Reggie Miller Weighs In On Kevin Durant Joining the Warriors

Reggie Miller put in his two cents on Kevin Durant’s move to the Golden State Warriors.

In perhaps the biggest free agency move in NBA history, Kevin Durant has given the Golden State Warrior no excuse if they come up short of winning the NBA Finals this season.

The critics have come out on all sides, including former Indiana Pacers guard Reggie Miller.

Miller, a legend with a small-market team, wasn’t a fan of the move but did at least provide some nuance in his opinion when he left his thoughts in a post on Bleacher Report. He began his post transcribing a few texts he shared with a friend.

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"And then I responded: “At the end of the day, what’s more important, rings or legacy? The media only cares about rings, and rightfully so. We are judged on jewelry, so that’s why I can’t argue with it. From a personal standpoint, I’m upset that a small market will never recover from it."

For Miller, though, he understands the battle of championships versus legacy.

"Durant would have been a god if he stayed in Oklahoma City. People always say to me, “I’m so glad you stayed with us”—that I stayed for 18 years with a small-market (Pacers) team in Indiana.But the media, of which I am a part, always says, “Well, he never won a championship.” And I get that; I understand that. Not winning a championship burns me to this day."

In the end, Miller saw his legacy in Indiana, not whether he had a ring or not.

"And while I get all of this, stars in small markets have a greater obligation to their fans.People always ask, “What made you stay in Indiana for all those years?”This is the best way I can answer that question: Your checkout teller at the grocery store, the attendant at the gas station, the ushers, the waiters, the waitresses—all these fans laughed and cheered with me, and they cried with me after the losses to Shaq, MJ and the Knicks.We were in it together.I could not look at those fans had I gone somewhere else. I could not win a championship in Miami like LeBron, popping bubbly and all that, knowing there’s a group in Indiana that stayed with me when I wasn’t able to win a title. I couldn’t turn my back on that fanbase and say, “Yay, I got a ring!”"

Leaving the Indiana Pacers for a title contender wasn’t a hypothetical situation for Miller, either. In 2007, a year after he retired, the Boston Celtics came calling, looking to add another shooter.

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He said no.

Compared to someone like Charles Barkley criticizing Durant’s choice, who played for several teams — including the then recent champion Houston Rockets — Miller’s words carry more weight.

Miller could have left Indiana as the post-Brawl era Pacers were falling apart, and few would have questioned the choice. Miller had that chance, but he said no. He may have been 41 at the time, but he easily could have been a sharpshooter in limited minutes for the Celtics the year they won the title.

While Miller’s post ultimately comes off as critical of Durant’s move, he at least says he understands why Durant did it. It isn’t as if Miller is going overboard when he takes issue with it like some clowns in the media.

This is a reminder of how special it is — especially in a smaller market — when a player stays and spends his whole career with one team.

So instead of burning jerseys, writing ‘coward’ on a for sale sign outside a player’s house, or anything stupid like that, fans should learn to enjoy the time any player spends with a team, and truly cherish the ones that do play their entire career with one team.

Next: Filling Out the Indiana Pacers' Roster: Swipe Right or Left?

That’s something Indiana Pacers fans can do with Reggie Miller, and that is something special.

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Reggie Miller Weighs In On Kevin Durant Signing With the Golden State Warriors

By Ben Gibson | Jul 7, 2016

Reggie Miller put in his two cents on Kevin Durant’s move to the Golden State Warriors.

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