LAS VEGAS — Kevin Durant is not an alpha dog. He is a franchise talent, and arguably the best at what he does best. But he’s not the kind of personality that is about to come to the Warriors and
LAS VEGAS — Kevin Durant is not an alpha dog. He is a franchise talent, and arguably the best at what he does best. But he’s not the kind of personality that is about to come to the Warriors and plant his flag.
No, Durant is approaching 28 years old and his 10th NBA season. His itch for a championship, if you believe him, is significantly stronger than his desire to be top dog.
That is why this quartet of stars has a chance to work.
“I know what I am as a basketball player,” Durant said after Tuesday’s practice for USA Basketball. “I know what I bring. I know how I am and what type of a teammate I am. That stuff is a given to me.”
The Warriors’ best players are all willing to sacrifice, to play the background, to do the inglorious things. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all have skin in the game.
Curry has been underpaid significantly and still keeps taking his game up a notch. Thompson prefers the obscurity of Curry’s shadow and showed no qualms about Green’s meteoric rise. And Green — though he draws a lot of attention to himself — not only took less than maximum, but he revels in the dirty work.
Throw in Andre Iguodala, who came off the bench for the team, and Shaun Livingston, who takes being glued to the bench with the same stride he does when closing games. The Warriors’ culture of sacrifice is established.
Could it change? Certainly. This level of expectation is new. The spotlight has never been this bright. Adversity is coming.
But based on what we know, chemistry is a strength of the Warriors. By all accounts, his disposition makes him a natural fit.
His choice to leave Oklahoma City for the Warriors, leaving a duet to join a band — for less money — reveals Durant’s heart.
“If you watch him, no one’s going to work harder,” Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “And then he’s a heck of a teammate. He’s not a talker out on the court. … I’d take him all the time. And he’s a great guy. He’s one of the elite, elite players. And he’s really an elite guy. You get that combination, that’s leadership, too.”
What must be said: It stands to reason it will take some time for them to jell. But the Warriors’ system is more intuitive than not. They don’t run plays as much as they just run. And it’s a safe bet the Warriors stars will go out of their way to make Durant comfortable.
Better believe Curry is looking forward to feeding Durant and racking up the assists. Shots won’t be a problem unless someone is demanding 25 a game. That would be out of character for all involved.
“I think they both are going to have to be willing to give up something,” Pacers star Paul George said of Curry and Durant. “But they are both unselfish players, so it will definitely work. You can’t forget what Klay brings and what Draymond brings. With those four guys, you can’t have an alpha. Everybody has to be willing to give up something for that team.”
Durant said it was in his third season when winning started shifting to his highest of priorities. He had already established himself in the league as worthy of a No. 2 pick.
And then he won another scoring title. And another one. And All-Star game MVP. And NBA MVP. And another scoring title.
The only thing left for him is a title. But it’s not just about winning. Durant wants to do it as part of a unit and not the boss of it. His plan is to get rings as part of a brotherhood.
“As you get older and older, that’s all you really want to do,” Durant said. “I want to be a part of being a great teammate and leaving a long-lasting impact on my teammates for the rest of our lives. That’s my whole goal.”
That’s why this can work.
