Nature’s Dichotomy
Is there a point at which it makes sense to depart from an NBA team, and is there a delicate balance between causing fan frustration and earning their approval? At the end of the day, it’s impossible to please everyone.
In 2016, Kevin Durant's departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the Golden State Warriors resulted in him becoming the most disliked player in the NBA community. Leaving the Thunder may be considered acceptable, but it was his choice of the team to join that sparked the community's outrage.
Players frequently encounter harsher scrutiny for what is perceived as 'betrayal' compared to when teams themselves engage in actions that are considered betrayals.
Kyrie Irving: Cleveland → Boston. (Desire for a new challenge)
Lebron James: Cleveland → Miami (Pursuit of championships)
Chris Paul: New Orleans → Los Angeles Clippers (Desire to play for contender)
Dwight Howard: Orlando → Los Angeles Lakers (Change of scenery)
Kawhi Leonard: San Antonio → Toronto (Disagreements over the handling of injury)
Numerous discussions can revolve around rationalizing a player's departure and determining whether it can be justifiable or not. On the other end, franchises aren’t all that pure, often parting ways with players when they no longer serve a purpose.
Demar DeRozan: Toronto → San Antonio
Isaiah Thomas: Boston → Cleveland
Blake Griffin: Los Angeles Clippers → Detroit
Paul George: Indiana → Oklahoma
Demarcus Cousins: Sacramento → New Orleans
The trades involving these players were highly surprising for many fans since these athletes were considered the foundations of their respective franchises. Despite their unexpected nature, the business aspect had fueled the teams to go through with the trades.
“Loyalty is a word that doesn’t really exist in sports, and that’s in the back of your mind as a player”
The sports community often forms strong emotional bonds with specific players, leading to heightened emotional reactions when these players choose to depart. This phenomenon can clarify why there is a stronger media focus on discussions regarding player autonomy, as opposed to situations where teams display a lack of loyalty.
A player may choose to leave and join a top-of-the-league team with little consideration. Conversely, a franchise could trade a player to a bottom-of-the-league team with no regard for their future. Thus, loyalty is often nuanced in the sports world and cannot be simplified into black-and-white terms for what’s wrong and right.
In the delicate balance of loyalty between players and teams, a team's breach of trust, like betraying a player, can set in motion a chain reaction, invoking a response from more players who reevaluate their commitment. This dynamic shift back toward equilibrium represents the cycle which is constantly occuring.
