Jeff Teague believes the Golden State Warriors dynasty depended greatly on Kevin Durant joining the team.
The Golden State Warriors are the most dominant team of the last decade. Between 2014 and 2022, the Warriors won four NBA championships and went to six NBA Finals.
In the eyes of many fans, the 2010s Warriors were the greatest team of all time. In fact, the 2010 Warriors and the 1990s Bulls are often compared to each other.
While the Warriors were a formidable team in 2015 and 2016, it was the arrival of Kevin Durant that pushed them over the top.
In fact, one former NBA champion believes the Warriors wouldn’t have achieved dynasty status without Durant joining the team.
Jeff Teague says Kevin Durant made Golden State Warriors a dynasty
Jeff Teague spoke on his Club 520 podcast about the Golden State Warriors dynasty. He believes, as good as the Warriors were, they wouldn’t be a dynasty without Kevin Durant.
Teague explained how Durant’s arrival elevated the Warriors past the Cavaliers. Without Durant, the Cavaliers were a superior team, as they showed in the 2016 NBA Finals.
“They are probably the greatest team of all time. They got two bona fide Hall of Famers, top 20 on everybody’s list, probably in basketball history. Arguably one of the greatest scorers.
“Got the best three-point shooter and then the second greatest three-point shooter on some people’s list in Klay Thompson.
“Then you got an all-defensive world player in Draymond Green. Probably make the Top 10 in defensive players of all time.
“Then you got a top 25 defender in Andre Iguodala. Yeah. Then you got a top 50 sixth man of the year in Shaun Livingston. He ain’t never won sixth man of the year, but you know what I mean…. That KD team was crazy.”
“The Cavs team was better than the Warriors team. Yeah. Without KD, they’re better, bro. Think about it. You got two No. 1 picks on your team [Kyrie Irving and LeBron James].
“Steph and Klay, they’re nobody, y’all. Bron and Kyrie were supposed to be this. Steph and Klay weren’t supposed to be this.”
Kevin Durant struggled for success in later years
There is definitely an argument to be made that the Warriors and Kevin Durant never should have ended their partnership.
Durant won two championships and Finals MVPs during his three-year stint with the Warriors before joining the Brooklyn Nets.
Since Durant’s departure in 2019, both sides have struggled for success. Of course, the Warriors did win an NBA championship in 2022.
But that appears to have been an aberration, as the Warriors haven’t reached a Western Conference Finals even once outside of the 2022 win.
As for Kevin Durant, he has experienced a similarly difficult fortune, having floundered in the playoffs with the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns.
Now, as Durant begins a new adventure with the Houston Rockets, he hopes to reverse his fortunes and prove that he can win an NBA championship without the Warriors.
