In the eyes of many, Kevin Durant's legacy took a major hit when he joined the Golden State Warriors, and Giannis Antetokounmpo seemingly doesn't want to suffer similar pushback. Per NBA insider Jake Fischer (subscription required), sources briefed on the matter believe the Milwaukee Bucks star could be "turned off" by the prospect of facing similar criticism if he's traded to the Warriors.
It's not the exact same situation, but Giannis would be justified
As Fischer pointed out, Giannis cares about leaving a legacy. It's likely why the two franchises he has reportedly expressed an interest in playing for are the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves. Neither team has much hardware in the trophy case, and, just like Milwaukee, Giannis could go there to help change that rather than joining an already successful team.
If Giannis were to go to Golden State, he wouldn't get nearly as much pushback as Durant. For one, Durant joined the Warriors without a championship to his name. He gets criticized for going there to form a superteam and win his first title. Giannis already has one under his belt. He doesn't need to land there to get over the hump for the first time.
Furthermore, these aren't the same Warriors as when Durant joined them. Stephen Curry is still one of the best guards out there, but he's older. There's no Klay Thompson. Draymond Green is past his prime. The team just finished a 73-9 regular season when Durant joined them. The current Warriors are 27-23 and the Western Conference's eighth seed.
Still, despite all of that, Giannis wouldn't be able to escape the constant comparisons to Durant and how formidable he made the Warriors. The Slim Reaper won two Finals MVPs there. If Giannis doesn't match or surpass that mark, talking heads will find a way to degrade him for the move. Just like KD, he will never be able to outshine Curry, either.
It must be noted that Durant's legacy is not the only reason sources suspect Giannis may not want to join Golden State. Fischer notes that Curry being 37 also factors in, which is understandable. If he has the option, would he rather spend the next few years with an aging Curry or the next decade with someone young like 24-year-old Minnesota guard Anthony Edwards?
Golden State's potential trade offering to the Milwaukee Bucks was never going to be appealing in the first place, so it's good to hear that the Greek Freak may have some hesitancy to go there at all.
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