Though many speculate this could be Kevin Durant's final season in Golden State, the forward's impact on the Warriors during his three years with the team is impossible to deny.
While Durant's focus in on the Warriors' current playoff run, he's also conscious of what a third title would mean to his legacy with the franchise.
"If you put a Durant '35' jersey in any NBA arena coming from where I come from ... that is why that stuff is important to me, because my family name will be here after I am dead," Durant told The Undefeated's Marc Spears. "To have that hanging in the arena with one of the best franchises in sports, hell, yeah, that's a goal."
The 30-year-old had 23 points, four boards, three assists, and three blocks in Golden State's 121-104 Game 1 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Durant will become an unrestricted free agent if he opts out of his $31.5-million player option for next season.
The uncertainty surrounding his future was reportedly a lingering issue in the Warriors' locker room throughout the campaign and apparently reached a boiling point during a mid-November game when Draymond Green clashed with Durant regarding his long-term status with the team.
