Kevin Durant Exit Interview Thoughts

All of the Thunder players gave their exit interviews today to officially end this basketball season for the Oklahoma City Thunder. For obvious reasons, what Kevin Durant had to say created the most interest as he’ll become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his pro basketball life on July 1st.

Durant spoke fondly of his teammates. Of his time spent in Oklahoma City as he’s grown from a college freshman into a young man comfortable in his own skin. He spoke of his fondness for the city itself.  He spoke of people like Sam Presti and others in the Thunder organization whose relationships he cherishes. But mostly he said he enjoys playing basketball with players he respects and admires as humans not just players. All good things said as far as Durant staying in Oklahoma City to continue his basketball career.

As a fan, I’ve now watched Durant for ten seasons. Eight with the Thunder, one with the Sonics, and one with the Texas Longhorns in the Big 12 Conference.

Durant is one of those rare gems like Tim Duncan or Dirk who don’t come along nearly enough in our modern culture of sport in America.

Humble, modest, and whether he likes it or not a role model to pretty much every kid of every age in the state of Oklahoma. To put it bluntly, he’s probably the most respected, admired person in the state.

Everywhere you go in Oklahoma City you see kids and their parents wearing No. 35 jerseys. This isn’t just Kevin Durant’s team, this is Kevin Durant’s city and his state.

Pretty amazing when you consider he went to college at the University of Texas and to this day still  openly vows his fondness to the hated Longhorns.

He speaks of his friendship with former Thunder head coach Scott Brooks. He and Perk still text. His friendships with Russell Westbrook and Nick Collison seem especially close given the time they’ve spent together building the Thunder from the ground up into one of the top four NBA franchises in the league.

But most of all he said things to his mother in his MVP speech which made every mother and father not only cry, but whisper–thank you.

The only person I’ve ever seen Durant be snarky with is Reggie Jackson. Truth be known that says volumes more about Reggie Jackson than Kevin Durant from my perspective.

Durant has been the centerpiece of a team which went 23-59 its first year here into a team which has now played in four Western Conference Finals and one NBA Finals.

Without Kevin Durant none of this happens.

Kevin Durant isn’t just the key piece to Sam Presti’s team, but he’s the most important ambassador of goodwill in the state. If Durant leaves Oklahoma City, the Thunder will lose their best player and the state will lose its pulse.

From a basketball standpoint, there’s no reason for Kevin Durant to leave. His team was five minutes away from dethroning the defending champions in six games.

Steven Adams, Enes Kanter, Dion Waiters, Andre Roberson, and Cam Payne are all 24 years of age or younger. The Thunder could use another smart veteran wing player, but otherwise Sam Presti has put a team together which can win a championship if they’ll just play a little smarter.

From a basketball standpoint there’s no reason for Kevin Durant to leave a franchise he not only has built from the ground up, but has carried on his shoulders for eight basketball seasons.

For Durant this doesn’t at all seem to be about money or the whole LeBron bullshit show we saw when James went from the Cavs to the Miami Heat. Kevin Durant has never struck me as a guy who thinks what Lebron James did was appropriate.

In the end–I ‘d have to say if Durant leaves after what he just saw in these 2016 playoffs I’d be surprised if he leaves because everything he needs to be happy is already in place in Oklahoma City.

It doesn’t always have to be about playing in New York, LA, or Chicago.

Aaron Rodgers seems relatively content playing in Green Bay. Tim Duncan never left San Antonio. Dirk will finish his career in Dallas.

I really don’t see why it would be crazy for Durant to stay in OKC as long as Presti has a championship roster in place.

Kevin Durant, please stay. Your city needs you.

 

Did The Thunder Choke at the End of Game 6?

Okay.

I’ve read and listened to our local media ( the Prestettes) give their takes on the Thunder collapse. I get it, they work in a small market where the Thunder are their only major league sport and it’s probably a very uncomfortable career move alienating Sam Presti and the Thunder organization.

But I just have my own little blog here and I don’t have to worry about any of that. Hence, okcthunderground.com where I don’t give a shit if I ever have an off the record relationship with Sam Presti. By the way, I think Presti has done a great job for the most part.

So… if I were talking to a national guy and he asked of me, “Mike, do you think the Thunder choked at the end of Game 6?”

My answer would be yes, but with a caveat attached. Clearly, when you turn over the ball six times out of eight possessions in a situation like this there’s no defending it. None. Beyond brutal. Almost as unwatchable as watching Jeb Bush debate Donald Trump.

But Kenny Smith at TNT said something which was spot on in regards to the Warriors comeback in the series. He said in essence what Golden State did was hang around long enough in Game 5 to simply stay in the series until OKC reverted back to what they truly are.

That being…. an undisciplined basketball team which led the entire league in blown 4th quarter leads during the regular season.

Golden State doesn’t necessarily have more talent than OKC, but they’re ahead of the Thunder as far as smarts, poise, mental toughness reacting to adversity, and so on.

Yet having written this, OKC was still only five minutes away from winning this series in six games against the defending champions.

Five minutes.

The best way for Durant and Westbrook to erase their Bill Buckner moment is simple. Come back next season and become a smarter, more mentally tough team, and win a championship. If they then want to leave and become the Kobe Bryant Twins in LA… whatever. Maybe Harden will join them. Maybe Kobe will come out of retirement and as four they’ll yacht party the hell out of Del Mar as one. This coming from a dude who was born in San Diego. I get it…the Pacific Ocean versus Lake Hefner. But the people in Oklahoma are much nicer. So do you want a bigger body of water or genuine people?

The way Kevin Durant elevates his legacy is to come back at least for next season and address the shortcomings in his game which to this point have kept him from winning a ring. Same with Russell Westbrook.

Dirk came back from the 2006 series loss to the Heat to win a ring in 2011 by carrying a team to a title. His legacy will forever be cemented by that acheivement.

Dwayne Wade’s most impressive career accomplishment isn’t winning two rings with LeBron, but rather carrying that Heat team on his back in 2006 which beat the Mavs.

The best way for Durant and Westbrook to exit OKC, if that’s what they want to do ultimately, is to come back next season and become smarter, better players.

Now, like Donald Trump, I’m pivoting away from the Thunder, Lyin’ Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush, and Lindsey Graham and getting ready to cover the NBA Finals on my modest underground blog.

So there.