“He hasn’t been on a good team since he left Golden State” – Gary Payton passionately defends Kevin Durant originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Kevin Durant has reached such a peculiar veteran stage in his career where, while still widely respected for playing at an All-Star, All-NBA level well into his 30s, skepticism continues to grow around his ability to lead a team to championship success.
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Ever since parting ways with the Golden State Warriors, the 15-time All-Star hasn’t advanced past the first round of the playoffs – a trend that has led many to question his legacy. However, for Hall of Famer Gary Payton, the criticism is misplaced.
In fact, The Glove recently came forward to defend KD, asserting how the two-time Finals MVP still has plenty left in the tank to chase Larry O’Brien trophies.
Payton passionately defends Durant
Since his departure from the Warriors in 2019, Durant has consistently sought out or been part of Big Three formations – teaming up with Kyrie Irving and James Harden in Brooklyn and more recently sharing the court with Chris Paul, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker in Phoenix.
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While Durant has managed to adjust his game individually and was able to average over 25 points per game in each of those campaigns, alongside such future Hall of Famers, team success has remained elusive. Naturally, that has led to a perception that Durant’s championship window is well over.
But Payton sees things differently. In his view, Durant simply hasn’t been on a good basketball team since leaving Golden State and the fact that Durant averaged 26.6 points per game in Year 17, at the age of 36, shows how he has enough gas in his tank to contribute to any championship contender.
“He had another great next to him (Curry) that could make shots and do everything,” Payton pointed out.Â
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“Draymond was fresh. He was young. You had a young Klay. You had Iguodala. If he goes to a good basketball team, if he gets traded from Phoenix, then he can do it because I don’t think nobody can still stop him. He can score the basketball too well. He still averaged 26 this year. It was just bad he was on a bad basketball team,” Payton strongly emphasized.
What does Durant need to revive his career and chase another title?
Looking at Durant’s last five NBA campaigns, it seems clear that whenever he is expected to single-handedly carry a team deep into the playoffs, the results haven’t followed. And when the injury bug strikes his team, the blame often lands on him – fairly or not.
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That’s why, if KD truly wants to chase the narrative surrounding him, the move now should be to join a team with real depth and blue-collar mentality – one that doesn’t burden him with the responsibility to win games alone night-in-night-out.
In that type of setup, Durant could thrive. Surrounded by hungry players and strong support, he could elevate a contender’s title hopes while playing smarter.
Additionally, this time, if he joins a younger superstar, Durant may be best suited to take on more of a second-option role – leveraging his championship experience to close games in the clutch while letting the offense naturally flow through the rising star. That, more than the stat line, maybe what defines the final chapter of his storied career.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 14, 2025, where it first appeared.