Kevin Durant’s departure from Oklahoma City took place under very complicated conditions in 2016. Six years later, the winger continues to follow his former team from afar. He also spoke about it recently, without taking gloves.
Impossible to forget the circumstances in which Kevin Durant left the Thunder in the summer of 2016. When the winger had just lost in the conference finals against the Warriors, he decided to join Stephen Curry & co. in order to win his first championship ring. A move that still sticks to his skin today and that made him go from hero to traitor in the eyes of the franchise, as well as a large part of the NBA community.
Six years later, OKC is far from being at the same level as during the KD-Westbrook years but there is better, with 8 wins for 11 losses at the start of the season (12th in the West). Having become the leader of the Nets in the meantime, Durant still keeps an eye on the team that gave him his chance as a pro. He also gave a detailed verdict of what he thought of it on his last podcast, and it is difficult for him to be more positive about his former team:
Kevin Durant impressed with Thunder roster
Kevin Durant gushing about SGA, Lu Dort, Josh Giddey, Poku (!!!!), J-Dub, and the coaching in OKC!
“I love what I’m seeing out there. That sh*t is just incredible to see the talent, just the way the game is being played. Like, man.”
(via: @boardroom)pic.twitter.com/4rryRPbe6d
— Thunder Film Room (@ThunderFilmRoom) November 22, 2022
They have solid players. Lu Dort is a solid guy. That’s what he was paid for. Josh Giddey is a solid basketball player. He will be paid when his rookie contract comes to an end. Am I pronouncing his name correctly? Pokusevsky. He measures 2m06 and he can shoot and play on several positions. These guys are good players. Then there’s Chet Holmgren, when he comes back it will be amazing. They have size and they have a great coach. I like what I see on the pitch with this team.
Accumulating draft picks with a vengeance for a few years thanks to an ultra-inventive GM in the person of Sam Presti, Oklahoma City has managed to build a team that is certainly very young, but with a lot of potential. Pending the return of Holmgren who must give up on his rookie year, the franchise can in any case count on a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on fire (31 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists on average). Again, the Slim Reaper bombarded him with compliments:
The moves he does are just sharp, veteran moves. It is the result of his work and his mentality, in mode: “This is what I want to do on the ground. When you mix it all up, it’s hard to stop. Then he measures 1m98 and he is strong. He’s 24 and when he turns 28, 29, with the team around him, then there’s no telling who could be in that team in the future with all the assets they have.
According to Kevin Durant, the Thunder franchise has a bright future ahead of it. An ultra-promising leader, a solid group around him as well as a quality coach: everything is done for Mark Daigneault’s men to cause trouble quickly.
