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NBA free agency: 5 places we’d hate to see Kevin Durant sign

By John Buhler

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 28: Kevin Durant
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 28: Kevin Durant /
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May 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) holds onto the ball next to Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) in the third quarter in game two of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
May 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) holds onto the ball next to Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) in the third quarter in game two of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /

41. . West. Pacific. Golden State Warriors. 1. player

We all knew the answer to this subconsciously: if Durant were to sign with the Golden State Warriors in 2016 NBA free agency after taking Golden State to seven games in the 2016 Western Conference Finals as the Thunder’s star small forward, Durant would become the most reviled player in the NBA.

He won’t make an ordeal out of it like James did with The Decision to leave Cleveland for the Miami Heat in 2010 NBA free agency, but Durant will no longer be a media darling if he leaves Oklahoma City for the Bay Area behemoth that is Golden State.

Golden State could look to upgrade at small forward if Harrison Barnes leaves in free agency to get overpaid. The Warriors don’t have to play unanimous MVP point guard Stephen Curry top dollar until next summer. With Durant joining Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green in the Warriors’ starting five next season, Golden State easily becomes the most despised team in the NBA without question.

It’ll look like a front-running move of immense cowardice for Durant to leave a championship caliber team in Oklahoma City for another one in the Western Conference in Golden State. Leaving the West for the East has better optics for Durant’s approval should he sign with teams like the Boston Celtics, the Miami Heat, or his hometown team in the Washington Wizards.

People would figure out a way to get behind any of those three relocations because going West to East is a logical move to help his playoff chances: he just has to beat Cleveland to make the Finals, in theory.

Though Golden State would be an overwhelming favorite to win the 2017 NBA Finals with Durant on the Warriors, it would be a serious lack of judgment on behalf of his brand to leave the Thunder for the Warriors. He would basically be putting his legacy in a compromising position to sign with the juggernaut Thunder, meaning he HAS to win the championship next season or he’ll be arguably more ostracized than James was after losing to the Mavericks in his first year with the Heat in 2010-11.

For more NBA free agency news, please check out our NBA free agency category page.

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