The Clippers are the No-Brainer Choice for Kevin Durant this Summer
By Bobby Burack
Kevin Durant’s much-discussed Decision 2.0 is now just months away as he continues to prove he is the league’s best and most powerful player. Since the start of this season, the noise has indicated he will be choosing between the New York Knicks and staying with the Warriors. Yet, neither option comes close to what he would gain by choosing the Los Angeles Clippers.
If Durant is going to leave a great situation in the Bay Area, it can only stem from one reason: he wants his own team. And the Clippers-Knicks debate is where it should, and likely will, begin.
Sure, playing in that iconic arena in that city can’t be substituted. But the Knicks are so far from giving Durant a championship roster to work with (no, I don’t think oddly immature owner, Jim Dolan, will be a factor). Of course, coming to New York with Kyrie Irving changes that some. But if the two were to team up — and choose to do so with the Knicks — they are selecting an option with no supporting cast.
Durant and Irving could team up in Los Angeles, with the Clippers, and inherit most, not all, of the current fifth seed in the West’s roster. The fifth seed in the West vs. the worst record in the NBA, hmm.
If the two superstars truly want to get together this summer, they could challenge, in fact, they could beat the Durant-less Warriors as members of the Clippers next season.
On the other side of this, unlike in New York, Durant wouldn’t need someone like Irving to come with him to make it work. Assuming his arrival would sway Kawhi Leonard away from going to the Clippers due to past comments. Given how the NBA would quickly become much more competitive and open if Durant leaves the unbalanced situation created in Golden State, just Durant on this version of the Clippers is a serious threat to compete with everyone.
Again, Durant is not leaving Golden State to look for a championship. He has that in place now. The thin-skinned star needs a destination where he can change the narrative that he clearly cares so much about. The harsh, unfair, and often foolish New York media doesn’t seem like it would suit Durant. While Los Angeles may have some of that, the pressure is all on the Lakers. This is especially true now with LeBron James running the franchise. Which is yet another reason why the Clippers make the most sense for Durant.
The early, inevitable struggles Durant would have with a new team will be overlooked as the Los Angeles media — as well as the mass media — will be focusing on the LeBron-led Lakers. However, the positive extends far beyond the lack of pressure. Unless something nobody sees coming occurs, Durant’s Los Angeles team would be to significantly better than that of LeBron’s. If Durant is looking to rival or surpass the legacy of LeBron, taking over the NBA — most don’t acknowledge he already has — in the same city LeBron is in sure looks like the launching point.
Don’t forget, stars have made it clear they don’t want to play with LeBron. Could Durant attract marquee free agents to the Clippers for years to come? Perhaps, Anthony Davis?
Staying with Warriors is the easy route. It is a place where Durant can have an abnormal amount of team success. But it’s also a place he will never receive the credit he deserves. Going to New York would be great if it panned out, but it would be a major risk and championship-level success looks years away. The Clippers offer him the most realistic potential if he is looking to do the only thing he needs to be doing at this point in his career: Adding to his legacy.