When Kevin Durant chose to sign with the Warriors in the summer of 2016, the narrative surrounding the 2014 NBA MVP was that he wanted to get away from Russell Westbrook.
The two came of age together with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but their games often seemed at odds with one another. Westbrook also plays with the intensity of 1,000 suns which many imagined had worn on Durant over the course of their time together.
But if you ask Anthony Morrow, who played with Durant and Westbrook for two seasons, KD's decision to leave OKC for the Bay had little to do with Westbrook.
"It wasn't as much to do with Russ as the media made it look like, I know that for a fact," Morrow told AmicoHoops.net.
"He wanted to build on his legacy. He wanted to win. He felt like we tried, 10 years, it ain't work ... I could tell you that's how he was thinking about that."
Durant has been open about the fact that his decision to go to the Bay centered around his desire to win and play the game at a more advanced level.
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No disrespect to Westbrook, but the Thunder's offense with him and Durant wasn't the ball movement-based offense the Warriors have perfected in the Bay. Durant is a basketball purist, and he wanted to experience the game at a higher level than was possible in Oklahoma City.
[RELATED: Kerr believes KD wants recognition as best player in world]
Durant likely will have another decision to make this offseason. With the ability to opt out of his contract and become a free agent, Durant can choose to leave the Bay after multiple titles in pursuit of something different.
What that might be, only he knows.
