Since announcing his decision to join the Golden State Warriors last summer, Kevin Durant has further increased the Dubs’ odds of winning a championship. They did just that last season in convincing fashion, only losing one game in the entire postseason, leading to their second title in three years.

Understanding that three to four stars are needed to topple the defending champions now, some teams pulled off a number of major moves this offseason, to bring in more talent to their fold and give them a better chance of contending.

During a recent appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast via The Ringer, the reigning Finals MVP acknowledged that they are the reason why the other franchises are coming up with some trades, as they are clearly the team to beat.

Kevin Durant also singled out the Houston Rockets for pulling off the move, Chris Paul trade that is, that surprised him the most mainly due to the ingenuity that it took to pull off such trade.

The Warriors displayed utter dominance throughout the past season, which may have indeed caused the competition to react drastically, and pushed for blockbuster trades to send a message to them that there are others who could put up a strong challenge for the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Whatever the case may be, the Warriors certainly have a huge target on their backs now, which makes their quest to repeat as champions harder. The good news for their fans is their front office was able to keep their core intact, which is a solid boost to their chances next season.