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After a full year of criticism from the media and even some of his fellow players in the league, Kevin Durant has endured only a part of the backlash that LeBron James once faced when opting to leave his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers to band together with friends Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh with the Miami Heat.
Having had almost a full calendar year to process it all, Durant was candid about the process of going to another team for the first time in his 10-year career.
“It wasn't bad at all,” Durant told Howard Beck of Bleacher Report, smiling at the thought. “I was expecting the worst.”
While he faced plenty of angry fans on social media and during his two visits back at Chesapeake Energy Arena, his criticism was only a fraction of what James endured, having an owner that publicly condemned him and fans that burned his jersey, re-painted his murals, and unfollowed him from social media.
Article Continues Below“Once LeBron made that decision, it took a lot of the brunt,” former Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers general manager Billy King said. “You sort of almost expect guys now to maybe leave and do what's best for them.”
Though Durant didn't consider James' precedent, he readily admitted, “He paved the way.”
The NBA has now taken Durant joining a title finalist like the Golden State Warriors as a precedent, putting the “supermax” provision in place, allowing teams to offer five percent more of their max cap to sign players to a more lucrative extension.
Stars like Paul George, Anthony Davis, Gordon Hayward, and Jimmy Butler could seek those types of contracts if they meet the required conditions, but the final say ultimately remains with the player, who can opt to receive a lot less money in order to win a championship or land in a better situation.
James, arguably the best player in today's game, leaving his hometown club broke any potential barriers that could keep a star player from leaving the team that drafted them. Durant chose to seek a different opportunity after a failed NBA Finals stint and years of disconnect despite the oodles of talent between him and fellow All-Star Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City.
