is Kevin Durant judged fairly?

[Street Hunger]

Kevin Durant has been one of the best players in the NBA for well over a decade.

But he seems to be most famously known for joining an already stacked Warriors team and helping them rack up multiple championships.

Had he not done that though he still would be considered one of the very best players in the league. But maybe not a top 10 superstar? Maybe he would have been considered a player ranked between 10 and 20 in the league? Maybe closer to the top 20? I'm not sure.

He isn't just a scorer. He's a better defender than many people realize.

I wonder if he's being judged fairly now and I wonder how he'll be ranked once his career is over.

[John8204]

He's a modern day Rick Barry, he should be considered a top twenty player all-time. However he has failed to win with constant Hall of Fame talent and only won with a championship team...that he abandoned when he got injured. Now if he three-peats with the Suns we can look at him in a different light...but would a ring put him ahead of Giannis or Jokic? Would you rank him ahead of Curry or Lebron with 4 rings...or even 5 with Phoenix.

[warriorfan]

he’s a bit of an empty stat kinda guy. he’s never excelled in impact based advanced statistics. he is one of the most talented players of all time and his eye test looks amazing but his impact has always fallen short of his reputation.

[3ba11]

Kevin Durant has been one of the best players in the NBA for well over a decade.

But he seems to be most famously known for joining an already stacked Warriors team and helping them rack up multiple championships.

Had he not done that though he still would be considered one of the very best players in the league. But maybe not a top 10 superstar? Maybe he would have been considered a player ranked between 10 and 20 in the league? Maybe closer to the top 20? I'm not sure.

He isn't just a scorer. He's a better defender than many people realize.

I wonder if he's being judged fairly now and I wonder how he'll be ranked once his career is over.


Were the Curry-Warriors "stacked" with 70-win talent or did they simply have an era-changing brand of ball that shocked the oddsmakers in 2015 by coming out of nowhere (8th in preseason odds)?

Klay Thompson isn't a franchise player or elite producer.. Neither is Draymond Green.. If Dray is the best scorer on a team, the team would win 0 games, while Love or Bosh won 40 games with no help and were considered franchise players.. So Lebron put 3 franchise players on 1 team (super-team), while Curry was the only franchise player on a 70-win team

So I don't think Durant joined a "stacked" team and obviously not a super-team of franchise players like Lebron had - he simply joined a long-standing organic juggernaut that flirted with 70 wins via great chemistry like the 2007 Mavs or 2009 Cavs - these teams weren't "super-teams" with multiple franchise players on 1 team but they flirted with 70 wins via organic chemistry.

So instead of saying that Durant joined a stacked team, people should be praising him for being good enough to maintain the goat brand of ball that the team had - KD's expert jumpshooting skill and lack of ball-dominance is similar to MJ, Curry, or Kobe and it allows the era's best brand of ball.. Otoh, a ball-dominator like Luka or Lebron would've hurt the Warriors' brand of ball and lowered their dominant favorite status or high team ceiling/Finals record - Lebron's ball-dominant "bron-ball" has yielded perennial underdogs regardless of cast - 20 years shows that he isn't capable of mostly winning with any lineup and mostly loses with every lineup.

The only unfortunate aspect is that Durant's organic chip with Westbrook and therefore his career was thrown off kilter by Lebron's "decision".. KD and Westbrook were about to win at 22-23 years old but Lebron's veteran super-teams stole that chips and subsequent momentum going forward.. So his decision to team up with opponents stole organic chips and hurt the careers of Durant, Curry, Duncan and many more - this includes his Eastern foes that would've had Finals runs if Lebron hadn't consolidated power with 3 franchise guys on 1 team.

[HylianNightmare]

I would say he is judged fairly because you have to take the fact that he is a Beta cuck into ranking him

[3ba11]

is Kevin Durant judged unfairly





Yes because his likely dynasty was stolen from him as a baby by Lebron's veteran super-team and teaming up with opponents.. Durant cannot compete with someone that is teaming up with opponents and hand-picking the preseason favorite from 2011-2016 - it's unfair that he was forced to play catch-up in 2017 and his only mistake was waiting 6 years to respond.

