As Kevin Durant continues his quest to win a second consecutive NBA Championship during the Western Conference Finals, Darren Rovell of ESPN takes an interesting look into how Durant is using his new home in the Bay Area as a means to grow his financial portfolio.
Durant has invested in Nike, Alaska Airlines and American Family Insurance, among other businesses, while his own media company, Thirty Five Media, is producing original content such as Swagger, which was recently sold to Apple, and two other projects that are currently in development with major TV networks.
Rovell also touched Durant’s endorsement battle between Nike and Under Armour during the summer of 2014 when Durant ultimately signed a 10-year, $300 million deal with Nike. Said Durant:
“I knew I had a supreme skill that needed to be compensated for, and I knew I played my way into having these negotiations. But I didn’t want to start over at Under Armour or Adidas. I knew where I wanted to be, and $300 million was more than enough.”
Finally, Durant spoke about his interest in potentially owning an NBA franchise someday, if possible.
“I wish I had the money. It’s crazy. Obviously, the financial part is definitely going to be the hardest part. (But) I would love to (own a team). All the aspects of owning a team, I would love to be involved in — from the financial and marketing side to the team-building to the camaraderie to the coaching.”
There’s more out of Oakland:
- Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post says that while the Warriors have four of the top 20 players in the NBA on their roster, the lack of a reliable supporting cast is threatening to derail the team’s run to a third championship in four seasons. Bontemps specifically mentions the signings of Nick Young and Omri Casspi as “spectacular failures.”
- Head coach Steve Kerr has won the Professional Basketball Writes Associations’ 2017/18 Rudy Tomjanovich Award, which honors the NBA coach who, in addition to exuding excellence on the bench, best cooperates with media and fans, reports Marc J. Spears of ESPN.
- As we’ve noted before, it’s looking more and more likely that Kevon Looney will be playing basketball somewhere other than Oakland next year as he continues to impress during this year’s playoffs. After the team’s Game 3 win, Kerr specifically remarked on Looney’s ability as a big man to switch out onto talented playmakers such as Chris Paul and James Harden, reports Logan Murdock of the Bay Area News Group.
Bontemps is reaching here, creating an illusory drama just to justify his existence as a sports writer.
Nick Young is doing exactly what they expected and need of him – to shoot when open, play good team D, and be switched on mentally. He’s shooting exactly 37.5% from 3 vs Houston in these 4 games, and has contributed some nice hustle plays. Picking on him is low hanging fruit. When you have Iggy and Livingstone, he isn’t expected to provide back up wing minutes; he’s in there to shoot. He split minutes with Patrick because they were trying to develop the youngster, knowing they’d be in the playoffs and could use Young more then.
Casspi played great before he was injured. Should the Warriors have anticipated his injury? He was the perfect bench player – high motor, above average shooter, excellent cutter, good size for 3/4 or 5 in a small line up.
I do agree in his assessment of the overcrowded 5 spot, but it’s all matchups. Playing a skilled, but old-fashioned true 7 footer like a Nurkic? Put Zaza on him. Playing a team that relies on driving without a great pick and roll man, like Milwaukee? Put McGee in. Then you have the switchable ‘bigs’ like Bell, Looney, West who play depending on the other team’s big man in a small line-up.
Damian Jones seems like a bit of a wash-out, he looks like a rabbit in the headlights, but he’s still on a rookie deal.
The only problem the Warriors have is injuries and turnovers. They will be just fine, and that the series is tied up is only testament to the fact Houston is a very fine basketball team.
Excellent, ditto.
It’s really easy to cooperate with fans and media when your record as a coach is like 200-50.
Kerr has always had a good relationship with fans and reporters. No matter his role or team. Of course he also wins everywhere he goes so…
Well, Kerr found this team made when he took over, we’ll have to wait when it breaks or he needs to rebuilt it how good he is, is easy to win in Golden State.