For fans of the Seattle Supersonics, Kevin Durant's decision to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors was bliss - pure, unadulterated, and unapologetic bliss. Two self-explanatory reasons? We don't like the Thunder. We do love Durant.
As happy as we are to see Kevin in new duds and digs, however, this hasn't been all sunshine and roses for him. It wasn't easy for him to leave Oklahoma City and it didn't come without cost. It cost him the adoration of fans in OKC, where he went from hero to villain in 60 seconds.
From what Durant told the media in Rio De Janeiro, it sounds like it might have also cost him his friendship with Russell Westbrook, who recently signed an extension with the Thunder. A Boston Globe report revealed the following.
After tiptoeing for the past few weeks about his relationship with Westbrook, Durant finally admitted it has been damaged and nearly dissolved, a difficult reality for one of the league's good guys.
Durant was asked whether he would reach out to Westbrook to congratulate him for his contract extension or even to mend their damaged bond. Durant wasn't eager.
"Nah, that's a touchy subject," he said. "It's easy for someone else to tell me what I should do, but you guys don't know that whole thing. I don't know man, I'll see after this is over, once everything dies down. Like I said, at some point we'll sit down and talk but I don't know when."
No matter who you are or what the reason, it sucks to lose a friendship and it sucks to be thought of as the villain by a group of people who used to worship the ground you walked on. Kevin Durant is both wealthy and a member of an amazing basketball team, so I don't know if he needs any comforting. But if he does, I know where he can find it.
So I make this offer to Mr. Durant: Any time you feel the need for a hug, just hop a plane to Seattle, where you will get all of them you need.
KEVIN NESGODA SCOOPED EVERYONE?
Oh, boy. We will never hear the end of this.
It seems that the news that Westbrook had agreed to a deal with the Thunder was first reported by... Sonics Rising's very own Kevin Nesgoda. He apparently has well-placed sources at his disposal, who are willing to... you know... talk to Kevin Nesgoda. Behold the following Twitter sequence:
That's right. Kevin beat Adrian Wojnarowski to the story. If that's not enough to give him a big head, he's getting props from a senior writer at ESPN to boot.
Even Newsok.com gave him credit.
It will be up to all of us to help keep Nesgoda's ego in check.
Comments
Durant passed up money leaving OKC.
Money isn’t everything.
By Mike Baker on 08.07.16 2:10pm
Were we that mean when Shawn Kemp left?
I remember some jokes being made at his expense but none of the vitriol like that which OKC fans have directed towards Durant.
By Mark.S40 on 08.07.16 5:27pm
No, but
Kemp was traded for a comparable, younger player. He wanted out, but he had good reason to be angry with the organization. His contract was dwarfed by Jim McIlvaine’s, and then came the rumors of his alcoholism leaking to the media. It was a long, drawn-out split. It wasn’t sudden or unexpected like Durant’s decision.
It’s probably more comparable to A-Rod leaving a very good Mariners team for the money and last place Texas. KD didn’t leave for the money, but he left a very good team and his reasoning isn’t really any more admirable. We definitely did not treat Alex well when he came back around. Those games were a blast to be at, but a little embarrassing in retrospect.
By tonybrowntown on 08.07.16 6:16pm
It's a business.
By Mike Baker on 08.07.16 8:43pm
Thanks again, KD!
Go Warriors!!! Who’s with me!?
By Sea Hawksfan on 08.08.16 12:46am
Go Team USA!
Psyched to root for Kevin Durant and a Gold Medal!
By cortone on 08.08.16 8:53am
Warriors fan here.
First let me say that what happened to the Sonics was totally wrong and needs to be made right by the NBA as soon as possible. I wish that Adam Silver would put more of a priority on it. His recent statements make it sound like it’s not high on his list.
Secondly, I’m glad to see that so many Sonics fans still love Durant. I’m sure KD appreciates it. I would love to see vintage KD Sonics jerseys at Warriors games.
Thirdly, I hope that Westbrook can get over it soon. It seems kinda childish to be so upset about how another grown man made a decision about what he wanted to do with his career. On the other hand, I hope that KD stops talking so much about his feelings and caring what others think. He doesn’t need to apologize for his decision.
Finally, I’m glad to see that not every fan base hates us. Most of the hate seems very hypocritical, especially some viewpoints I’ve read from Spurs and Celtics fans who were hoping to land KD for themselves. There’s even one Spurs fan who argues that KD pretty much forced Tim Duncan to retire, and that Duncan is retiring as a protest to the Warriors making the NBA not fun anymore because they added KD.
By James021 on 08.08.16 5:10pm
I definitely
Am gonna try to get to a warriors game when they are in Portland to sport my durant sonics jersey
By hughc5 on 08.08.16 5:47pm
Cool. I'm sure that KD would love to see that.
I love the Sonics uniform. Kinda basic, but very classy. That green is my favorite color probably has something to do with why I love the Sonics uniform. I wasn’t a big fan when they added the red, and I’m glad that they eventually got rid of it.
By James021 on 08.08.16 6:50pm
There was a meme pic I saw that encapsulated the situation perfectly
Something about the Dubs basically being hated for hitting on all their draft picks, including a kid in Steph Curry whose "glass ankles" made him a pariah to many teams on draft day, and since that’s ridiculous on its face, seems it boils down to people wanting to hate them for signing one FA.
It wasn’t this one, but since I can’t find the one I was thinking of, this one at least gets the proper reaction right.
By smb282 on 08.09.16 12:36am
Yeah, definitely.
The Warriors did everything the right way, so it’s kinda wrong for people to hate on them, IMO. They built a championship caliber team without a top 5 draft pick. They had to sacrifice to get KD, who signed to a max deal.
By James021 on 08.09.16 9:21pm
Congrats on the scoop, Kevin
It’s an easy thing to understate and I know the post is a little tongue in cheek about it (appropriately so), but it bears saying that it really IS one of those BIG little things… Pretty damn cool of Shelburne to give props like she did, too. Really kinda says it all, as far as I’m concerned. I’d bet my lunch money it stuck in Woj’s craw a little bit, too…not that he’d admit it, of course. But hey, you scooped the professional scoopers. That’s awesome.
So, Windhorst, Woj, Pelton, Bruski, etc, at least for today, eat your heart out!
By smb282 on 08.09.16 12:24am
Oh it does.
Woj hates being scooped. Some other national reporters were not happy with me either
By Kevin Nesgoda on 08.09.16 3:27pm
Let's hope
You get to break some good news for us soon too…. Hahaha
By hughc5 on 08.10.16 9:50am
Softy was on fire last night
By Mark.S40 on 08.09.16 12:05pm
I think she's just kinda hoping we'll all forget about that whole "Vacation" thingy.
…that if she simply calls the Port enough mean names, we’ll think she’s one of us and forgive her.
By Bizzquik on 08.09.16 4:20pm
Perhaps a new hashtag is in order...
something like #SonicsFansRemember maybe?
By JetCityWoman2 on 08.11.16 2:00am