Rob Mahoney on Kevin Durant’s Decision | Ringer Moments | The Ringer

[@jamesgeekie2278]

Rob is 💯 my fave Ringer NBA content dude (behind Bill!) and also love whenever he pops up on any other pod. Number one on the trade value list.

[@almusaali]

Totally agreed 👍🏿

[@IAmABNew]

I feel like the “oh the basketball was amazing” framing that most ringer employees use for the durant decision is so disconnected. Anybody with emotional investment in a team that wasn’t Golden State was immediately discouraged from getting their hopes too high about the postseason. Not only that, but it was Durant deciding to take on a much less difficult role right in the middle of his prime, with a team THAT WON 73 GAMES! Golden State winning before AND after only cemented the lack of competitiveness that was contained in Durant’s decision. One of the all-time worst moments in NBA history (barring real life tragedies)

[@mackinm00se]

Highest TV ratings for the NBA. Hasn’t recovered since. The people LOVED it. Simple as that.

[@spol]

It was the epitome of a can’t beat em join em moment.

[@IAmABNew]

@@mackinm00se Why would I care about the ratings I’m not a freak

[@donnylawless2412]

KEEP DOING THESE ROB M.

[@matthiasmartin4355]

Charles Barkley said it best, Kevin Durant was a bus rider. He was an executive bus rider, but Stephen Curry drove that bus. Doesn't matter that Steph deferred to KD in the finals and the latter won the FMVP. Curry made Golden State and was the most important player. Kevin Durant never won a single title as the bus driver and that will be his legacy unless he changes it in PHO.

[@johndebono1870]

I don't even know if winning in Phoenix would help since you can make a similar argument for Booker the way they did with Steph in Golden State or even with Wade in Miami during the big 3 era. They might be the better player, but the true leader was gracious enough to let them be the main option. The only thing I think could have ended that talk is if KD pulled the same LeBron move of going back to their original team being like "Ok, now I owe you one".

[@wesgarnett119]

all of that, and still clears your favorite player statistically. keep coping

[@jamiekoh6113]

The 4 pillars of 2010 to 2020, led by Curry, Lebron, Durant, and Leonard, could have had Durant leading the way or at least in the same convo as the big two, but he will be pushed to the side due to everything that's happened. You could have debated this before the 2022 Warriors title, but that was the cherry on top.

[@bomberbcm]

How come the Ringer never brings on anybody that was critical of KD’s decision?

[@ababilashari9970]

a lot of people do that already? haha i mean KD's NEVER gonna be in the GOAT discussion cause of this we all know that

[@Geoxon96]

Great one, Rob! Love these story times!

[@ldk8]

Durant has 0 rings without Steph. It's what ultimately will hold him back from ever being in the Top 10 all time discussion

[@turneryoung905]

This is the best “MOMENT” from the Ringer by far

[@itskajeric]

that kevin durant trade to the warriors is like the jerami grant scenario in portland. you can say nothing but perfection🤡💯

[@HuggyBearRoller]

Best Moment yet. Rob is 🐐'd

[@mtuktuk9627]

Love these deserves more attention

[@almusaali]

Luv those ringer history doc. It’s similar to 30 for 30 dialogue

[@CoolHandLuke7]

Durant is looking to jump ship the moment things get uncomfortable for him, that's what is lacking.

[@Jordanelev3n]

well i mean if they get swept by the bumberwolves and fake mj then ill be up outta there too

[@Jordanelev3n]

@@CoolHandLuke7 also true

[@silewis9396]

​@@CoolHandLuke7Why do you think he bailed on the Warriors

[@fkm512]

Need to see more of Mahoney

[@JoshNorris52]

I LOVE THIS SERIES

[@chrizzzzSull]

I was a massive kd guy before he left I have never seen a NBA player Dinesh their legacy to the extent Kevin Durant has it’s sad one of the most talented players I’ve ever seen he is from my generation I’m 26 years old so I’ve watched him since I started watching the NBA love him on Oklahoma City. They were so close to winning. If he won one championship with them, he would be solidified as a pantheon player but now he just feels like he has no real home, no association to franchise he just kind of a nomad. That’s talented and just continues to disappoint.

[@libertines24]

Still the worst moment in basketball history for me, as a fan. The 2016 finals was so fun. I felt the thunder, warriors, spurs, and cavs all were real contenders but then KD joined the best team in the league and ruined basketball for the next 3 years

[@noahcockroft6859]

QQ

[@USC9210]

Did not ruin basketball. It went just fine and is fine now.

