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When Kevin Durant joined the Golden State Warriors in 2016, a lot of eyebrows were raised. The forward left a budding Oklahoma City Thunder team for a team that had already set a regular-season record with 73 wins.
For the Warriors’ part, they added one of the most gifted scorers in basketball history — a four-time scoring champion. They already had a leader in Stephen Curry, so it was interesting to see how they adjusted roles on the court.
Curry’s sacrifice
When they got into it, they looked like a well-organized team. Curry, for his part, willingly adjusted his role for the sake of the team’s chemistry. NBA Hall of Famer Grant Hill acknowledged that willingness to step back.
“I thought he really sacrificed his game for Kevin Durant and rightfully so,” Hill said of the former unanimous MVP. “Kevin Durant, great player, new environment. I think Steph Curry people don’t appreciate how he went out of his way, I believe, to make Durant feel comfortable and then he got hurt once Durant left.”
Before Durant’s arrival, Golden State was built around the revolutionary play of its superstar point guard. The two-time MVP had changed the game with his deep shooting and off-ball movement, leading the Warriors to back-to-back Finals appearances and a championship in 2015.
Under head coach Steve Kerr, their offense flowed through Curry, who was not only the team’s best shooter but also the engine that kept their high-tempo style running.
In the 2015-16 season, Curry had arguably the greatest offensive year in NBA history, becoming the first unanimous MVP while averaging 30.1 points per game and stringing together a rare 50-40-90 season. He led the league in scoring and steals while making a record-breaking 402 three-pointers. Golden State, powered by his brilliance, won 73 games.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t cap their dominant season with a championship as they fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven of the most enthralling NBA Finals games.
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Taking the backseat
Durant signed with the Warriors in the summer of 2016; many assumed Curry would remain the alpha, with Durant playing as a secondary star. But instead of enforcing his established status, the Davidson University product made an unprecedented sacrifice. He took fewer shots, adjusted his playstyle and let his superstar teammate share the center stage in the Warriors’ offense.
In the 2016-17 season, Curry’s numbers dipped slightly — his scoring average dropped to 25.3 points per game and his shot attempts decreased. Yet, Golden State’s offense became even more unstoppable. Durant thrived in his new role, averaging 25.1 points while improving defensively, and the Warriors trounced the competition in the playoffs with a 16-1 record en route to the championship.
Curry was the reigning MVP, the face of the franchise and the league’s most marketable star. Yet, he never insisted on proving himself as the No. 1 option. Instead, he focused on winning, even if it meant being overshadowed in the process.
That decision paid off with back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018, with Durant winning Finals MVP both times.
When Durant left for Brooklyn in 2019, Golden State was left to pick up the pieces. Curry, despite battling injuries, reminded everyone why he was a generational talent.
In the 2020-21 season, he won his second scoring title, averaging 32 points per game and led his team back to championship contention. By the end of the following season, he had silenced any remaining doubts, winning his fourth NBA title and his first Finals MVP.
