Warriors facing scorn for all the wrong reasons

People need a villain and cannot exist without someone to hate, or at least strongly dislike. This rings true for society as a whole but especially in sports, which is fueled by emotion and ruled by the acceptable right to root for “us” and against “them.”

And if you can’t find a legitimate sports creep — you know, like an athlete with a rap sheet or a billionaire team owner who fleeces a community for financial gain — then villains are invented. This is the new reality for the Golden State Warriors, who are getting a cream pie in the face for all the wrong reasons.

Well, let’s get right to the core of the issue: Golden State and Kevin Durant each had the gall to put themselves in the best position to win a string of championships. How dare they?

And here’s how they arrived at this point: The Warriors smartly managed their salary cap (and had the good fortune of Steph Curry hurting his ankle and signing for a deal far below value) and made their franchise attractive to free agents. Durant put in the necessary hard work to elevate himself among the game’s elite players and played out his contract in Oklahoma City to become an unrestricted free agent. This was Brad Pitt and Angeline Jolie meeting for the first time.

Both timed the summer free agent market correctly; the league’s rising cap gave Golden State more money to spend and Durant more financial flexibility to cash in with teams other than OKC.

The Warriors felt they could strengthen themselves with a former MVP still in his prime. Meanwhile, after going 0-for-championships in his career, a weary Durant felt he could maximize his chances by signing with the deepest if not best team in basketball. This was a team and player thinking the way they were supposed to think.

There’s nothing in the rules that say, you cannot join or leverage your way to the best situation possible. If so, then the following should’ve been locked up long ago: Erving, Barkley, Wilt, Drexler, Malone, Garnett and of course, LeBron, among others, all made their way to ideal situations that helped them win a title or come close. But folks get selective memory, especially here in the Age Of Hate, and so Durant and the Warriors will be greeted as the worst people in sports this season in 29 of the NBA’s 30 arenas.

True enough, they opened the preseason hearing whistles in the friendly and accepting city of Vancouver, which doesn’t even have an NBA team anymore. (Side note: the worst trade in NBA history remains Memphis for Vancouver.)

Maybe we should take a sampling of the guilty people to explain why they’re deserving of the hatred:

Curry. He fits the profile of the boy next door (one with a lethal jumper) who is married to the mother of all of his children (rare among athletes), doesn’t curse, refuses to taunt opposing players, clings to his faith, makes more time for autographs than most superstars, doesn’t moan about his salary ($11 million a season is the No. 1 bargain in sports) and respects the game.

Durant. He gave nine of his best years to an NBA outback, became a symbol of hope and strength during a deadly tornado, is refreshingly approachable in public, donates to worthy causes, helps his community with his time and money and gives fans their money’s worthy every night.

Steve Kerr. Smart with a dry sense of humor and willing to share it with anyone, pro gun control (his father was murdered), keeps a sharp social conscious, chose family over signing with the Knicks, beloved by his players, keeps his ego in check.

Klay Thompson. Amazing growth made him more comfortable and confident in public, stays calm and laid back, harmless to teammates and coaches, loves his dog (and probably yours too).

Shaun Livingston. Survivor of the most haunting leg injury you ever (hopefully never) saw, worked his way back to play a helpful role on the highest level.

JaVale McGee. Makes you laugh. Often unintentionally.

David West. Locker room sage is grounded and also well versed on the world outside of the sports bubble.

Andre Iguodala. Takes sacrifice to the next level, willing to do whatever to win, keeps any jealousy well hidden inside his sock or maybe his shoe.

It’s true the past antics of Draymond Green deserve an eye poke, but otherwise the Warriors organization is well run and eagerly supported in the Bay Area, where their approval rating is Obama-like. When you consider how the franchise recovered from a lost decade where it couldn’t even squeeze out a playoff spot, to arrive at this stage, the only bitter emotion the Warriors should generate is envy.

Of course, we saw this six years ago when LeBron teamed up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and caused the NBA world to completely lose its mind. Too many people took it personally, when in truth, it never directly affected their daily lives. LeBron suddenly became evil and for at least an entire season fans treated him harshly, like a criminal. It was ridiculously over the top. By comparison, athletes who assaulted women or were popped for DUIs were thrown a parade.

This is what Durant should brace himself for, if only because there must be a “narrative” (the most overused term in sports) attached to the Warriors. Whether it’s because writers and bloggers need a cheap story angle, or jealousy among fans of other teams, or the basketball traditionalists had their chains yanked, the Warriors with Durant will catch more hell than they cause on the court.

Because, you know, he and they deserve it.

As Kerr said earlier this fall: “To think of Kevin Durant or Steph Curry or any of our guys as villains, it’s kind of absurd. Especially Kevin. This is one of the most likable people in this league. He’s just an awesome human being. What he did for that Oklahoma City community was unbelievable … it’s only because he decided to go somewhere else to play. He wanted a change of scenery.”

No, he wanted to give himself the very best chance to avoid becoming the next Malone or Barkley or Ewing.

“It’s not something I would’ve done,” said Damian Lillard, and to each his own. If Lillard and others like him would rather retire without a ring than win one on a superteam, that’s fine. Durant wants rings by any means necessary. Neither option is wrong.

The NBA won’t crash and burn because the Warriors got better. If anything, Durant with the stacked Warriors will be good for business, the way LeBron in Miami broke the box office. Television ratings will rise, merchandise will move and eyeballs were remain fixated on the Warriors and whether they can top last season’s record wins or safely navigate through the playoff minefield. And if they meet LeBron for the third straight June, won’t the NBA Finals become must-watch TV?

Imagine: In that scenario, the most loathed NBA player from six years ago would find himself almost universally cheered. Yet, if that’s the price Durant and the Warriors must pay, they’ll willingly risk going broke.

Veteran NBA writer Shaun Powell has worked for newspapers and other publications for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here or follow him onTwitter.

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