Kevin Durant has faced much criticism over his decision to leave the Thunder for the Warriors, although some fans understand his decision despite their disappointment. Mavs veteran Dirk Nowitzki recently expressed relative support for Durant, while Charles Barkley condemned the 2013-14 MVP. Now, Reggie Miller has chimed in as well.

In an article he wrote for Bleacher Report, Miller questioned what matters most for a basketball player:

“At the end of the day, what's more important, rings or legacy? The media only cares about rings, and rightfully so. We are judged on jewelry, so that's why I can't argue with it. From a personal standpoint, I'm upset that a small market will never recover from it.”

Miller further looked at Durant's decision from his own perspective, reflecting on opportunities he had to chase rings late in his career:

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“The Celtics wanted me to come out of retirement in 2007-08, when they won a title… I couldn't do it. There was an opportunity to join the Lakers at one point. I couldn't do that, either. And maybe I should have… (Durant) is in someone else's kingdom now. But to me, a king should never leave his kingdom.”

The 18-year Pacers guard also added some interesting commentary on what titles with the Warriors would mean versus potentially winning it all in OKC:

“If Durant would have won in Oklahoma City, it would just be better. It would have been better if he joined any team that wasn't a ready-made contender. But in Oklahoma City, winning one title would be like getting three or more in Golden State. Failing to win one with the Thunder would arguably be more admirable than collecting any number of titles with the Warriors. This is just my opinion.”

For Durant, there is no escaping at least some flak. His decision has been made, and while the NBA world will discuss it deep into next season and probably beyond, Durant likely has only one thing in mind: winning his first NBA championship.

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