[tpols]

he’s a bit of an empty stat kinda guy. he’s never excelled in impact based advanced statistics. he is one of the most talented players of all time and his eye test looks amazing but his impact has always fallen short of his reputation.

His biggest weakness is he doesn't make anybody on his team better. That's what happens when you play AAU ball and are a foot taller than everybody at all times.

[John8204]

Yes because his likely dynasty was stolen from him as a baby by Lebron's veteran super-team and teaming up with opponents.. Durant cannot compete with someone that is teaming up with opponents and hand-picking the preseason favorite from 2011-2016 - it's unfair that he was forced to play catch-up in 2017 and his only mistake was waiting 6 years to respond.

You know if we lined up The Heat, Cavs, Lakers, Thunder, Nets, Suns and Warriors...not really sure if I wouldn't have KD 1-4 and Lebron at 5-6-7

[97 bulls]

https://youtu.be/UaKU3WMGvfQ?si=Dgl1O7ORw4eStXBT

Even his own mama laughed at him. Nothing else needs to be said.

[SouBeachTalents]

He is an ATG player, but of his perimeter contemporaries at their peaks; Kobe, Wade, Curry, Kawhi etc., I'd pick him last.

[Hey Yo]

Were the Curry-Warriors "stacked" with 70-win talent or did they simply have an era-changing brand of ball that shocked the oddsmakers in 2015 by coming out of nowhere (8th in preseason odds)?

Klay Thompson isn't a franchise player or elite producer.. Neither is Draymond Green.. If Dray is the best scorer on a team, the team would win 0 games, while Love or Bosh won 40 games with no help and were considered franchise players.. So Lebron put 3 franchise players on 1 team (super-team), while Curry was the only franchise player on a 70-win team

So I don't think Durant joined a "stacked" team and obviously not a super-team of franchise players like Lebron had - he simply joined a long-standing organic juggernaut that flirted with 70 wins via great chemistry like the 2007 Mavs or 2009 Cavs - these teams weren't "super-teams" with multiple franchise players on 1 team but they flirted with 70 wins via organic chemistry.

So instead of saying that Durant joined a stacked team, people should be praising him for being good enough to maintain the goat brand of ball that the team had - KD's expert jumpshooting skill and lack of ball-dominance is similar to MJ, Curry, or Kobe and it allows the era's best brand of ball.. Otoh, a ball-dominator like Luka or Lebron would've hurt the Warriors' brand of ball and lowered their dominant favorite status or high team ceiling/Finals record - Lebron's ball-dominant "bron-ball" has yielded perennial underdogs regardless of cast - 20 years shows that he isn't capable of mostly winning with any lineup and mostly loses with every lineup.

The only unfortunate aspect is that Durant's organic chip with Westbrook and therefore his career was thrown off kilter by Lebron's "decision".. KD and Westbrook were about to win at 22-23 years old but Lebron's veteran super-teams stole that chips and subsequent momentum going forward.. So his decision to team up with opponents stole organic chips and hurt the careers of Durant, Curry, Duncan and many more - this includes his Eastern foes that would've had Finals runs if Lebron hadn't consolidated power with 3 franchise guys on 1 team.

NTS folks, already addressed

[Jasper]

this board doesn't give him credit for his personal accomplishments ...

I consider him at least a top 30 player. and obviously top 75 greatest of all time list well deserved. .

[3ba11]

NTS folks, already addressed



Yest but the next post was un-addressed:




Everything would've been different if KD won with baby Westbrook in 2012 but Lebron's veteran super-team altered KD's career by stealing KD's organic chip and also Duncan or Curry's in 13' and 16',

Durant cannot compete with someone that is teaming up with opponents and hand-picking the preseason favorite from 2011-2016 - it's unfair that he was forced to play catch-up in 2017 and his only mistake was waiting 6 years to respond.

TLDR: if KD was allowed to win organically with Westbrook in 2012 then the Thunder would've had a potential dynasty and KD could've been top 10 like Larry Bird

[hold this L]

He's the 3rd best player of this generation, I'd say he's judged fair enough.