Durant on NBA stars changing teams: ‘I love what’s going on right now’

Delfin Dioquino

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Durant on NBA stars changing teams: ‘I love what’s going on right now’

Rappler

The two-time NBA Finals MVP is still heavily criticized to this day for leaving the Oklahoma City Thunders and joining the Golden State Warriors

MANILA, Philippines – Kevin Durant is all for opposing NBA teams creating rosters specifically built to beat his Golden State Warriors, especially if it means players having complete power over their respective careers.

The back-to-back Finals Most Valuable Player, who is still heavily criticized to this day for leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder and joining the Warriors in 2016, said he “loves” the player movement in the league.

“I think it’s amazing that players are starting to take control of their careers, prioritizing winning is what basketball has always been all about,” Durant said in a Nike press conference at the Whitespace Manila in Makati on Sunday, July 8.

“That’s why we all started to play, because we want to win and have some fun out there. I love what’s going on right now.” (READ: Durant on Warriors landing Cousins: ‘I guess we ruined it‘)


The most notable players who have jumped ship in the offseason are 4-time league MVP LeBron James, 4-time All-Star DeMarcus Cousins, 4-time NBA champion Tony Parker and All-NBA First Teamer DeAndre Jordan. 

James turns the Los Angeles Lakers to an instant playoff contender with a 4-year deal and will now face Durant more often than previous seasons as they both headline the loaded Western Conference. 

Cousins bolsters the already-stacked Warriors by inking a one-year deal, Parker provides a veteran presence for the Charlotte Hornets after parting ways with the San Antonio Spurs while Jordan fortifies the Dallas Mavericks by signing a one-year deal. 

Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets – the team that posed the most serious threat to the Golden State last season by pushing the two-time defending NBA champions to Game 7 in the West finals – have secured Chris Paul to a 4-year deal

“It’s a great time to be a basketball player, not just in the NBA, but as a grassroots player. There’s so much energy around the game and it’s the best place it’s ever been in,” said Durant.

Durant and the Warriors begin their quest for a 3rd straight NBA title in October. – Rappler.com

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Delfin Dioquino

Delfin Dioquino dreamt of being a PBA player, but he did not have the skills to make it. So he pursued the next best thing to being an athlete – to write about them. He took up journalism at the University of Santo Tomas and joined Rappler as soon as he graduated in 2017.