[@wayne9635]

If Larry bird would have joined the lakers in the 80s it would have guaranteed the lakers win every year and their main competition is out.

[@silewis9396]

😂😂😂😂

[@willisgordon5367]

We keep talking about this man's big toe, but forget to mention that Giannis went AT him at the end of the game, and when he had the chance to win it again he airballed. Tell the whole story.

[@richardwotherspoon82]

Tell the whole story, he was averaging 40+ minutes a game over a physical seven game series having to play bigger than he is. He ran out of gas - imagine mentally thinking you’ve just hit the game winning shot (your 47th point of the game if I remember correctly) and then you have to play another 5 minutes

[@thedarkfrost2351]

@@richardwotherspoon82damn imagine how lebron felt game 1 when JR sold. No excuses.

[@NotoriousSIG1855]

Was this filmed at Bill’s house? All the memorabilia in the background looks like stuff Bill would have.

[@silewis9396]

Probably. Seems all videos in this Ringer Moments series I've seen were filmed right there and Bill's was the 1st one.

[@silewis9396]

I'm not convinced it's not a green screen thing going on here.

[@colinmotill7541]

@@silewis9396 it is clearly a real set lmao

[@silewis9396]

​@@colinmotill7541I'm convinced lmao

[@ishetrying]

I enjoyed KD's Warriors run and I completely understand the decision to join that team.

[@DylPicklezs]

Not about the legacy of basketball as a whole, it’s about HIS LEGACY. Which is forever tarnished, the rings could have felt good if he had stuck it out with the Thunder. He will forever be the greatest traitor of all time. Regardless of his skill level that’s not what people look at when they hear Kevin Durant.

[@thelawfus]

Was Rob going on vacation when this news broke? I was never sure based on the video.

[@erick.roberts9074]

I wasn’t gonna say anything…

[@coreyeatmon5101]

People wouldn't give Melo credit if he joined the 2012 HEAT either. The move deserves no respect. PERIOD

[@Prince36300]

To answer his questions directly: because the most important thing in sports is the STORY. Its reason why the league is worth billions, why a record number of fans watched Caitlin Clark, and why Kobe is now revered despite his public mistakes and lack of effeciency (compared to the other greats). Only a few percentage of fans purely care about the basketball. Everyone cares about the narrative. Everybody wants to feel inspired and root for their guy. KD ruined that for the entire league. Thats why he will never be looked at the same unless he completes that narrative and vindicates himself.

[@silewis9396]

Well said. I agree 95% Even as a fan of both (I haven't had 'a guy' other than when Wade and Rose were elite) Lebron kinda started it and KD wanted to 1-up him, while Lebron was trying to get over the top of the Boston Celtics. They just both didn't realise how the moves would make them look weak but it was Lebron that changed it all for a free agency team hopping standpoint.

[@YonaDagalosi]

Understand the hate, but couldn’t care less about how poorly people look at the move. The 2017 and 2018 Warriors are one of the impressive, fluid, and fun teams in the history of sport, let alone the NBA. I loved it. That is a level of basketball I don’t think we’ve seen since.

[@DylanW3]

Nah it’s weak and it should be labeled as such. The thought of Jordan joining the Pistons after not being able to get past them is laughable. KD ruined his legacy.

[@JeewanthaBandara]

It was beautiful basketball (Especially the first year when Durant was more willing to be part of the offense). But it came at the cost of making the league uninteresting in terms of competitiveness. The Cavs needed historical performances to win one game in the Finals. We knew what the outcome was as soon as KD signed.

[@YonaDagalosi]

@@DylanW3 KD ain’t Jordan

[@YonaDagalosi]

@@JeewanthaBandara the thing is it worked so well. KD was freaking perfect on that team. It wasn’t just a mash of superstars (like the Nets shortly after). They fit so well as a team, especially in that first year. Was just too fun for me

[@razkable]

This only happened cause barnes was wanted by the mavs dray got suspended lebron kyrie went crazy kd choked the cap spiked and curry had weak ankles allowing for a cheaper contract...it's insane how much had to happen for this sigining to occur...it wasn't as easy as the heat signing lebron and bosh....

