Kevin Durant’s departure this offseason from Oklahoma City to Golden State finally separated what was once one of the league’s most dynamic trios for good, as Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden were all on different teams.
The one-time young core of the Thunder led Oklahoma City to the 2012 NBA Finals with all three stars under the age of 24. That offseason, Harden was traded to the Rockets, and ever since NBA fans have wondered what the three could have accomplished had the Thunder chosen to pay Harden and tried to keep the trio together rather than trade him.
This weekend will be a reunion of sorts in Oakland, as Durant and the Warriors host Westbrook and the Thunder on Wednesday night followed by Harden and the Rockets on Friday night. Durant sat down with Anthony Slater of the Bay Area News Group on Tuesday to reminisce about his early years with the Thunder playing alongside Westbrook and Harden, which he referred to as “pure fun.”
“We never looked at it that way, like we could be best of all-time,” Durant told Slater. “It was really AAU basketball, man. We were just having fun. We weren’t listening to anyone on the outside, media, none of that. It was just pure fun. When we did hear something about the group, it was like, what is this? That was so foreign to us because we never paid attention to it.”
Durant also detailed the intense practices that Scott Brooks put the young trio through in Harden’s first season to get them ready for the NBA grind as young 20-somethings.
“Scotty Brooks had this rule: No fouls,” Durant said.
Brooks would pit the starting unit with Durant and Westbrook against Harden and the bench unit, and, according to Durant, Harden would take full advantage of Brooks’ no fouls policy by fouling all the time during the scrimmages.
“James was a hack in practice,” Durant told Slater. “He’d grab, hold, whatever … A lot of us would be like, ‘Yo, what are you doing?’ and he’d just be like, ‘Play through it.’”
It’s a funny anecdote, but the full contact practices also could explain why Harden quickly became one of the NBA’s best at drawing fouls and finishing through the contact. Harden, much maligned for his flopping, does legitimately draw contact much of the time and is exceptional at making those opportunities into and-1s rather than just two free throws.
Durant clearly has fond memories of his time in Oklahoma City, particularly the early years with Harden and Westbrook all together, but he refuses to dwell on the questions of what could have been.
“It’s easy to say we were supposed to be together for the rest of our careers, but it didn’t play out like that,” Durant said. “I think all three of us will have memorable careers. And it’ll be a journey we’ll always remember, something that’s different and unique, playing with two different guys who are doing incredible things in the league right now. But when you look back, think about the fun times instead of what could’ve been.”
As for what Harden and Westbrook are doing now in starring roles away from Durant, the Warriors star can’t help but marvel at their stats.
“I just look at the numbers, man,” Durant said. “I see it here and there. This (stuff) is ridiculous.”
He’s not wrong, with Westbrook averaging a triple-double this season and Harden not far off triple-double pace it’s clear that all three players have the ability to thrive outside each other’s company. Even so, it feels to many NBA fans like we got cheated out of a potential all-time great team had the Thunder kept them all together.
