Sunday, July 3, 2016

Kevin Durant:The Decision

**I understand that the last several posts of mine have had no connection and am completely aware that there's a great deal of randomness to what I blog about it, and that's perfectly fine as whatever comes to mind is what I want to write about**


"This summer, I've decided, O boy this is tough....I've decided to take my talents to (    ?    ). The decision looms and according to ESPN basketball insider Chris Broussard the finalists for Kevin Durant's services are either the Golden State Warriors or the Oklahoma City Thunder. Some late night reports have indicated that the Boston Celtics and the Dwayne Wade led(for now any way) Miami Heat are still in the horse race but are very much long shots. I've thought about this long and hard and as per usual have come to the only irrefutable conclusion that the only team that's truly the proper fit for his services are Oklahoma City. Let me explain why below.

I think back to some of the great athletes of our past that spent the majority of their careers in one market only to sprinkle in other destinations late in their careers. Brett Favre spurning the Green Bay Packers to join the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings, Ray Bourque leaving the Boston Bruins to make one last ditch effort to attain Lord Stanley by joining the Colorado Avalanche, and Peyton Manning selfishly forgoing his iron clad reputation in Indianapolis to  join the Denver Broncos at the tail end to chase rings. It happens, and in all three of the cases the legacies that were built respectively were tarnished. By no means do I feel that Kevin Durant is approaching the swan song in his career but he's built up the penchant of being the greatest Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle Supersonic ever with apologies going out the fan clubs of Gary Payton and Trinity Valley Community College alum Shawn Kemp so there's an inherit risk of losing that title if he chooses to leave now. The market of Oklahoma City is craving a winner. The state of Oklahoma has been spoiled collegiately by the strong all sports presence of it's Sooners but professionally leave a lot to be desired and if Durant elects to re-sign in OKC, the tandem of him alongside Russell Westbrook is as formidable as they come and no reason whatsoever why they can't overtake the dominant Golden State Warriors, I mean they nearly did, and the Lebron led Cavaliers for National Basketball Association supremacy. Although arguable, I hold the opinion that not one guard/small forward duo outmatches what Durant and Westbrook supply on a nightly basis.  The trade of Serge Ibaka to the Orlando Magic may have temporarily alienated Durant's camp as rightfully so as I can't for the life of me figure out why a team who is trying to keep it's superstars in tact would trade away one of their heart and soul individuals at a time like this.....a definite thumbs down to management. Away from sports for second and I'll cosign that this will have no bearing on KD's decision is to the socioeconomic impact could have on the community.  The 1995 bombings devastated the city that is surely still recovering so if Durant had any remorse or support for the city that has embraced him with open arms for all of these eight years, imagine the positivity that would be spread city wide if Kevin Durant continues to call OKC home? Unmeasurable! At the time of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, the Saints football club was a mitigated disaster but due to the devastation the Bayou was occuring, stars that had no business re-upping contractually like Drew Brees and Deuce McAllister knew the impact their consistent presence would have and years later look at the way the city of New Orleans has responded, not just the way they support their football team, but the vibrancy that exudes the city was non existent before Katrina and Brees and Co throwing out hope. I firmly believe goodwill still exists and I expect Durant to come to his senses and realize when weighing both a basketball and business decision, the Thunder will remain his best fit.


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