Kevin Durant Credited by Warriors GM Bob Myers for Keeping Team's Core Intact

Kevin Durant could have earned about $36 million on a max deal with the Golden State Warriors for the 2017-18 season when he negotiated his contract this offseason. Instead, he took a dramatic pay cut and will earn $25 million next season.

Warriors general manager Bob Myers said that decision allowed the Warriors to keep their core together and re-sign players like Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala. 

"His gesture of taking less gave us the ability to be very aggressive in pursuing Shaun and Andre," Myers said, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "I can pretty much unequivocally say without it, we're not looking at the team we have right now. What Kevin did shows who he is, shows what he's about and I think it's clear that that's winning."

He continued, "Without him doing that it would have been a different roster, and clearly to me, a roster that wasn't as good as the one we have right now."

Durant, who has a player option for the 2018-19 season, likely will decline that deal and renegotiate again next summer. His sacrifice this July allowed the Warriors to retain Iguodala (three years, $48 million guaranteed), Livingston (three years, $24 million) and David West (one year, $2.3 million) while adding Nick Young (one-year, $5.2 million contract) in free agency, as the AP reported.

Two-time NBA MVP, Steph Curry, also signed a five-year, $201 million max contract. Curry had previously been playing on a four-year deal that paid him $44 million, making him one of the greatest bargains in sports as he dominated the NBA.

Suffice to say, Curry was never going to take a discount after that contract. But Durant, who made $26 million last year, per Spotrac.com, was ultimately inclined to take less money to give the Warriors cap flexibility. 

"He did it on his own volition, which makes it that much more impactful and impressive to me," Myers said. "He's a max player for the foreseeable future forever. For him to do something like that is commendable. Without him doing that, other sacrifices as far as roster would have had to be made."

"That's why people enjoy watching our team, the selflessness of the way we play on the floor," he continued. "But that's also the selflessness of who our team is as witnessed by what Kevin did and what other guys have done. That's what people love seeing. Nobody likes seeing greed and individuals grab attention."

The ability to keep the team's bench largely intact behind superstars like Durant, Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson means the Warriors will go into the 2017-18 season as prohibitive favorites to win their third title in four years and likely the favorites to win several more titles after that, assuming Durant re-signs with the team again next season.

Even had the Warriors lost a player like Iguodala or Livingston, they would have been considered the cream of the NBA's crop. With them back in the fold, Golden State looks downright unstoppable.