Steve Kerr says that Kevin Durant is similar to Tim Duncan in that he will make personal sacrifices for the betterment of the team.
While talking to the Bay Area News Group on Monday the Golden State Warriors’ head coach said that Durant’s willingness to take a pay cut to try to keep the team together was a great act. He also said that he told Durant how much that gesture reminded him of his old Spurs’ teammate, future Hall-of-Famer Duncan.
"“I told him it reminded me a little bit of Tim Duncan and his time with the Spurs,” Kerr said. “He made max money, and then at key times in his career, he took a little less so they could add a player here and there."
Durant, who played a pivotal role in the Warriors’ historical playoff run and was the NBA Finals MVP, decided to take less money for next season so that his team can bring back key players. He could have signed a max contract and earned up to $36 million per season. However, he only signed a two-year, $53 million contract (roughly $25.5 million per year) and will make less annually than he did last season.
There have been multiple players in the league who have taken pay cuts to help out their team. However, many of them took pay cuts in the later stages of their careers. Durant, like Duncan (who took multiple pay cuts throughout his 19-year career), took a lesser paycheck while still being at the top of his game; he is still a major contributor to his team.
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Last season, Durant led the team in rebounds and blocks with 8.3 and 1.6, respectively. Additionally, he was the team’s second-leading scorer with 25.1 points per game. During the playoffs, he averaged 28.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game.