Portland Trail Blazers: Is Kevin Durant the final piece?
Kevin Durant trade rumors are circulating again. Could the Portland Trail Blazers be a good fit? And is KD worth the cost?
Time to Take Stock
The good thing is any potential deal involving Simons couldn’t happen until after January 15th. This means Portland Trail Blazers management still has a couple of months to evaluate further how good this team actually is and what needs they have.
It’s still early in the season, and team chemistry can only improve. Chemistry often gets overlooked for talent when teams build their roster.
Durant’s Checkered Past
KD has a dark cloud of criticism that’s followed him around with every team he’s played for. Oklahoma City never won a ring despite having a stacked roster.
He earned two rings in Golden State, but critics have an “Asterisk” associated with Durant’s involvement because he joined a team and culture that averaged 70 wins in its prior two seasons. The Warriors already had a Championship and likely would have had a second if not for some bone-headed Draymond Green plays.
Super Isn’t Always Super
How many supposed “Super teams” fizzled out due to team chemistry? Star players clash with teammates, coaches, and even the media.
That happened to the Lakers twice in the last decade. The first came in 2012 when the “super team” had problems gelling and staying healthy. They made the playoffs once and got swept. Then the 2021 Lakers were stacked with current and former All-Star and completely missed the playoffs.
What about the current Brooklyn Nets team that Durant plays for? That group has been a circus since coming together. They have issues on and off-the-court issues and have underperformed in the playoffs.
The Portland Trail Blazers have to ask themselves if it’s worth bringing in a player who could disrupt chemistry while simultaneously losing out on Anfernee Simons. They also have to part rotational players like Hart and Little, who play with passion, something that often gets understated in the current game.
What if Sharpe grows another inch, adds a little more weight, and can play small forward? A Lillard, Simons, Sharpe, Grant, and Nurkic starting lineup would be must-watch NBA TV for the foreseeable future.