Kevin Durant considered the Warriors for months. Golden State players recruited him throughout the season. He met with the Warriors in the Hamptons.
He had all the knowledge to make a sound decision, one he could feel good about.
And it seemed he did.
Choosing Golden State appeared to be a coronation for Durant. The Warriors instantly became favored to win next season’s championship — and at least a couple more down the line. Durant had the free-flowing offense he desired, teammates he liked, a market that intrigued him and a max contract.
Yet, his reaction — staying inside for two days and playing video games with brother — suggested discontent.
Durant, via Kurt Helin of NBC who is in Las Vegas:
“For a few days after I didn’t leave my bed (later he clarified, his rented house in the Hamptons) because I was like ‘if I walk outside somebody might just hit me with their car, or say anything negative to me.’ Like I said I never had this reputation, and so many people who don’t even watch basketball are telling me congratulations, and good luck going forward, it’s crazy how big I got and how big this got…..
“I mean I’ve been somewhere for so long and then to make a change like that (which) nobody knew was coming, that nobody didn’t think I would do, of course I didn’t know how it would be received afterwards. But at some point, I just said, ‘Look man, life goes on. Life moves on, and I can’t hide forever,’ so I just had to face it.”
Durant was right. There were plenty of critics: Thunder fans, Charles Barkley, former teammates. But Durant emerged defiant, dismissing the critics and saying he’s moving on.
Still, that was a strange initial reaction before his press conference. I’ve left a job for a better one. It’s exciting. I wanted to celebrate and hit the ground running. Staying in bed for a couple days never crossed my mind.
Maybe Durant just has a different personality, and that’s totally fine. This doesn’t necessarily make him less enthusiastic about Golden State.
But if I were the Warriors, knowing Durant will likely hit free agency again next year, I’d be slightly concerned about him reacting in a way that can be interpreted as apprehensive.