Is Durant the new James after his move?

[Phishfan]

We all know how badly James got ripped by NBA fans, analysts, and players. Is Durant going to get the same treatment? Will it be as bad as James or a little lighter?

I think Durant is going to get some comments but I doubt people are going to hate on him as badly as they did James. OKC wasn't his hometown but it was the only team he played for in his career and he is the last holdover from Seattle (unless I am mistaken). He also didn't get a prime time TV spot making it seem as important as an announcement from the President. I think that is going to limit the vitriol but I don't see people applauding his move.

[Spider-Dan]

There are people in at least two areas that are cheering it:

- Bay Area
- Seattle

There are people in at least one area who hate it:

- Oklahoma City

As a Sonics fan that lives in the Bay Area, I'm incredibly biased; I've been waiting 8 years to say, "Kevin Durant's former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder," so I won't pretend that my opinion (or those of the people I've been talking to since the announcement) represents the mainstream.  But I will say that I think The Decision is what drove a lot of the hatred against LeBron; had he simply decided to leave, I think it would not have been as bad.

[Spider-Dan]

Seattle sports twitter is having fun.

the skyline DOES look a little different since the KD news broke


KD should tell Clay Bennet that he put forth a "good faith effort" to stay in OKC

And then there are these ones that I can't embed.

Good day to be a Sonics fan.

[BuccaneerBrad]

No he's not because he never went on that four letter network to announce The Decision

[Dave Gray]

What bothers me about all this is the hypocrisy of the sports media and especially, of Cleveland.

They blasted the HEAT for bringing stars together, then have re-packaged that argument as it suited them.   (Jordan didn't have to go to a rival.) (It's not that he did it, it's how he did it.)  They moved the goalpost over and over again.

Then Cleveland stole the HEAT blueprint exactly, taking the same format and even several of our bench guys, and won with it.

So, they were set up to be villains of the NBA and Golden State let them off the hook.

Had Cleveland lost last year, this would've been perfect.  Cleveland would've been hosed by the very tactics they used (and also claimed were unfair) and now they'd be whooped by Golden State, presumably.  Instead, they're the heroes up against Golliath.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Worse. Lebron created a super team filled with max players and ring chasers. His rings were not respected, but he did create his OWN super team. He didn't join the super team that always beat him.

This is just the state of the NBA now, ring chasers and 2 year contracts with opt outs.

[Spider-Dan]

"Always beat him"?  Kevin Durant has faced the Warriors in exactly one playoff series ever.

Ray Allen lost to the Heat more than Durant has lost to Golden State.  Does that make Allen weak for joining the super team that "always beat him"?