[@justingabel8031]

It’s just been an all around weird career for Durant…he leaves OKC cause he can’t beat the Warriors and realizes he needs the help of a generational talent in Curry, he realizes all the scrutiny he’s under when he’s on the warriors (among other things) he leaves and goes to the Nets, they never stay healthy and never take off like most people were expecting, he hates his coach there and demands a trade, he gets traded to the suns and forms another “super team” and they can’t make it out of the first round…Durant is talented and a great player when he’s healthy but idk just have a feeling people will look back on his career and say “wow he was good for a few years” and that’ll be it…and if that’s his legacy it’ll be an absolute waste

[@edwardfisher9930]

Listening to the media/fans criticism is why KD is unhappily losing in Phoenix... KD was never going to win in OKC playing that style of basketball... Golden St unlocked levels of KD we haven't seen before at anytime in his career... he literally sacrificed his legacy to uphold steph dray and klay's legacy

[@bomberbcm]

If he played that style of basketball before and after Golden State isn’t that just his style at this point? And if so is his default style just not conducive to winning chips?

[@toxicmustardwasabi]

Best decision of KD's career. Best team building execution of all time. If a team's intention is to win, and increase its likelihood of winning as much as possible, no single move has ever been better. Durant's mistake was leaving the Warriors and letting the hate get to him. If he stays, he could have 4 or 5 rings and the greatest injury comeback of all time, and at that point its hard to argue with the results.

[@ChristianBullen]

Should be called "Rob Mahoney's decision to go on vacation." Jesus dude, you write about sports you ain't solving world hunger.

[@RETR0_P0CKET]

You have to think about these discussions through the lens of who is having them. These conversations are mostly between young men and teenage boys. Young people don’t have the perspective decades of experience. When you get a little older you appreciate the achievements of others more and all the hard work that goes into them. Life isn’t a video game.

[@Ancient_Regime88]

It's that he left for an established champion, not that he bailed on the team that drafted him. NBA fans are used to that, it's a business, after all. But there's a big difference tween what KD and what, for example, what KG did by going to the Celtics. KG was going to a mid team and made it elite and nobody thought Minn was getting the shaft. You're too kind on him. He'll never be counted among the very best, and for good reason.

[@aaronmitchell7263]

As the biggest LeBron fan, I just can’t forgive KD for going there😭 man how that changed legacies

[@FoleyAxel_2024]

I wasn’t a fan of the move but can we blame him? Maybe he got tired of playing with an inefficient point guard who can’t shoot and is a minus defender. I know RW is an MVP and future HOF but you weren’t winning a ring with him as a sidekick.

[@dparks2856]

They went to game 7 and blew a 3 to 1 lead. He could have played better

[@FoleyAxel_2024]

@@dparks2856 True. Players are different. KD and RW were trash at the end of that series. I think KD had enough of Rus and wanted a change of scenery.

[@iwj6329]

I don't understand how the Warriors slide on this move. It was just as much as a weak move by them as it was for Durant. They didn't want to compete. And it kills me how whenever the Warriors dynasty is brought up, it's just the trio, like no - KD is largely responsible for half of those titles.

[@KingWavy77]

KD the weakest move ever, forever tainted his legacy. One win away from putting them away and joined them. Didn’t win before and never will win after. Probably the best scorer of all time, probably the biggest loser of all time.

[@KingWavy77]

Much less joining a 73-9 team 😢

[@JarettGray1604]

If you worked for a company and you got offered to make slightly less money BUT your quality of life went up…would you take it? Would it be ok for me to call you weak for doing it?

[@Blunder03]

​@@JarettGray16049 to 5 jobs don't have a competitive aspect to them & aren't an entertainment product.

[@thenightowls2804]

Conparing a 9 to 5 job to the NBA is awful​@@JarettGray1604

[@JarettGray1604]

@@Blunder03 and? because basketball is entertainment that means KD has to do what YOU think HE needs to with HIS life?

[@johncooper7923]

U know what we’re talking about

[@jaredjohnson1941]

We need a counter from Tyler Parker.

[@roycedot]

Cupcake

[@CalumAtkinson]

damn, this counts as a moment?

[@USC9210]

KD did not like playing with Westbrook. The ball/player movement was awful. As a natural born hooper like KD, going to the best place to play was inevitable.

