The Houston Rockets drastically improved upon acquiring Kevin Durant via trade from the Phoenix Suns. Houston sacrificed the duo of Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to add a former MVP. Durant is having another great season in his debut year with the Rockets to increase their chances of contending for an NBA Championship.
However, former NBA player Byron Scott had some criticism about Durant’s “ring chasing” throughout the past decade of his career:
“I’m a big Kevin Durant fan. I really am. But when you’re one of the best players in this league, you don’t start chasing rings. You don’t start joining other teams to try to get that exclusive ring that you haven’t gotten in a few years.”
Scott revealed on Scoop B Radio that he felt Durant joining Houston was another instance of trying to jump on another bandwagon. Many former NBA players think that Durant joining the 73-win team Golden State Warriors in 2016 showed the worst instance of someone ring chasing. Scott is among the rare names to feel the Rockets are another scenario of similar criticism.
Is Byron Right About Kevin Durant?
Durant’s tenure with the Warriors will always haunt him since the people not to respect that move will never change their stances. The next stop with the Brooklyn Nets featured Durant stacking the odds yet again with Kyrie Irving and James Harden as a super team. Brooklyn’s health and personnel issues doomed them to fail horrendously.
The Phoenix Suns next traded for Durant and paired him with fellow superstar Devin Booker. Another big three formed when Bradley Beal joined them via a trade, but that trio didn’t win a single playoff game together. Durant left back-to-back failures by agreeing to a trade with the Rockets as one of his few preferred destinations.
Houston did have a top two seed in the Western Conference last season, but few took them seriously as title contenders. Durant deserves a little more respect from Scott for being a top two player and arguably the best player on the Rockets roster. Houston didn’t have the same Golden State variables of recently winning a title and having a record-breaking season before adding him.
Rockets Can Change Kevin Durant’s Legacy
Durant securing two NBA Championships and two NBA Finals MVPs in his three Golden State seasons made it an objective success. However, the rings of Durant hold less impressive contextual factors that fans endorse as much as other stars.
Dirk Nowitzki, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nikola Jokic each winning one ring often sees their reputations stronger than Durant for getting two. Houston has a great coach, strong fellow co-star, and young supporting staff around Durant to boost his chances to contend for a few more years.
Durant can add another ring that will have more impact on his legacy than the two with the Warriors. Stephen Curry winning another title after losing Durant raised his legacy on a higher stratosphere. Durant is important enough to the Rockets to win a ring there that adds even more to his illustrious career.
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