Is Kevin Durant A Hypocrite? He Ripped LeBron James In 2010 For Forming Super-Team
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- LeBron James took on a tidal wave of criticism back in 2010 when he left the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat as a free agent, and between "The Decision" and guaranteeing eight championships before a single game was played, how could you not roast him?
LeBron even had some shade thrown his way by his peers in the NBA, including one Kevin Durant - the same guy who just one-upped LeBron's super-team cop out by joining the 73-win Golden State Warriors. Clearly, six years of losing in the playoffs took its toll on Durant, who tweeted this less than a week after LeBron went to Miami...
Now everybody wanna play for the heat and the Lakers? Let's go back to being competitive and going at these peoples!
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) July 16, 2010
Look, you can't blame Durant for choosing Golden State over the Celtics, Clippers, or Spurs, or even just staying in Oklahoma City. It gives him the best (read: easiest) chance to win and at least rings are his true motivation and not money or celebrity status. In fact, anything short of multiple championships would be a failure. Not just a mild disappointment, a FAIL.
But I really thought Durant was different from other superstars who just want to join up with their buddies and form super-duper-teams and render the NBA regular season meaningless - and, make no mistake, it really is. His tweet from 2010 was just a small example of what I believed was a player with the right kind of winning attitude. Durant wanted to win, but he also wanted to compete and actually beat his biggest foes as THE guy on his team, much like LeBron just did in Cleveland.
This decision proves that he either changed his mind on that in the weakest way possible or wasn't being truthful all along with that tweet.
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Instead, Durant slinks up to Steph Curry, Steve Kerr, and the Warriors, head down, puppy-dog eyes staring longingly, begging them to be the Robin to Curry's Batman, to give him an opportunity to join what was already a nearly unbeatable team. ... OK, that may be a bit of an exaggeration. But it's certainly a complete 180 from what everyone thought Durant really felt about his desire to win. He obviously wants rings, but he clearly doesn't want to be challenged to do so.
Durant could have forged his own legacy if he signed with the Celtics. He could have taken the torch from Tim Duncan and led the Spurs through a new era of winning. The Clippers may have technically been a super-team if Durant joined them, but it clearly would have been his team. Now what?
If and when the Warriors win multiple titles with Durant in the fold, how much credit will he really get? The naysayers will always be able to say "Yeah but you joined a 73-win team." He had a chance to 'be competitive' and 'go at' the likes of Golden State and Cleveland, but he chose the smooth road to championships, instead of a rougher one. He made the absolute least competitive decision possible and the NBA is worse off for it - as are its fans, besides those who reside in the Bay Area.
You can't blame Durant for going to the team that gives him the best shot at a championship. But you can blame him for being a hypocrite.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.