NBA: 5 Free Agents That Will Have The Biggest Impact Of Their New Teams
By Ray Petree
Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors
Little anticlimactic right?
Ah yes, the mother of all free agents. Kevin Durant. Regardless of where Durant went, he was bound to land our number 1 spot. When you’re this good at basketball, it’s bound to happen.
The marriage of Kevin Durant and the Warriors really only has two outcomes. Both of which would make him deserving of this spot.
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1. The Warriors combust due to a lack of viable roleplayers, too many ego’s, and not enough basketballs on one floor.
OR
2. The 2016-17 season becomes unbelievably predictable because no one has a chance of beating the Oakland Monstars.
Either way, that’s pretty impactful. I mean, if you can either cause improvement upon a 73-win team, or completely destroy it, that’s pretty special. All things considered though, how can Durant fit in with the Warriors roster.
KD has already cemented his legacy as one of the game’s greatest scorers ever, with a treasure chest of weapons from virtually any distance. A quick first step and a smooth touch around the rim, a-la George Gervin. Incredible accuracy from behind the arch. And, his most lethal weapon of all, the midrange jumper.
So with the Warriors superb floor spacing, he’ll be perfect for penetrating the defense on the dribble pitch or the pick n’ roll. And, with his three-point shooting, you can bet Draymond or Steph will be looking for him on the weak side for an easy three.
Then, you factor in his rebounding, and ability to lead the break with players like Steph, Klay and Iggy on the wing. He just seems like a perfect fit for Golden State.
What I find most intriguing is the role he’ll play defensively, though. Billy Donovan cracked the Kevin Durant code this past postseason. Just look at him. He’s a 7-footer who moves like a guard, with Freddy Krueger arms. He’s just an alien.
Why hasn’t he been guarding guards his entire career? So if Klay can aptly guard forwards, then Durant guarding the best of the opposing guards would be frightening.
must read: NBA Power Rankings: Post Draft And Free Agency Edition
The real question is whether or not it can work. Can Thompson, Durant and Curry reduce their shot attempts and still play at the same level? If so, all we can do is pray the Basketball Gods get tired of watching the Oakland Monstars eviscerate the rest of the NBA, and create an answer out of thin air.