Adam Silver Calls Kevin Durant Joining Warriors an 'Abberation,' Praises Team

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver isn't worried that Kevin Durant's signing with a loaded Golden State Warriors team two years ago is going to be a common practice.   

During Wednesday's episode of Golic and Wingo on ESPN Radio, Silver called Durant joining the Warriors an "aberration" because it came in the midst of a significant spike in the salary cap. 

"It was a bit of an aberration in our system, we had a spike in our cap, it enabled them to have additional cap room. The Warriors will tell you they would have figured out a way to get it done anyway."

Per Basketball-Reference.com, the NBA salary cap went from $70 million during 2015-16 to $94.1 million in 2016-17.

By comparison, the NBA salary cap went up by only $19 million from 2003-04 ($43,840,000) to 2014-15 ($63,065,000). 

The Warriors took advantage of that salary-cap spike because they had already signed Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green to contract extensions under the old system, which gave them the flexibility to add Durant's $26.5 million salary . 

Curry became the first NBA player to sign a $200 million contract when he re-signed with the Warriors last summer. 

The Warriors currently have $102.7 million in contracts for next season, though that doesn't factor in Durant's salary if he opts in to the second year of his deal or re-signs with the team on a new contract. 

Next summer figures to be the first time Golden State faces the possibility of breaking up its core four when Thompson is eligible for free agency.