Should the Warriors retire Kevin Durant's No. 35 and raise his jersey to the rafters at Chase Center?
The debate isn't as one-sided as it might seem. Durant recently told The Ringer's Logan Murdock that the Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder have to retire his jersey.
When NBC Sports Bay Area polled fans on Twitter, the results were almost split, with 53.9 percent of respondents saying "Absolutely," while 46.1 percent said "Definitely not."
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Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and Warriors icon Chris Mullin sides with Durant, not the fans, on this issue.
"100 percent," Mullin said on "Warriors Pregame Live" on Saturday when asked by host Bonta Hill if the Warriors should retire Durant's number. "And there are different levels of accomplishment. Kevin Durant's tenure here with the Golden State Warriors were three NBA Finals [appearances], two Finals MVPs and as you said Bonta, he went out there and sacrificed his body to try to get that third championship in a row. He's as unique of a player as we've seen in the history of basketball. But this generation, LeBron, Steph, they're setting all-time records. LeBron is going to go past Kareem Abdul-Jabaar [for most points in NBA history].
"So this generation right now, that's why they are going to have numerous jerseys retired with different franchises, because they've had that impact on the game of basketball, which we never have seen before."
Durant stunned the sports world when he left OKC to sign with the Warriors in the summer of 2016. His decision changed the landscape of the NBA. The perception of Golden State already was shifting and KD coming to the Bay Area cemented the franchise's reputation as a destination team.
The Warriors, for years -- even decades -- had a hard time attracting free agents. They usually had to draft or trade for star players. But coming off an NBA title in 2014-15 and a 73-win season in 2015-16, Durant, one of the greatest free agents in the history of the NBA, chose to come to the Bay Area.
Golden State Warriors
“Every one of these places I played is my home,” Durant told Murdock. “I can imagine me when I’m done, and I don’t think any one of these franchises would be like, ‘No, K, what you did here is not a part of our history.’ I’m going to be a Hall of Famer when I’m done, one of the greatest to ever play. If you don’t want me to be a part of your program when I’m done playing, then that’s personal.
“OKC has to retire my jersey. It wouldn’t even be good for the game of basketball if they didn’t. The same with Golden State.
Yes, Durant only spent three years with the Warriors, and yes, he never committed long-term, always signing contracts that allowed him to return to free agency after each season. But that was a byproduct of the state of salary and free agent situation in the NBA at the time. It was financially beneficial for him to keep re-signing with the Warriors.
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But Durant turned an already-dominant Warriors team into a juggernaut that was derailed only by injuries (and later Durant's desire for a new challenge). They very likely would have three-peated had Durant not suffered a calf injury which then led to his ruptured Achilles in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals.
Despite how 46.1 percent of fans responded to the polls question, the Warriors undoubtedly will retire Durant's number, along with Steph Curry's No. 30, Draymond Green's No. 23, Klay Thompson's No. 11 and Andre Iguodala's No. 9. They all probably should get statues outside Chase Center as well. Those five players are forever linked, the heart of one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history. And they very likely will be honored as such.