Durant s "Mercenary" epic: 18-year transfer storm and the ultimate bet in 2025

Every transfer of Kevin Durant is like dropping a nuclear bomb on the NBA territory - from the "teenage hero" in Oklahoma City to the "cosmic god of death" in Golden State, to the wandering years between Brooklyn and Phoenix, his choice has always subverted the league structure. In the summer of 2025, 37-year-old Durant once again stood at the intersection of fate, and this time, his transaction value and the label of "mercenary" are triggering an unprecedented game.

1. Transfer history: From "Thunder Gemini" to "Champion Mercenary"

1. Thunder period (2007-2016): The tragedy and breaking of the Western Conference Finals

In the 9th year of Thunder career, Durant led the team to the Western Conference Finals 3 and 1 finals, but in the 2016 Western Conference Finals, he suffered the most dramatic reversal in NBA history - he collapsed after leading 73-1 3-1 and defeating the Warriors. G6 Klay Thompson made 11 three-pointers like a rainstorm, and the G7 Thunder team's three-point shooting percentage was only 25.9% (45.9% of the Warriors), completely destroying the advantage. This battle became a turning point in Durant's career and laid the foreshadowing for him to join the Warriors.

Sharp comment: The pain of Thunder fans is comparable to "After the chicken legs are snatched, they look at their opponents dip their sauce and eat them."

2. Warriors' Period (2016-2019): Champions shortcuts and undercurrents in the locker room

"nuclear weapon" effect: In the first year of joining the Warriors, Durant won the FMVP with an average of 35.2 points and 8.2 rebounds in the finals. During the two consecutive championships, the playoff winning rate was as high as 89.7% (35 wins and 4 losses).

Green's formula closed loop: The philosophical critical hit of "we are champions before you come" eventually evolved into the ultimate ridicule of "we are still champions after you leave". Drummond Green even said bluntly: "After Durant comes, we don't have to work so hard to win."

3. Nets& Suns (2019-2025): The Game of Thrones of the Wandering Death

The three Nets' giants disintegrated quickly due to Irving's "cultivation of immortality", Harden's internal strife, and Durant's Achilles tendon injury; after moving to the Suns, they formed the three giants with Booker and Bill with a salary of 170 million yuan, but missed the play-offs for two consecutive years - in 2025, the Suns' defensive efficiency fell to 22nd place in the league, and Durant was unable to support it.

Tuuu: "Manager Du's logic of winning the championship is to 'collect all the fragments to summon the dragon', but unfortunately the instructions are always missing."

2. Transfer strategy anatomy: The "strategic black hole" of genius scorers

1. Tactical dependence: "plug and play" back on the team's ecology

Durant's indiscriminate singles are the top in history, but the teams played for have not established a sustainable system:

Warriors: Directly grafting "small ball pass and cut" to cover up their organizational shortcomings;

Suns: The three giants take turns to single, their defensive efficiency collapsed, and they were ridiculed as "offensive museums and defensive slums."

State of data: After Durant left the Warriors, the team he played for never breaks through the divisional semi-finals.

2. Salary killing game: The maximum salary at the age of 37 will lock in the future

This summer, Durant demanded a two-year contract renewal of 110 million yuan (the salary exceeded 60 million in 2026), but each team regards it as a "short-term loan target." The Suns spent Bridges + Cameron Johnson + 4 first rounds + 2 second rounds for him, but now the trading value has shrunk to "2 potential newcomers + sporadic draft picks".

GM bluntly said: "Give him a maximum salary is like buying a lottery. The first prize is the second round of the playoffs. Thank you for your patronage. The salary is locked for ten years."

3. Leadership vacuum: Super scorers ≠ Leaders

The Warriors rely on Curry to gather the locker room;

Nets allow Irving to controversial behavior;

The Suns failed to activate Bill's combat power, and the morale in the locker room was dispersed.

US media commented heartbrokenly: "He is a nuclear warhead, but not a launch button - no matter how powerful it is, no one can press it."

3, 2025 summer "Death Next Home" odds list

1. Spurs (probability 35%): Wenban Yama's "sickle guard"

adaptability: Wenban's inside restraint + Durant's unsolved mid-range shot, theoretical offensive efficiency can reach the top three in history;

Obstacle: The Suns asked for Wassell + multiple first rounds, the Spurs were only willing to make Kelden Johnson + No. 14 pick (Note: Johnson was chosen by the Spurs in the first round of Leonard's trade in 2018).

Popovich Magic: either tame the God of Death into a systematic puzzle, or let the singles blow the old coach faint.

2. Rockets (probability 25%): The "quick bet" of the Youth Army

Ambition: Jaylen Green + Shinkyung + Amen Thompson urgently needs a super mentor, but refuses to break the youth core;

Quotation bottom line: Dillon Brooks + Jeff Green + 2025 No. 10 sign-in-10 - rejected by the Suns.

Fans' brain hole: "Durant teaches Amen to shoot: learn to pull first, then learn transfer timing!"

3. Heat (probability 20%): Riley's "Superstar Juicer"

chips: Taylor Herro + Duncan Robinson + Hax + 2 first round;

Hidden danger: Can Spole make Durant become "Butler PLUS"? Riley's tradition of "using it to death" may trigger protests against Achilles tendon.

4. Dark Horse Thunder (probability 15%): Redemption script for the cycle of fate

Strategic value: The young core of Alexander + Homgren + Jewe has rushed to the Western Conference Finals, and Durant can fill the gaps at critical moments (the 2025 playoff Thunder hits only 39% of the key ball shooting);

Emotional obstacle: Thunder fans have not forgiven their "defection", but if Pu always exchanges Ji'an + Mitchell + 4 first rounds back to Durant, it may achieve "the most exciting revenge literature".

4. Butterfly effect: How does Durant's transfer reshape the NBA's power picture?

Western meat grinder upgrade: If Durant joins the Spurs/Thunder, the West will now compete for the quarterfinals of the Nuggets, Timberwolves, Spurs/Thunder, and Mavericks;

Suns' reconstruction speeds up: trading Durant's draft pick + young assets can restart the "1.5 core mode" around Booker;

Historical status final judgment: If you live your life as a "mercenary", Durant may become synonymous with "rootless super giant".

Conclusion: The transfer comedy, the champion's tragic wish

Durant's career is like a ridiculous realist masterpiece: he holds two championships and two FMVPs, but he is ridiculed as a "passenger champion"; he earns 400 million yuan in salary, but he can't buy a word "team leader". The summer of 2025 "Where Are Death Going" is not only Durant's last window of redemption, but also the humanity microscope of the NBA Game of Thrones - "He looks very much like love when he pursues the championship, but every time he breaks up, he gets skinned all over the Internet."

No matter what the outcome, Durant has proved with his 18-year transfer epic: in the NBA, choices are crueler than talent, and fate is sharper than sickle.