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Draymond Green okay with losing NBA Finals to land Kevin Durant

Draymond Green

We all know it. The Golden State Warriors wouldn’t have landed Kevin Durant if they had won the NBA Finals. Draymond Green knows these this is true, so he’s okay with having lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals, now that Durant is on board.

Speaking about the events that transpired and led to Durant choosing the Warriors in free agency, Green laid out his logic on the matter.

“We beat Cleveland — very, very, very slim chance we get Kevin Durant after coming off winning back-to-back championships,” Green said in an interview with DraftKings. “I sit back and I look and I say, ‘Man, we lost the NBA Finals, up 3-1, have back to back championships….’ And then we end up with Kevin Durant. I say, ‘Man, it’s a possibility we can get a lot more championships.'”

They also wouldn’t have landed Durant if they had lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder after going down 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals.

“They beat us, no chance we get Kevin Durant. If Kevin Durant, OKC, they beat us in Game 7, or 6, or 5… How can he leave there? Like, he can’t leave there. But we came back,” Green said. “It allows him to make whatever decision he wants to make, whereas I think if (the Thunder) go to the Finals, it kind of puts a stranglehold on his decision.”

Everyone knows the Thunder should have won that series, but meltdowns under pressure, along with the Warriors going ham at just the right moments, kept that from happening. Of course, that’s exactly what happened to Golden State in the Finals, too.

After failing to repeat as champs, the Warriors got the best consolation prize possible when Durant joined the ranks. For this, Green is grateful.

“It happened and I don’t think our alternative was too bad,” he said. “We lost the championship and we get Kevin Durant.”

It’s quite possible that losing this past year to the Cavs did pave the way for many future title shots. The Warriors still have to keep the nucleus together, which may prove difficult. Durant is essentially in town for one year with the option for two. Stephen Curry will be a free agent, as will Green himself.

But Golden State’s ownership has remained committed to paying its players well and wants to keep the gang together. It’s more likely they’ll pay a luxury tax to keep the Warriors from falling apart that it is they’d let players leave.

With that in mind, Green may not be wrong in his assessment that his team can possibly make a run at a dynasty.

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