[@KPearceTV]

Would you rather live in California or Oklahoma? KD was right

[@kw1726]

it was a weak move...i dont see how that can be argued, it robbed fans of what would have been some epic playoff series', and does anyone really give a shit about those rings.....that team was too good to fail, hardly impressive

[@christophercampuzano92]

Mans just giving Kd excuses 😴

[@Rx79100]

LeBron 4 time champion Steph 4 time champion Yeah , KD is a bit short on that. Still , my favourite moment was KD tried to get back in game 5 of 2019 in NBA final despite his "calf" injury that eventually become Achilles injury while he cooked Raptors in that game standing and walk out with a shout of frustration. Yeah , he is a professional and a basketball player that sacrificed 1-2 years of his career for winning rather than healing, but something up there won't let it happen. He still averaging around 25 after his Achilles injury and playing to his 35 , I don't think there is another basketball player that went through this same path like him. LeBron and Steph should end up in higher rank than KD. ,but KD's heart to the basketball game really got my respect despite several decisions. It would be nice to see him win one more , but yeah time is running out and new generation is rising.

[@thedarkfrost2351]

KD is so soft.

[@dustin8320]

More excuses for KD just because he might be going on Bills pod for the 7th time. None of you believe this!!! 👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽

[@dustin8320]

More excuses. He won’t be on Bills pod again, just stop!

[@malachihall4628]

This is weaker than the Durant decision

[@indigosnow_]

Smart move by KD, capitalized on the Warrior's primes. Hope he wins another chip someday to shut up the haters. He's an all time great player and deserves his flowers.

[@JLW26_]

People are still upset about this which is crazy. Get a life 😂 go touch grass and get some sunlight

[@dparks2856]

His team was too good to leave and join the warriors

[@silewis9396]

You're so right. The tone in the comments is hilarious 😂

[@DylanW3]

LOL those rings are meaningless. No one cares about those KD rings with GS. Especially after Steph got another once he bounced. The idea that the rings are vindication for KD is laughable.

[@damonyoung2074]

People also forget the Warriors won a championship the year before KD joined.

[@M3GAMAN3]

[NOT A BAYDESTRIAN]

[@MarcusYoungPresents]

Kevin’s move to GSW was one of the weakest moves in all of sports EVER. Yes, he’s a great basketball player, but that was garbage and he’ll forever be remembered for that. You can’t try to say you’re one of the best players ever, and join the team that just set the best record and beat you last season. HOT GARBAGE, your rings are meaningless. Completely threw the league off and made it boring

[@MarceloAlvesdeSouza-b7c]

the biggest shame i the history of the NBA. Pathetic move by a pathetic personality

[@jordanhum3461]

lowk bad move for kd legacy. will never be respected in goat cnvos, even though he won chips. sad to see talent go unrecognized. still he lowk deserves it.

[@silewis9396]

Lowk as in lowkey? 😂😂😂 It was a clear bad move for his legacy that millions of fans will not forget.

[@SonnyK248]

KD did what every player has done since the beginning of time after deciding to leave their franchise. He picked the strongest team that could afford him. The only difference with him was that he became a free agent during the salary spike which meant almost every team could afford him so when he picked the best one available like everyone does, in his case the best one available was arguably the best team in the league. No player in the history of the league has ever said "well I could go there but then we'd win too much and it wouldn't be fair on all the other teams so I'll go here instead." No one.

[@johncheatdom9409]

Facts, why he still gets slaughtered for it I don't know. It happens in football (soccer) all the time and no one cares. Mbappe, one of the best players in the world just joined Madrid, the best team in the world, and everyone just says standard.

[@KingWavy77]

One win away from beating them, why not join the 73-9 warriors. No excises weakest move ever, he’ll never win again and no one will ever give those championships the credit bc of him.

[@SonnyK248]

@@KingWavy77 but who has ever said no to a franchise because that franchise would become too good? Everyone who leaves their franchise goes to the best place available. There is no such thing as a weak move in this scenario because everyone does this. What examples do you have of a guy leaving a franchise and turning down a strong team for a weaker team because he wanted to make it harder for himself? And all things have to be equal here including salary.

[@Mzdedeo]

Thank you!!! All the people that trash him for it would do the same thing if given the chance!

[@DylanW3]

This is insane. They just blew a 3-1 lead to Golden State and then you go and join that team?? Nope. KD’s legacy was written then.

[@Jboooog18]

Definitely the weakest move ever made by a superstar

[@sportsplato5899]

this dude is most NPC i have ever seen

[@chrisrubio8212]

Right down to his “JIF” take.

[@cheech6234]

Weakest move ive ever seen in any sport, glad he didnt win befote or after....proves he cant lead a team to a title

[@naveenson1183]

this guy was a trombone nerd. doesnt actually watch basketball

[@TheRealAtrocity]

🐍🐍🐍🐍🧁🧁🧁🧁

[@migonads]

He a BUM

[@JLW26_]

People are still upset about this which is crazy. Get a life 😂 go touch grass and get some sunlight