There are no two ways to state that the Golden State Warriors dynasty has been the greatest in the modern-day NBA. Given that they won four championships in eight years, their Dubs dynasty was built on some challenging decisions.
These include not trading Klay Thompson when he missed two full seasons, not firing coach Steve Kerr when the team logged the worst record in the 2019-20 campaign, and choosing Draymond Green over young Jordan Poole, among others.
However, Gilbert Arenas believes the franchise cost itself at least two championships when it chose Green over Kevin Durant .
Arenas on Warriors choosing Draymond over Kevin
During a game against the L.A. Clippers early in the 2018-19 season, tensions between Green and Durant came to a boiling point. When Draymond overlooked the 6'11" forward for a potential game-winner, he couldn't bear KD expressing his disappointment. In response, he famously yelled, 'We can win without you.' This perfectly summed up how the 4-time All-Star viewed Durant as an outsider.
As the situation between the two kept getting worse, by the end of the campaign, it became apparent that the franchise needed to choose between one. Ultimately, the Warriors decided to retain their defensive linchpin. However, for Arenas, the decision altered the success rate of the Dubs.
"Having KD would have kept the chances of winning championships very very high, " Agent Zero said . "You move Draymond Green out, and you keep KD, and it's been KD, Klay, and Steph this whole time; they have two more or maybe three (championships) depending on what other pieces they put around... Like I know you can't replace what Draymond brings to that team, but you can't replace someone like Kevin Durant."
While Green has been the team's defensive linchpin for over a decade, the team's offensive performance peaked during Durant's tenure. With the 2014 MVP, the Warriors boasted the best offensive rating in the league in two out of the three campaigns and ranked third in the other. Since his departure, Golden State has struggled to break into the top eight offensively.
Interestingly, in Draymond's defense, the Dubs boasted the best defensive rating in their championship-winning 2021-22 season, primarily due to his team's best stats in blocks and second-highest in steals. Even though the Warriors' decision eventually paid off, retaining Kevin could have allowed them to dominate the league through sheer offensive firepower.
Related: Michael Jordan opens up about his older brother Larry not making the NBA: "He has always been a good player, but he just didn't grow enough"
The Warriors made a tough decision yet again
While the Warriors chose Green over Durant, they still had the Splash Brothers. However, in the summer of 2024, they made another significant decision by allowing Klay Thompson to join the Dallas Mavericks. Given that the five-time All-Star averaged 17.9 points on 43.2% shooting from the field, it is evident that the Dubs can no longer rely on him as their number two co-star in their pursuit of another championship.
Consequently, the 2022 NBA Champions have once again trusted Green and Curry to build a new team around them. Whether this decision will prove successful or turn out to be a blunder remains to be seen.
Related: "They fu**ed it up" — Draymond and Durant blame the Warriors for KD's departure
Most Popular
Comments / 0