raked over the coals but fewer people care in contrast to someone who is the best or second best player in the game.)

 

[macdaddy]

KD seems like a jerk but players doing what they want to do in free agency is fine with me.   I mean Steph, Klay, Dray went full court press to lure him to GS so why don't they get criticized for wanting an easy ring? 

Win 73 games and blow the finals to Lebron and instead of saying "we're still the best team in bball let's go show them" they all get together and say "let's go get the biggest star available so this isn't so hard"

[AUhawksfan]

26 minutes ago, AHF said:

I don't follow your logic here.

1. Since They Both Got Hate for Joining Super Teams There Is No Hypocrisy:  Bron got a lot of hate for pressing the "easy" button and moving to Miami to enjoy a stacked team.
2. KD Marketed Himself as a "Loyal to OKC" Guy and Dissed LeBron for Leaving:  KD was one of Bron's haters and threw shade at him in two ways.  First, he made the tweet a week after LeBron made his announcement criticizing the fact that everyone wanted to run to other franchises like the Lakers instead of winning themselves.  Second, he specifically contrasted himself to LeBron by preaching his loyalty to Oklahoma.
3. KD Was Already on A Title Contender:  The Thunder were up 2-0 in the WCF and had already been to the NBA Finals.  They were already title contenders and were still good enough to win 48 games a year the next 3 seasons after KD left whereas Cleveland was a house of cards without LeBron (winning 19 and 21 games the next two seasons) and were moving in the wrong direction (losing badly to Boston in the second round).  LeBron also went to a team that had proven nothing whereas KD joined a team that won a title 1 year before and 73 games that season.  (I.e., they were already historically good without him)

Now I'm not a fan of the super team approach at all but LeBron got every bit as much "hate" as KD when he made the move.

(Harden got criticism too but I just don't think he is as relevant since he is arguably not even a top 20 player anymore.  His power play moves are just much lower stakes so he gets raked over the coals but fewer people care in contrast to someone who is the best or second best player in the game.)

 

Yeah, plenty of hate has gone around for these guys.  Harden included.  This just encompasses what the problem is for KD:  he can't keep his mouth shut.

He has looked hypocritical with past comments and has gotten sucked into flame wars on Twitter, etc.  All that stuff has just put more of a spotlight on him while he tries to constantly defend himself to the masses when honestly he just needs to let it go.  At least guys like Harden and Bron kind of accepted the hate for what it was and moved along.

[AHF]

On 8/8/2022 at 10:45 AM, macdaddy said:

KD seems like a jerk but players doing what they want to do in free agency is fine with me.   I mean Steph, Klay, Dray went full court press to lure him to GS so why don't they get criticized for wanting an easy ring? 

Win 73 games and blow the finals to Lebron and instead of saying "we're still the best team in bball let's go show them" they all get together and say "let's go get the biggest star available so this isn't so hard"

I think the fact that they already won a ring puts them in a different category in the minds of fans.  If Karl Malone and John Stockton had gone out and pitched David Robinson on joining the team it would be received differently.  What GS did is like the Rockets winning a title and then adding Clyde.  Doesn't garner the same reception when you've already gotten a ring without that stud addition.