Kevin Durant is more than just one of the greatest players of his generation—he’s also known for making moves off the court. An avid social media user, Durant has never shied away from engaging in heated online debates. He proved that once again recently on X (formerly Twitter), going all out to defend his legacy against online critics.
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Many so-called basketball “experts” have consistently tried to keep Kevin Durant out of the GOAT conversation, largely because he hasn’t won a ring since his time with the Golden State Warriors. But the 36-year-old made a valid point.
He emphasized that basketball is a team game and argued that his legacy speaks for itself. Regardless of where you stand on liking Durant, calling him anything other than a future Hall of Famer would be flat-out wrong.
Durant’s online antics were a topic of discussion on the latest episode of Shannon Sharpe’s Nightcap program. The guest on the show, Gary Payton, acknowledged that a player of KD’s caliber is bound to face criticism whenever he loses.
“When you’re a great player, you’re always gonna take the blame,” said The Glove. “I don’t care what nobody say, when you’re the focal point of everything, you’re gonna take the blame.”
That said, Payton offered a bit of advice to the two-time NBA Champion. “KD is my guy. That’s my little youngster. He’s gonna go back at you. KD, leave it alone, man. You know how great you is, just come back and do what you got to do man. It is what it is,” said Payton.
Payton wasn’t just offering advice—he also strongly defended Durant against the online criticism, pointing out that KD hasn’t been on a particularly good basketball team since his days with the Warriors.
“I think KD has not been on a good basketball team since he left Golden State,” Payton stated. “He had another great next to him (Curry) that could make shots and do everything. Draymond was fresh. He was young. You had a young Klay.”
Hard to argue with that. The Warriors team Durant was part of wasn’t just a superteam—they had chemistry, cohesion, and a winning formula. KD understands how important that is, because he’s been on two other star-stacked rosters in OKC and Brooklyn. You know how many combined rings those teams won? Zero.
“If he goes to a good basketball team, if he gets traded from Phoenix, then he can do it because I don’t think anybody can stop him,” added Payton. “He can score the basketball too well. He still averaged 26 this year.”
This is another take from GP that’s right on the money. The modern NBA prioritizes scoring over defense, and Durant is still an elite scorer. Whether he ends up on a team that truly lets him play to his strengths remains to be seen. After all, when he joined Golden State, he was a free agent.
This time, any team acquiring him would likely have to trade for him, meaning they’d be giving up valuable assets. As KD nears the end of his career, the hope is that he finds the right fit—a team, a coach, and a city ready to help him chase that elusive third ring.
