From the Thunder to the Warriors to the Nets to the Suns, is Durant the star with the worst career planning?

Serious basketball club

2024-04-29 13:49Posted in Tianjin Sports Creators

116-122, the Suns lost again to the Timberwolves.

In today's game, Durant played a personal best performance in this year's playoffs, shooting 12 of 17 in the game, 2 of 3 shots, and 7 of 9 free throws to score 33 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks.

0-4, the Suns were swept by the Timberwolves and became the first team to exit the playoffs this year.

So far, in the two years of the playoffs after returning to the West, Durant has not been able to go further.

Last year he fell in the semi-finals, and this year he fell in the first round. Considering the Suns' current salary structure and player composition, combined with the competitive environment of the entire West.

We can't help but wonder: Is Durant's choice wrong again this time?

In fact, there has been a huge controversy about Durant's entire career plan.

And it all started with that decision in the summer of 2016. In the offseason of the 2015-2016 season, Durant's joining the Warriors shocked everyone and took a "shortcut" from then on. In the 2016-2017 season, Durant successfully won his first NBA championship and was crowned the MVP of the NBA Finals. A year later, Durant replicated two successes in the 2017-18 season, becoming a two-time champion + two-time Finals MVP.

In the 2018-2019 season, Durant suffered an injury, and the Warriors lost 2-4 to the Raptors in the Finals.

If you only look at Durant's achievements, he is undoubtedly a success with the Warriors.

But just as Durant was ridiculed at the ESPY Awards, is there really enough respect for Durant's accomplishments?

From the moment Durant chose to join the Warriors, he should have been aware of the problem. He got what he wanted, but the world wouldn't respect him, and the Green formula gave him a heavy blow: "We were already champions before you came!"

Because of this, Durant needs to win an unbranded championship.

He needs to prove it to Green, to the world, and to himself.

So in the summer of 2019, Durant teamed up with his good brother Irving and came to Brooklyn together.

Durant + Irving are not finished, after the start of the 2020-21 season, they have welcomed another right-hand man: Harden!

However, the outcome of the trio is well known, and they have only played a series together. What awaited them was endless injuries, Durant's stepping on the line, Irving's boycott during the pandemic, Harden's request to leave the team, etc., and the pair ended in failure.

Durant was swept out of the 2022 playoffs by the Celtics in the first round, and then he chose to leave the team. The Nets finally sent Durant to the Suns in the 2022-23 season after staying up for half a season.

Looking back at Durant's Nets career, he's eager to regain proof that there's nothing wrong with his determination.

But he was wrong, he chose the wrong person, he chose the wrong team.

When you decide to give up a good team and go to another, you have to make sure that your new team is better. However, Durant's choice of Nets team does not have this, and their owner is a new NBA owner who doesn't know how to build a championship roster, or they have no intention of competing for a championship. So we saw that Tsai Chongxin hired rookie Nash, who simply does not have the ability to control the Big Three, and he has not had a job since he was fired by the Nets.

Durant thought Irving would be his other Curry, or rather, he thought he would be Irving's other James.

He was wrong again.

During his time with the Nets, Irving brought his demonic attributes to the fullest. missed the game for no reason, chose to disappear for her sister's birthday, and later chose to boycott the game for justice, and then to the Jewish incident afterward. Irving pretty much did everything he could, and in the end, the Nets were scattered.

Leaving the Nets, where should Durant go?

The Suns just finished runners-up in 2021 and are eager to return to the Finals to compete for another title.

So Durant replicated what he did in the summer of 2016, and although the Suns were not a 73-win team, Durant chose to join another overall runner-up team.

However, is it really that easy to win the championship?

As for everything that happened to this team after Durant joined the Suns, there is no need to repeat everything because the time is not far away. If I could do it all over again, I don't believe Durant would choose Phoenix.

Prior to the summer of 2016, Durant had four scoring titles and a regular season MVP.

In our understanding, a star of his level should lead a team of his own to win the championship, and it would be better if he could be a representative of a city.

But that's just what we want of him, and neither the fans nor the media can be morally kidnapped. If you don't have the ability to win a championship, then it makes perfect sense for Durant to choose to switch teams.

But every choice Durant made seemed too hasty and excessive.

He could abandon Wei Shao, who was so loyal to him, but he shouldn't have joined a team that had just beaten him;

He can join a runner-up team with 73 wins, but he shouldn't demand too much from his status and dignity;

He can leave the dynasty team to prove himself again, but he shouldn't choose an unreliable team and teammates;

He could have asked for another trade without losing face, but he shouldn't have chosen another team that was also on the decline.

With missing out on the championship again this year, Durant still can't get his hands on the championship "without the Warriors' brand".

James and Curry, who are always compared to him, are now also chasing the next championship. But it is more out of personal competition, as well as the consolidation of historical status, or simple love.

Durant is different, he shouldn't have been so entangled at the age of 35.

Either let go of your obsession and enjoy the last few years of your career;

Or continue to be paranoid and chase after the respect and honor you want.

But this time Durant needs to think clearly. Because throughout his career, what he has been doing is correcting one mistake to another. Maybe he won't admit it himself, but his career plan has always been hugely skewed.

And this time there is really not much time left for him to correct.

View original image 193K

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•