:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51421285/usa-today-9317437.0.jpg)
When Kevin Durant announced his decision on the morning of July 4th, I called Marina Mangiaracina (our co-lead editor) that same afternoon and we tried to digest our emotions. I’ve done 40 episodes of the Loud Noises podcast, and that was definitely the most unprepared and shellshocked I’ve ever been. To put it politely, I’m not sure I expressed myself as well as I probably could have.
Luckily, time has passed and both Marina and I have been given more time to flesh out our feelings. That works to the listeners’ advantage because Mike Prada has been previewing every NBA team’s season the past several weeks for his own podcast, Limited Upside, and has only just now gotten to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
So when Mike invited Marina and me to share our more-fully-fleshed-out thoughts on KD’s departure, we felt far more prepared to do so this time around. Oh, before you get too tired of us constantly talking about that dude, we also covered everything else Thunder fans can expect in the post-KD era.
Here’s the rundown, from Prada’s original SB Nation post featuring the podcast:
- What could Durant have done differently, save for choosing Oklahoma City?
- Did a frosty relationship with Russell Westbrook sew the seeds of his departure? Was their relationship as frosty as it now seems?
- Why did Westbrook immediately choose to sign a contract extension? What did that statement mean to Thunder fans?
- Will Westbrook go on the rampage we all expect, or will he be more subdued?
- Does the rest of the roster have enough shooting or defensive versatility? What can we expect from Victor Oladipo and new rookie Domantas Sabonis?
What do you think? Let us know in the comments if we were too hard on Durant, and if we are too optimistic - or pessimistic - for the upcoming season.
Listen in below.
Loading comments...