NBA Rumors: Kevin Durant’s frustration with Russell Westbrook led to Golden State move
By Hunter Cooke
There are many reasons why Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors. One of those reasons is rumored to be Russell Westbrook, his former partner in crime.
Yesterday Kevin Durant, the biggest free agent in the current market, signed with the Golden State Warriors, the team that beat his Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs. The Warriors came back from a 3-1 deficit to send the Thunder home to think about the lead they had squandered.
When it came time for free agency, Durant was a top choice for nearly every single team. The Boston Celtics brought Tom Brady, David Ortiz, and Julian Edelman into the mix. The Warriors brought on MVP Steph Curry to make a pitch. Durant announced his decision to move to the Bay the day after a meeting with the Thunder top brass with an article posted on The Players’ Tribune, a website whose staff writers are solely athletes.
Struggles with Thunder co-star Russell Westbrook were rumored to play a part in Durant’s departure, and according to Bleacher Report Senior NBA writer Howard Beck, they might have had more of an effect than we thought. A source close to Durant said,
"“Ultimately he got frustrated and felt that they had plateaued. “[Donovan] came in,and he still had the same issues that he had with Russ under Scotty. The offense didn’t change much. He still had to take a ton of contested shots every game; and that’s when he had the ball at all.”"
Many are criticizing Durant’s move, calling it a cheap way to get a ring on his finger. If these frustrations with Westbrook were real, then the move is certainly valid to a degree, and isn’t merely a quest for a title.
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