Whether fair or foul, Kevin Durant lost metaphorical points in the eyes of the average fan when he joined the Golden State Warriors. In the two seasons prior to Durant's arrival, Warriors star Stephen Curry won back-to-back MVP awards and Golden State had picked up a championship, a second trip to the NBA Finals, and a postseason series win over Durant's Oklahoma City Thunder.
10 years later, Giannis Antetokounmpo is reportedly second-guessing the virtue of playing for the Warriors due to his concern over how playing with Curry would be perceived historically.
Curry is one of the greatest players in basketball history. His legendary list of accolades includes being a four-time NBA champion, two-time MVP, and two-time scoring champion. As such, it's difficult to imagine many players who wouldn't want to call him a teammate.
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Antetokounmpo isn't quite as eager to play with Curry as one might presume due to the age of the Warriors' roster and the damage it could do to his reputation.
"Yet I have heard from sources briefed on the situation that some in the know suspect Antetokounmpo could be turned off by the idea of joining an older team and/or facing the sort of criticism that Kevin Durant continues to absorb to this day about teaming up with Curry."
The Warriors will struggle to combat Antetokounmpo's concerns over the average age of the star players on the roster, but there's one truth Golden State can dispute his other concern with: At this stage of their respective careers, Curry wouldn't be the best player on the team.
Critics' treatment of Kevin Durant may deter Giannis from Warriors trade
Curry is in phenomenal form, but he's 37 years of age and not quite the dominant force he used to be. There's no way around the fact that he can break any game he plays wide open, but more is needed around him to account for the limitations that Father Time imposes on players nearing 40.
With that in mind, the debates over who the best player on the Warriors was between Curry and Durant wouldn't resurface with Antetokounmpo.
Since the start of the 2018-19 season, Antetokounmpo has won two MVP awards, a Defensive Player of the Year honor, a Finals MVP, and a championship. He's also received seven consecutive All-NBA First Team nods and finished no lower than fourth in MVP voting.
Curry secured a championship and a Finals MVP award himself during that time, but he also registered five fewer top-five MVP finishes, five fewer All-NBA First Team nods, and no MVP awards.
Giannis would be the Warriors' best player, not Stephen Curry
Say what you will about awards, but Antetokounmpo is a consensus top five player in the NBA. Curry has peaks that reveal the greatness he's still capable of, but in terms of nightly contributions, few would argue that the greatest shooter in Association history is currently above Antetokounmpo in the proverbial hierarchy.
Furthermore, while Durant won his only career championships alongside Curry, Antetokounmpo has already led a team to a title as a clear-cut No. 1—with an iconic close-out performance, no less.
As such, instead of being viewed as an acquisition that amounts to overkill, Antetokounmpo would instead be a true franchise player. Curry may have the hearts of the fans he's represented for 17 seasons, but Antetokounmpo would be the floor and ceiling-raising talent needed to create a symbiotic relationship—and give the fan favorite a shot at another title he's not currently expected to compete for.
It may be difficult to sell Antetokounmpo on the overall quality of the roster, but he shouldn't fear the Durant treatment for teaming up with a 37-year-old Curry.