The Fall of Achilles
In Greek mythology, no warrior was greater than Achilles. The hero of the Trojan War that laid waste to the city of Troy. Yet, he was done in by a simple arrow to the back end of his foot. Fast forward nearly 3500 years, the NBA had their own version of Achilles. Though he is now known around the world by the name, Kevin Durant. In an attempt to salvage the Warriors season and title defense, Durant came into Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals and played exceptionally well. Yet, he injured himself worse by rupturing his Achilles in the 2nd Quarter. He was helped off the court by teammate Andre Iguodala and others, but will likely not play until at least January of 2020.
Durant is a former NBA MVP, 2-time Finals MVP and Champion, a member of the 50-40-90 club, and 4-time scoring champion. Not to mention his 10 All Star appearances. But, Durant has reached a breaking point it may seem in his career. It is likely that Durant will not return to Golden State next year, yet it is unclear where he’ll go. In today’s sports world, teams fear this exact scenario. A future Hall of Famer with a career threatening injury. Kevin Durant is seen by many as the best player in basketball right now and many teams including the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, the Brooklyn Nets, and even the Philadelphia 76ers. The problem has now become, which franchise is willing to make the decision? Would Durant revitalize the New York Knicks if he went to the Big Apple? Would he blend well with the accumulation of talent in the Clippers or Nets organizations? Or would he create the next super team by joining the 76ers and their star studded lineup?
No player has drawn this much attention heading into free agency maybe ever. But this is a massive gamble because Kevin Durant could become the great investment and build more championship teams, or he could be like the Albert Haynesworth of the NBA and end up being a waste of money and time by an organization. But no doubt in my mind, are we beginning to see a possible crack in the steel armor of Kevin Durant.
The Art of Sports 