I'm wondering if Westbrook possibly confided that he's going elsewhere next year.It's not like he left a bad team. The Thunder got extremely close last year. Leaving to "chase a championship" makes no sense.
Durant could have signed a one year dealI'm wondering if Westbrook possibly confided that he's going elsewhere next year.
He's getting the same amount of money, moving to a bigger market/better city, he'll have a better supporting cast and improved odds of winning a title.It's not like he left a bad team. The Thunder got extremely close last year. Leaving to "chase a championship" makes no sense.
He's getting the same amount of money, moving to a bigger market/better city, he'll have a better supporting cast and improved odds of winning a title.
It doesn't make sense?
So the only reason to stay in OKC would be ego.There's two sides. One is YOU are the man that delivers the first world championship to a city. You are a legend. Curry is GS not Durant. It's not "his" team. If they win he piggy backed it. He'll get a ring but at GS he'll be a footnote. In OKC he'd be a legend and in the NBA. Both are rings but the narratives are very different.
So the only reason to stay in OKC would be ego.
So the only reason to stay in OKC would be ego.
Tim Duncan immediately comes to mind.Ego? I think it runs way deeper than that. How about Legacy? When you talk about sports figures that's a huge factor. If you want to call it ego I don;t think that is a proper representation.
And even if we broke it down to plain "ego"...all the best of the best had a huge ego. That's part of what makes them great. Name me the best of the best with no ego? I bet it is a very short list.
Tim Duncan immediately comes to mind.
I heard a great analogy on the radio yesterday. It basically said Durant going to Golden State is the same as if Jordan left the Bulls and went to the Pistons after they kept knocking him out of the playoffs. How would we view Jordan if he did that vs. stay in Chicago and find a way to win it with the team around him?
Tim Duncan immediately comes to mind.
Not the same, that's for sure. That's a great analogy.
I agree. I don't think we view Jordan is the best of all time if he left and went to a team that already won championships to win one. Jordan stayed and worked to make his team a championship team. I feel like Durant could have done the same thing, especially if he could have gotten Westbrook to stay. They were so close last year, you would think with a couple of pieces they could get over that hump.