netw3rk mentioned that Kawakami is not just a columnist but Editor for Athletic Bay Area, so he has had a particularly large role in any hot-take coverage and narrative that has built up around Durant. So while his twitter mea culpas or good, I think he should do a column in the publication he runs.

Oh sure, he should definitely write a column, as well. Just noting that he took his lumps last night a lot better than most columnists.

I’ve always resented Ewing not pulling a Willis Reed and hobbling out onto the court with a partially torn achilles vs. San Antonio. But that was much later in Ewings career, he was pretty much washed after that anyway.

I think he was still mostly the same guy in 1999-00 that he was in 1998-99, but yes, of course once he was injured in 1997-98, he was never the same again. Then he fell off the cliff in 2000-01.

Did it look like Durant’s lower leg was not heavily taped up?

Yeah, that was odd.

And I was going to bring up Kawhi, too, Z-Man. This puts his unwillingness to work things out with San Antonio in a fresh light. These guys don’t take kindly to being internally pressured like that.

Did it look like Durant’s lower leg was not heavily taped up?

Would love to hear Kawakami’s follow up to this:

To his credit, he has been big all night about owning all of the criticism he deserves for his shitty column. It’s better than how most columnists would handle it, honestly.

https://theathletic.com/1017348/2019/06/08/kawakami-exactly-when-the-warriors-need-kevin-durant-the-most-nobody-seems-to-know-exactly-whats-happening/?redirected=1

“It’s impossible to know. It’s probably a bit cynical to even attempt to analyze. But just ask yourself this: If Thompson or Looney or Curry or Green or Andre Iguodala had this injury 30 days ago, would the Warriors still be waiting for them?”

Pure class, Toronto.

2) This is a guy who probably realizes they caused KD to suffer a Bill Walton. All-time great that gets his career horribly wrecked by a career-altering injury. KD on a torn Achilles will basically be 2014 Melo. Not a bad player, but not a trascendent player either.

Yeah, I think it looked genuine as he struggled with the fact that they were wrong to clear him so soon and he was dealing with that emotion in real time. They weren’t “wrong,” exactly, but it was a risk. A risk that went terribly and possibly ruined Durant’s career.