Kevin Durant
Age: 27
Height: 6-foot-9
Career stats: 37.8 mpg; 27.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 5.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.2 bpg; 48.3/38.0/88.2 shooting splits
2015-16 Stats: 72 games, 35.8 mpg; 28.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 5.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.2 bpg; 50.5/38.6/89.8 shooting splits
Strengths:
- Relentless scoring ability
- Pure ball handler
- Tree trunk length
- Burgeoning leadership skills
Weaknesses:
- His three-point shot is somewhat overrated
- Never developed a post-up game
- Inconsistent on defense
Why he makes sense for the Warriors:
Kevin Durant would fit on any NBA team in any era. He will go down as a top 35 player of all-time, and already has an MVP and seven All-Star appearances on his resume. As it relates to the Warriors, Durant can carry the torch late in games, where Steph Curry has shown cracks. Paired with Draymond Green, opponents would have to pick their poison on which big forward to ignore. If he signed with Golden State, the Warriors would be the overwhelming favorites to win the 2017 NBA Finals. If Durant wants the best odds to get a ring, he’ll sign with the Warriors.
Why he doesn’t make sense for the Warriors:
It would be totally out of character for Durant to bail on Russell Westbrook and the Thunder. Similar to LeBron, Durant’s helped Oklahoma City spawn new restaurants and hotels, turning country folk into die hard basketball fans. Durant’s arrival in the Bay Area would naturally cause fans of other NBA teams to despise the Warriors. Golden State would become the villains of the league, something Durant and the Splash Brothers have never really dealt with before. There’s a different type of pressure when the entire country is rooting for you to lose.