Kevin Durant, my favorite player
July 2017 and the Golden State Warriors are fresh off their second title in three years. It is time to pay our guys. Fans like me, who remember the past, are left wondering if we can keep our stars and for how long. Can we continue as we were – to keep winning, with the same guys.
I admire what Kevin Durant did - taking less and doing so in an age of Bird Rights, salary caps and repeater taxes. He watched Curry sign the richest contract in NBA history then took less so others could take more. Kevin made it possible for the team to keep winning, with the same guys. For as much as I admire Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant is my new favorite player - in any sport.
It’s the silly season in the NBA. The "Larry" came home to Oakland, the awards have been given out and the draft is done. Kevin Durant validated breaking hearts in Oklahoma City by winning his own [Finals] MVP in Oakland. If you ask the rest of the NBA’s fan base they might say that the evil empire is alive and well in Oakland – the likes of which have not been seen since the Yankee’s were gobbling up talent to power their title runs.
This off season has shined a light on the costs of doing business in the NBA. Player contracts expire and it becomes time to pay market value for players or lose them. It is a sad time to be a fan of the Utah Jazz. They could do just that, pay Gordon Hayward the most possible under the current system and still could not sign him. They were building something special with him, Rudy Gobert, and George Hill and suddenly that’s over. My empathy goes out to Jazz fans as they sit back and watch Boston retool their own empire at the expense of the Jazz.
These times are reminiscent of when I was a child, unable to understand why the Oakland A’s couldn’t keep Hunter, Jackson, Campaneris and others after winning the ’72 World Series. This repeated when it came time to pay other Oakland players. Watching Parish go to the Celtics, Rickey Henderson leave to the Yankee’s and McGuire to St. Louis was enough to turn me off sports for a while. In football I watched some of the great 49ers teams become mired in the disease of "Pay Me" after winning championships. I say disease in a fan sense. I’m no longer that child who didn’t realize that sports is a business. I just wanted things to continue as they were – and the team to keep winning, with the same guys.
Some will say that Kevin Durant is being patient, waiting for his Bird Rights payday in a few years. They would be wrong. Players today know that they are only one Grant Hill type injury away from ending their careers. So, while Kevin Durant might indeed cash in, it’s more than that. This is the Kevin Durant who donates money to tornado victims and to create basketball courts in Oakland and in Oklahoma. This is the Kevin Durant who wants to "see how far we can go with this thing" and proved it by taking 6.8 million less than he could have. This is the Kevin Durant who agreed to take less this year than last year.
Stephen Curry on the other hand cashed in. He vaulted from the 85th highest paid player in the NBA to first – making more than 200 million over the next five years. That’s more than 40 million a year by my math. I doubt that Kevin Durant needed more money, but did Curry? It’s estimated that Durant made $36 million in endorsements last year according to Forbes compared to Curry at $35 million.
Most would argue that after years of Curry being under paid he’s earned his payday. Who would disagree? Draymond Green said it, "I've never been one to count someone's pockets and I won't start now." Green himself took max when he resigned. That contract looks like a bargain now. Shaun Livingston has agreed to a three-year, $24 million deal to return to the Warriors, with only 2 million of the final year guaranteed. Andre Iguanas’ 10-year old son reportedly convinced him to stay with the Warriors’ – presumably for less. There were reports of teams offering up to 17-million a year. Iguana accepted three years, $48 million for an average of 16+ million a year. Thank you Kevin Durant.
Enjoy this next year, with these players, because Kevin Durant’s selfless act allowed the Warriors to keep the band together -- for one more season. Don’t bet on the Warriors being able to resign Klay Thompson then Green and Durant after the next year without being suffocated by the repeater tax. Unless Lacob has more money than we imagined they won’t.
Since time immemorial winning has inflated salaries. Who knows, even if Curry had given the Warriors a ‘hometown’ discount, if keeping the team together for a long run of championships with the same players was possible. From the outside looking in, one player going from 12.3 million a year to over 40 million pretty much ends the run. While it may possible for the team to keep winning championships, it won’t be entirely with the same guys. After this season - it’s a matter of deciding which guy(s) go.
Right now though, Kevin Durant, you’re my favorite player – the guy who allowed things to continue as they were – and the team to keep winning, with the same guys …for one more year.