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I've seen a lot of star level players over the years leave good teams for what they perceive as a better opportunity. Only they find themselves no longer THE star on the team and their level of play suffers. Most end up retiring with no one in the stands crying. Durant MIGHT do well for the first half of the season but I expect his level of play will suffer and frankly, I don't see him as much of a contributor to the team. And yes, he CHOKED big time in the play offs which indicated he's pretty shallow when it comes time to be counted. While we would have liked to see him in a Spurs uniform, he should have stayed in OK. There's no reason for any team to look to him in the future as he has no loyalty to the team, franchise, or the fans. I can't imagine him making a worst decision. I would strongly suggest he start saving up some of those millions. His future worth is falling before he even starts.
Young Lebron had success in Cleveland. 50 wins in '06, 50 wins in '07 (made finals), 66 wins in '09 and 61 wins in 2010. The Cavs would've continued being one of the top 2 teams in the east, but Lebron felt their chances of getting over the hump were not that good.
Durant obviously had some success in OKC, but they would've continued being one of the top 2-3 teams in the west with an uncertain future. Maybe they could break through...maybe not.
Lebron decided to join Wade and Bosh with the idea of being the absolute best team in the NBA and winning 7 titles.
Durant decided to join GSW where they would be the absolute best team in the NBA and can possible win multiple titles.
Both players wanted to stack the deck in their favor instead of playing the waiting game and jeopardizing their career achievements.
Yes, Durant had more to work with in OKC, but they still had an uncertain future as far as getting by GSW, Spurs and Cavs. So essentially they both left chasing the same thing - to have teams that would be odds on favorites to win it all for YEARS to come.
I've seen a lot of star level players over the years leave good teams for what they perceive as a better opportunity. Only they find themselves no longer THE star on the team and their level of play suffers. Most end up retiring with no one in the stands crying. Durant MIGHT do well for the first half of the season but I expect his level of play will suffer and frankly, I don't see him as much of a contributor to the team. And yes, he CHOKED big time in the play offs which indicated he's pretty shallow when it comes time to be counted. While we would have liked to see him in a Spurs uniform, he should have stayed in OK. There's no reason for any team to look to him in the future as he has no loyalty to the team, franchise, or the fans. I can't imagine him making a worst decision. I would strongly suggest he start saving up some of those millions. His future worth is falling before he even starts.
Did Lebron help break the ice for superstars to make moves like this?
Jordan, Kobe, Duncan, Shaq, Magic, Bird, Hakeem, etc, etc. None of these guys while in their primes deliberately decided to team up with multiple all stars in order to get over the hump.
Perhaps a little karma coming back to Lebron? Might spend the rest of his career getting thrashed by an all star team?
Everyone that you mentioned won rings where they were at. Lebron was desperate to win his ring, so he had to go elsewhere.
Durant is getting a lot of flack for him bolting for the Warriors. Has anyone thought that maybe he no longer wanted to play with Russell Westbrook?? Or maybe he liked the style of play Golden State plays?
Perhaps Westbrook told him he was applying for free agency no matter what next year, so maybe that lead for him bolting this year.
Also, lets face it, Oklahoma City is not a free agency destination city.
Everyone that you mentioned won rings where they were at. Lebron was desperate to win his ring, so he had to go elsewhere.
Lebron was 25 years old - not very uncommon for players to not win titles before that age. If we apply today's thinking to the past, Jordan should've left the Bulls in the late 80s. Of course that means we might never see two 3 peats, 72 wins, flu game, etc.
So super teams are okay as long as the front office makes them? Does it make a difference?
Rep!
The pressure these star players have to win is at least equivalent to the pressure the front office guys at big names (Celtics, Lakers, etc) face to win, as well. With all the illegal tampering and Bull**** these FO guys take part in day after day, to collude and create the organizations they want, some of these guys have the nerve to be mad at the players?
Let's be clear, Jeff Teague winning a championship is not the same as Lebron James winning one. The stakes are different, the pressure is different, etc. Likewise, being the GM of the Boston Celtics isn't the same as being the GM of the Memphis Grizzlies...
My only problem is KD left a championship-caliber team for the team that beat him. Lebron didn't do that, and had KD signed anywhere else besides Cleveland or Golden State, I'm cool. I think OKC could have gone all the way if he stayed, but there are several teams that would have turned contenders if he went there, instead...
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