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Stephen Curry Comments on Kevin Durant Signing with the Warriors
July 8, 2016
The Golden State Warriors made their stunning coup official Thursday, when they introduced Kevin Durant as the newest member of the reigning Western Conference champions, and two-time MVP Stephen Curry offered his thoughts on the move in an exclusive interview with the Bay Area News Group's Marcus Thompson.
When Thompson asked how the Warriors were able to pitch Durant and convince him to come to the Bay Area, Curry had a simple explanation:
We were just ourselves. All we did was pretty much talk. We told him how things would be, how we operated and how he would fit in. He would fit right in. He’s a team guy. That’s who he really is. We told him he wouldn’t have to change anything and we wouldn’t have to change anything for him. He just fits right in.
Speaking to reporters at his introductory press conference, Durant touched on how impressed he was with Golden State's pitch and how receptive the team's stars were when it came to adding another key element to their championship-caliber formula.
"I was shocked that those four guys [Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala] came to meet me a couple of days ago," Durant said, per CSNBayArea.com's Monte Poole. "The team won 73 games and a championship before. I didn't think they would be interested in a player like me because they've had so much success."
Curry also admitted to Marcus Thompson that he's hyped when it comes to getting back onto the floor, but he cautioned that the Warriors aren't going to suddenly become the most dominant force the league has ever seen now that Durant is in the fold:
Just because we have KD, because the guys we have on the roster — we do have one of the most talented rosters in the NBA — but that doesn’t mean we’re just going to blow everybody out. It’s not like CYO, where you roll the ball out and the most talented team wins. We’re going to have to work. We’re going to have to play well. Nothing will be given to us. We’re not going to go 82-0 and blow everybody out. We are going to be challenged.
While there will be an adjustment period for everyone involved, Durant's presence on the wing should open things up for the rest of Golden State's scorers in a major way.
Not only do defenses need to respect Durant as a spot-up threat and point forward who can attack the basket with the ball in his hands, but he could also run terrifying 1-3 pick-and-rolls with Curry that should drive opposing coaches mad.
To make things more terrifying, the Warriors will likely roll out a small-ball unit featuring Curry, Klay Thompson, Durant, Iguodala and Green that will be able to space the floor and switch on defense like no other five-man permutation in the league.
Considering the Warriors outscored opponents by 47 points per 100 possessions with Harrison Barnes occupying Durant's role in that lineup last season, they could represent poetry in motion throughout the 2016-17 campaign.
Stats courtesy of NBA.com.