Kevin Durant‘s Oklahoma City Thunder legacy will be put to the test on opening night when his current team, the Houston Rockets, visit Oklahoma City for the Thunder’s championship banner raising. This moment carries weight as the franchise honors its first title from last season, placing Durant in a complex position amid his former team’s celebrations.
Durant Urged to Stay in the Background During Thunder’s Banner Ceremony
Kendrick Perkins, a former center for the Thunder and Durant’s ex-teammate, has advised Durant to avoid drawing attention during the championship honors. Perkins suggested Durant should watch from the sidelines and use the occasion as fuel to defeat the Thunder in their banner-raising game.
The great KD has to walk into that building and watch not only the franchise he left raise their first banner, but also watch the best franchise player ever (SGA) get his ring,
Perkins said on NBA Today.
It’s going to be smoke in the city. If I’m KD, I’m going in the back. I don’t want to watch it. If I’m KD, I come with the mindset that I want to upset them and spoil their big ring ceremony night,
he added.
Robert Horry Questions Whether Durant’s Thunder Contributions Are Being Overshadowed
Robert Horry, former Los Angeles Lakers forward, expressed the view that Kevin Durant’s impact and legacy with the Thunder are being diminished by newer franchise figures such as Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso. Horry remarked that Durant’s decision to leave has left him with a complicated place in the team‘s history, especially as the franchise celebrates its milestone.
It’s almost like, ‘See, if you’d have stayed here, you could have been the first to put up a banner, but you wanted to go on to greener pastures,
Horry told the Big Shot Bob podcast.
It’s always something special when you get the first for a franchise that has never won anything. Because now, you got to think about it, you the first…Even though they probably loved Durant, he’s getting pushed aside by Caruso, SGA, and Hartenstein,
he said.
What This Means for Durant and the Thunder Moving Forward
This opening night encounter will not only mark the Thunder’s historic celebration but also test Kevin Durant’s response to the franchise’s progress without him. As former teammates and rivals weigh in, Durant’s Oklahoma City Thunder legacy remains a topic of deep reflection. How he channels the mixed emotions surrounding the banner ceremony and the game itself could influence perceptions of his career connection with the team and his motivation going forward.